KEYWORDS: Clear Creek, Larious Creek, San Carlos Creek, Sawmill Creek, San Benito River, White Creek, Sampson Peak, Idria Peak, San Benito Mountain, Santa Rita Peak, Spanish Lake, serpentine
ABOUT
THE AREA - The Clear Creek Management Area contains the 30,000 acre Serpentine ACEC that comprises the New Idria serpentine mass. San Benito Mountain is the highest peak in the Diablo Range at 5,267 feet. The natural moonscape serpentine barrens are a prominent and unique feature of the area. Dominant vegetative cover of the New Idria serpentine mass is chaparral, with mixed conifer forest occurring at the higher elevations. The mixed conifer forest includes Pinus sabiniana, P. coulter, P. jeffreyi, and Calocedrus decurrens. San Benito Mountain is the only location where Pinus coulteri and P. jeffreyi occur together and the two hybridize, creating unusual intermediates. Several plant species are local, rare endemics of the New Idria serpentine. This include Camissonia benitensis, Layia discoidea, Fritillaria viridea, and Solidago guiradonis. Long-distance disjunct serpentine endemic species populations also occur here including Astragalus rattani var, jepsonianus and Astragalus clevelandii.
HOW TO GET THERE - The primary access point for Clear Creek Management Area is Clear Creek Road (Jade Mill entrance gate), on the west side. Entry via Idria Road (New Idria entrance gate) on the east side is possible only by rugged 4WD. In general, I don't recommend entering that way. From the Coast direction, take Coalinga Road east to Clear Creek Road. From the San Joaquin Valley direction, take Los Gatos Road (becomes Coalinga Road at county line) to Clear Creek Road. Entry to the Serpentine ACEC is by permit only! Get your permit at Recreation.gov - https://www.recreation.gov/vehiclepermits/250848
SAFETY - The Serpentine ACEC contains Naturally Occurring Asbestos. That is the reason for the permit required and you can read more about that here - https://archive.epa.gov/region9/toxic/web/html/index-3.html Try and limit your exposure to dust in the area. There is little to no cell phone service in the area. Satellite-based communications are recommended. Clear Creek Road is a graded dirt road that can be navigated by most 2WD vehicles, including sedans. If you wish to drive farther out than Clear Creek Canyon, a 4WD vehicle with higher clearance is strongly recommended.
A PERMIT IS REQUIRED TO ENTER THE SERPENTINE ACEC - You must obtain this permit before your leave to go to Clear Creek Management Area. Get your permit at Recreation.gov - https://www.recreation.gov/vehiclepermits/250848 There is no cell phone service at Clear Creek, so don't expect to be able to get a permit once you arrive there. There is no on-site Ranger Station or on-site BLM employee.
POINTS OF INTEREST - Clear Creek, Sampson Peak, San Benito Mountain peak (views), Spanish Lake, Upper San Benito River, Sawmill Creek.
RECOMMENDED CAMPING - There are developed campgrounds at Jade Mill and Oak Flat. The campgrounds have shade structures, fire pits, picnic tables, and pit toilets. There is no potable water available. Pack out your garbage. As with almost any other BLM land, you are also welcome to dry camp (tent) anywhere on the BLM land.
NEW IDRIA - New Idria was the second largest mercury mine in the US, after New Almaden near San Jose. The ghost town of New Idria is entirely on private land and now an EPA Superfund site. The BLM does not manage any lands that comprise the New Idria town site. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Idria,_California https://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=0905346 Additional recommended reading on the history of the area - New Idria Quicksilver: History of the New Idria Mining District Paperback August 13, 2014 by Ray Iddings (Author) Historical Guide to San Benito Mountain & Joaquin Rocks Region of Central California Paperback ? October 16, 2015 by Ray Iddings (Author)
FLORA REFERENCES - There is no published flora for San Benito County. There are some old, unpublished references - Vascular Plants of the San Benito Mountain Region. James R. Griffin. January 1976. Vascular Plants of the San Benito Mountain Region. James R. Griffin and Vernal L. Yadon. 1989. Also, the same list updated in 1995. Calflora observation records and species lists generated from them will generally be your best reference here.
A PERMIT IS REQUIRED TO ENTER THE SERPENTINE ACEC - You must obtain this permit before your leave to go to Clear Creek Management Area. Get your permit at Recreation.gov - https://www.recreation.gov/vehiclepermits/250848 There is no cell phone service at Clear Creek, so don't expect to be able to get a permit once you arrive there. There is no on-site Ranger Station or on-site BLM employee.
SAFETY - The Serpentine ACEC contains Naturally Occurring Asbestos. That is the reason for the permit required and you can read more about that here - https://archive.epa.gov/region9/toxic/web/html/index-3.html Try and limit your exposure to dust in the area. There is little to no cell phone service in the area. Satellite-based communications are recommended. Clear Creek Road is a graded dirt road that can be navigated by most 2WD vehicles, including sedans. If you wish to drive farther out than Clear Creek Canyon, a 4WD vehicle with higher clearance is strongly recommended. RECOMMENDED CAMPING - There are developed campgrounds at Jade Mill and Oak Flat. The campgrounds have shade structures, fire pits, picnic tables, and pit toilets. There is no potable water available.
MORE INFORMATION AND CONTACTS
Bureau of Land Management. Central Coast Field Office.:
https://www.blm.gov/visit/clear-creek The BLM Central Coast Field Office administers approximately 284,000 acres of public land in Central California. Bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the San Joaquin Valley to the east, elevations range from sea level to over 5,000 feet and major landforms include the Diablo Mountain Range, Salinas Valley, and San Joaquin Valley.
