Woodward Peak

Overview

Woodward Peak is located just off of Rancheria Road which is a connector road between Bakersfield, the Greenhorn Summit, and the Kern River Valley. There are a wide variety of outdoor activities available on Rancheria Road including hiking, skiing, snowshoeing, snowboarding, cross country skiing, off-roading OHV, mountain biking, and more. Rancheria Road and the Greenhorn Summit are important components of the outdoor adventure known as the Kern River Valley in California.

To hike to Woodward Peak you can start at the Greenhorn Summit near the sand shed, and follow the directions to the Evans Flat campground in Getting There below.

After you park at Evans Flat campground you hike East on the dirt road through the campground. You will come to a big hill amidst the trees which you will want to traverse around to the Northeast. You will come to an East-West canyon on the North side of that hill. You follow the canyon up and East until you see a Northeast ridge which you take to the summit. The summit has lots of small rocks, and there is no register. The total hike is less than 2 miles with an elevation gain of approximately 400 feet.

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.

From the sand shed on the Greenhorn Summit take Rancheria Rd. South for 3 miles to Alta Sierra at Shirley Meadows parking lot. Drive 5-6 more miles South to Evans Flat Campground.




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Red 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.

Evans Flat is the best bet as it is the trailhead for the peak.

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.

Images

View Woodward Peak Image Gallery - 3 Images