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The shady trail |
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Holy Jim Falls in September of a dry year |
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Break in a rock dam over the creek |
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This is a short hike to an apparently year round waterfall in Orange County. We hit the trailhead around 1 pm on a hot day. My thermometer read 95 degrees in the shade. A short dirt road stroll past a small community of cabins led us into Holy Jim Canyon where the trail narrowed and meandered alongside the dry creek. Although it was very hot on this day, the shade of the many green oaks and sycamores in the canyon kept us cool. After about a mile of hiking, we hit a small, well marked junction. This led us away from the main trail and along the creek. Following this trail took us through a heavy mosquito section of trail and after a very short walk, led us to Holy Jim Falls. By this time of year (late September), the falls were nothing more than a trickle that disappeared into the rocky basin at its base. Still, the shade and relative lack of mosquitoes near the falls made for a pleasant break. Other websites (1, 2) have pictures of the falls in winter and spring, and it is interesting to compare what the falls look like then with how they appear at this time of the year.
Of note, the trailhead is approximately 4.6 miles from the paved road along a bumpy dirt road alternately called Trabuco Creek and Trabuco Canyon Road. My sedan didn't have much difficulty with the road, but I would have preferred to have a 4-wheel drive vehicle with some more clearance for comfort as I drove along this very rough stretch.
Last edited: 09/27/2002