Burney to Bushcamp
14.6 miles (1.2 off trail miles)
Mile 1424.7
In no rush to leave our comfortable hotel room, we slept in. Around 11 we checked out and headed down the street to grab a pizza to pack out from Gepetto’s. While waiting for our pie, Spikes played with shiny her new phone.
After tucking away our foil wrapped garlic chicken pizza into our packs we walked to the edge of town and put our thumbs out. Five minutes later we were on our way back to the trail.
We hit the flat red dusted trail around noon. It was an easy 9 miles to Burney Falls State Park, where we planned to hop in line with the tourists to see the falls.
We arrived just past 2, I couldn’t believe how fast we’d covered the miles.
We accidentally walked the Falls Loop, a 1.2 mile scenic loop of the falls, while trying to find the general store. Despite the pesky tourists, Burney Falls was impressive as hell. Definitely worth the short side trip.
Sights seen, we tracked down the store to purchase soft serve and beer. We spent the next hour loitering at a picnic table, enjoying our beer in the shade.
Before leaving, we bought a second round of ice creak to munch on as we hiked out of the park.
A few miles out we crossed over Lake Britten Damn, before beginning a short ascent.
Around 6 large dark clouds started rolling in, and the winds picked up. Still full on beer and ice cream, we decided to make camp just past Rock Creek.
After pitching our tents I made a small fire to stair at as we pillaged the pizza we’d packed out from town. For dessert I treated myself to a chocolate donut protein cookie. So good!
Two section hikers from Florida ended up joining us at our campsite for the night. We chatted briefly, but they mostly kept their distance.
By 8 it was bed time, so I dowsed the fire and crawled into my tent. As I sat on my sleeping pad preparing for bed, the pad suddenly deflated! Whaaaat the heck! Somehow I’d managed to poke a massive hole in it. Damn.
Too tired to deal with patching it, I spent the night sleeping on the cold hard ground.
Cheers!