Dough Flat to Piedra Blanca

This route is a 53-mile out-and-back in the Sespe Wilderness. It is a straightforward route along (mostly) well-defined and well-maintained trails, including Alder Creek Trail, Sespe River Trail, and Piedra Blanca Trail. It travels from Dough Flat Trailhead (outside the town of Fillmore) to Piedra Blanca Camp along Piedra Blanca Creek. The majority of the route travels along the Sespe River corridor, which is a popular area and can become crowded, especially on the weekends.

The Alder Creek Trail heads directly north from the trailhead at Dough Flat before veering northwest toward Cow Spring and the fascinating rock formations at Stone Corral. As of this writing (summer of 2025), Alder Creek Trail has been recently worked on thanks to hearty efforts from the folks at Los Padres Forest Association, and is in superb condition. After dropping into Alder Creek itself, the trail climbs to Sespe Saddle before making the descent to Sespe Creek. This section is known for the marvelous Sespe Hot Springs located north of our route and up Hot Springs Canyon. Another option for hot springs is at Willet Hot Spring, near Ten Sycamore Flat. We continue on along Sespe Creek, making numerous crossings (where the trail can sometimes seem to disappear). At the junction to the trailhead, we bypass the trail to the often crowded parking lot and continue on to climb toward and on top of the eponymous white rock. The route soon meets Piedra Blanca Creek, and around 26.5 miles, meets Piedra Blanca Camp and our turn-around spot. If the camp is crowded, Twin Forks Camp is less than half a mile further up the trail. 

It is extremely important to note that trail conditions in Los Padres vary drastically from season to season and year to year. Check hikelospadres.com for the most updated trail conditions and water reports, and please share your trip reports on the site upon your return so that everyone can safely explore this wonderful area. Poison oak is seemingly everywhere in Los Padres, including this route. This area can be extremely dry and hot, as well as extremely wet and cold. Be prepared! Additionally, check https://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/lospadres for current information and important updates in Los Padres National Forest.

The road to Dough Flat closes during the winter, from approximately December 15-April 30. The gate closure adds around 2 1/2 miles one way to the trailhead.