"Human walking is a unique activity during which the body, step by step, teeters on the edge of catastrophe . . .Man's bipedal mode of walking seems potentially catastrophic because only the rhythmic forward movement of first one leg and then the other keeps him from falling flat on his face." - John Napier

This week's walk includes that perfect picnic spot and much more. The ground is wet from recent rain. McGarvey Gulch Creek is rushing. Bright green moss is spreading on the tree trunks. The air is fresh and cool, and signs of spring are everywhere.

From the entrance station off Kings Mountain Road, drive to the first intersection and go straight (left) a short distance to the next junction and turn right. At the lower end of the large Meadow Picnic Area is a small parking lot next to the restroom building. Park there, and find the signed trailhead. Take the Zwierlein Trail (also marked for the Phlegler Estate) that begins a gradual descent to the junction with Richards Road in .7 mile. Don't go to Richards Road, but turn left at the Dean Trail (also marked for the Archery Range in 1.6 miles). Dean Trail continues west over mostly level terrain with several picnic areas on the left and McGarvey Gulch on the right.

As the trail climbs a bit, split rail fencing separates you from the forested picnic areas, and soon you will pass over an asphalt road that leads to the Toyan Group Camp area, a popular campout setting for youth groups. The trail crosses Toyan Road and continues uphill to Archery Fire Road. It levels out above and parallel to Kings Mountain Road. Soon Dean Trail switchbacks, climbs 100 feet, and re-crosses the Archery Fire Road. You are then hiking along the north side of the ridge high above McGarvey Gulch. One-eighth mile beyond Archery Fire Road is a junction with the Chinquapin Trail, which leads to the upper reaches of Huddart Park. (Check out our Web site for "A Good Workout on the Upper Loop" featuring the Skyline, Chinquapin, Dean, and Crystal Springs trails.) This walk continues along the Dean Trail, which levels out and moves down into the gulch. This portion of the trail is an old logging road, and throughout the gulch are large stumps that remind us of the huge redwoods that grew in this area before the loggers came in the 1860s. Now the area is reforested with second-growth redwoods, and up into the gulch, big-leaf maples are taking hold.

The Dean Trail leads to McGarvey Gulch, where the water is rushing (first of March), but during the hot summer months, it will be only a trickle. A new bridge has been constructed over the gulch, and as you turn from the bridge, McGarvey Flat lies below the creek. A sign reminds us that we are 1,380 feet above sea level.

This is our destination--the very best picnic area in the central portion of Huddart Park. The area has been improved during the last year with two hitching posts, a new picnic table, and the new bridge crossing McGarvey Creek. There are also a few log benches that have served picnickers for decades. High trees, filtered sunlight, rushing water, and natures' solitude make this a magical place. And during the wet winter months, horses are barred from Dean Trail, so the usage is less than in summer. Bring something waterproof because anything you sit on will be wet.

After the picnic, you can retrace your steps or continue a quarter-mile along the narrow Dean Trail to the junction with Crystal Springs Trail. Turn right, and descend through a mixed redwood-madrone forest with a touch of chaparral. In three-quarters of a mile from the Dean Trail, you will cross the road to Toyan Group Camp. You can turn right and walk along the road one mile to its junction with Dean Trail or continue along Crystal Springs Trail to Canyon Trail and then to the campground road. This option will add about one-half mile to the hike with a few hundred feet of elevation gain or loss, but it's a beautiful stretch through mixed forest with scattered views of the South Bay. A third option takes you on the Crystal Springs Trail down to McGarvey Gulch Creek, just up from Richards Road. As you cross the creek, look for a sign marking the Dean trail, and climb up to the picnic area and parking lot.

If you follow our route (Crystal Springs Trail to Canyon trail to the campground road, you will walk along the old asphalt-gravel road over McGarvey Gulch to the Dean Trail junction. Turn left on Dean trail, and retrace your steps past the picnic area to the junction with Zwierlein Trail, and turn right to the parking lot. Or get off the Dean Trail and wander through the picnic areas and through the meadow area to your vehicle.

This is a fine hike anytime of the year, but especially nice after winter rains.