How to have an Adventure at Red Rock Canyon Adventure Park
The Red Rock Canyon Adventure Park is a privately owned and charges $10 per car for up to 5 people then $2 for each extra person. Motorcycles get in for $5. Or a Season Pass for $49. Camping starts at $12 to $35 starting with a tent without a fire ring going up to a 50amp site with three different locations in the park.
But the adventure begins as you enter. The road dropped down in to the canyon from above with a hairpin curve or two. Luckily, they have lots of space to get your car, van, trailer, and/or RV down to the bottom.
I started my adventure with the California nature trail. The trail was a little beat up from a storm that had been really bad the week before, i.e. trees down but you could see that the trail was normally very well keep.
The trail climbs from the valley bottom to the top of the canyon.
Even Olive Oil enjoyed the hike up!!! But being a little bit, she was not as happy to go down the hill…lol
The trail goes around the rim of the canyon for a bit…
then dropped back down to the valley below which also give you the option to turn right and head deeper into the valley,
Or to the left to get back to your vehicle.
The camping area is nice and open in the California Road Camping Area which I think was the best area when I was in the park.
The Walnut Grove Campgrounds area is camping up against this red rock which is very very pretty.
The Oldtimer’s Spring Trail is nice but short.
But across the street is a nice trail with nature signs and goes back into the canyon between the rock walls. It is the first stop as you enter the park area.
The trail is a bit wide at first.
The area is just beautiful.
But the trail gets a bit thinner. Only it keep having obstacles in the way from the storm. To be safer then sorry, I turned back because it was getting later in the day and I was concerned that I could miss the trail going back and it was time to get going for the evening.
Brief History
The Gold Rush of 1849, was sparked by gold nuggets found in Sacramento Valley. As the news spread, thousands of prospector rushed to California along the trails which include places Red Rock Canyon for stops along the way.
Red Rock Canyon was the winter camp for the Plains Indians with clean water, lots of game, and as an escape from the cold prairie winds. But during the California Gold Rush of 1849, the canyon became a part of the road westward. It was a place for travelers to rest for a while, repair wagons, allow livestock to graze, and get fresh water.
Today, the park is used by a different kind of traveler. Those that are getting away from the city life and back to nature for a day or longer.