Overview
The dense trees around Cooks Peak are fantastic!
Truly, the best way to get to Cooks Peak is to climb
Shirley Peak first, and then hike 1 mile due East staying on the downward sloping ridge that is the saddle between the two peaks. Directions below where it says
to do both Shirley & Cooks Peak.
That being said there is another way that you can take. Follow the driving directions listed below for
To do just Cooks Peak. Hike due East .2 miles up to the summit of Cooks Peak (6921'). The elevation gain is 261'.
The summit of Cooks Peak. 07-04-2008.
A view from the summit of Cooks Peak. 07-04-2008. Getting There
From Wofford Heights take SR 155, 7.7 miles to Greenhorn Summit.
~I-5 North to Bakersfield, exit 178 east. Go to Lake Isabella and exit on SR155, follow signs to Wofford Heights.
~From Ridgecrest, Hwy 14 to 178 west, follow signs to Kernville, then go west on 155 to Wofford Heights.
~From 99 southbound, take 155 east to Greenhorn Summit, turn left on 24S15.
~It is also possible to take Rancheria Road from Highway 178 in Rio Bravo near Bakersfield though it is a dirt road for much of the way.
To the Shirley Meadows Trailhead to do both Shirley & Cooks Peak. From the sand shed on the Greenhorn Summit take Rancheria Rd. South for 3 miles to
Alta Sierra at Shirley Meadows parking lot. Drive .3 miles past, and you will see a small dirt parking area. You will see the trailhead on the East side of the road.
To do just Cooks Peak. Follow the directions above, but stop at the paved parking lot. Drive back the way you came (NNE) .1 miles, and turn right on that dirt road. Drive .9 +/- .1 miles (SSE) on the dirt road (25S31)and park there on the saddle (6660') between Shirley and Cooks peak. You will be in very dense trees so I would measure the distance with your odometer.
View Larger MapRed Tape
This is not a wilderness area, so permits are not required.
Greenhorn Ranger District
4875 Ponderosa Drive
P.O. Box 3810
Lake Isabella, CA 93240
(760) 379-5646
Tule River Ranger District
32588 Highway 190
Springville, CA 93265
(559) 539-2607
Camping
Evans Flat, Alder Creek, Rancheria Rd. & Cedar Creek.
Camping & other lodging is also available in nearby Lake Isabella, Kernville, and Wofford Heights.
External Links
Weather from the National Weather Service
Webcams
Lake Isabella Online Seasons & Conditions
Season: The normal route is closed during winter, so access is normally limited to May through October.