Hudson Ranch Road

A nearby drive into Early California

By Lynn Stafford with Liz and Bill Buchroeder
West of PMC, Mil Potrero Highway goes through a pine forest two miles up to a pass called Apache Saddle. After that, the road straight ahead becomes Hudson Ranch Road (HRR). The road is named after early local ranchers. Many folks drive that road to go to Taft or the coast. This is a winding, narrow back road that descends more than 3000 feet in a little more than 20 miles.
A leisurely drive on HRR with several stops can be a destination in itself. It is a close-by view of what much of California was before the boom of modern human civilization hit this state. The land beside the road is either National Forest, private ranch land or Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge. The latter two ownerships do not allow visitors. Since it is often hard to know who owns which land, the best way to become familiar with the country is to drive slowly and look for safe pull-outs. The key to enjoying this area is to slow down. Take a snack and drinks, maybe a pair of binoculars and definitely a camera. Since some people insist on driving too fast, stay safely off the road. There are several places to pull fully off the road. Be careful not to park on vegetation. Wildfire can start easily. Do not across any fences.
By the time you read this, it will be spring, a great time of year for a leisurely drive with many stops. HRR passes through several life zones. Up at Apache Saddle, at 6,100 feet, one can find Jeffrey pines. Then one passes through dense thickets of scrub oak, pinyon pine and juniper (Fig. 1). Finally, the brush tangles give way to grasslands with cattle and horses down to Highway 33/166 at 2,900 feet (Fig. 2).
During spring and early summer, the grass greens up. Early flowers include fiddlenecks (Fig. 3), lupine (Fig. 4) and poppies (Fig. 5). Later on, the beautiful and aptly named Farewell-to-Spring covers some hillsides (Fig. 6). Careful scanning of the rolling land might reveal a coyote or even tule elk. There are birds of prey all year, soaring high or sitting on utility poles. Red-tailed hawks (Fig. 7) and American kestrels are the most common to see, but others, including the California condor (Fig. 8) are also possible to spot. Bitter Creek Refuge was created specifically to aid in the reintroduction of condors. Meadowlarks, horned larks, loggerhead shrikes (Fig. 9) and various sparrows and finches can be found along the fence lines.
A few precautions for a relaxing drive are appropriate. One, there are no services of any kind. Cell phone coverage may be questionable. Weather can be an issue. I have had to deal with snow, ice and extremely thick fog, none of which is fun on a narrow winding mountain road. Check weather and road conditions carefully. There are at least three potential things to watch for on the road that need to be avoided. In a couple locations, rocks can tumble down onto the roadway, especially after rains. In the spring and early summer, snakes often across the road. Please do not hurt these valuable members of our wildlands. In the fall, occasionally, there is another wildlife movement. Male tarantulas are on the prowl for females. My wife, Edie, used to carry a magazine to let the spider crawl onto, then escort it across the road.
One last item to mention is that there is a small primitive Forest Service campground, Valle Vista, about halfway along HRR. It provides an incredible view of the San Joaquin Valley, and makes a pleasant lunch stop. The dirt road leading into the camp is narrow, steep and easy to miss. If our local world of nature interests you, do take time to leisurely enjoy this country.