New Idria & Clear Creek, San Benito County, California

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ScorpioVI

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*WORK IN PROGRESS, STILL EDITING/UPLOADING VIDEOS TO YOUTUBE*

I've been wanting to explore down this way for a while so I finally picked a weekend, grabbed a few friends and off we went. Here's a few pictures and some dash cam footage of our trip.

According to Google Maps, it is 100-something miles from South San Jose to New Idria Mine. That translates to about 3 hours of driving under the most recent road conditions we encountered. This trip could be a long day trip from the Bay Area or you could turn it into an easy overnighter like we did, or extend it longer as there are other points of interest in the area, Pinnacles National Park, Mercey Hot Springs, Laguna Mountain Recreation Area among others. If you just want to get some dirt under your wheels or get away from people for a short while, this is an alternative to trekking to the Sierra foothills.

I bundle the two together, New Idria & Clear Creek, as they are pretty much right next door to each other and if you're gonna visit one, you might as well visit the other. They're also, interestingly, two sides of the same coin. The New Idria Mine, once the #2 producer of mercury in the US, is a classic example of how private industry, if unchecked, ruins and pollutes the environment. Clear Creek on the other hand is a case of environmentalists run amok, and using dubious science, shuts down a popular Off-Highway-Vehicle Recreation Area (they're using the same tactics to shut down other OHV areas in California). You can do your own research on the subject, and whether or not you agree or disagree with me, I don't wish to debate the matter.

Important Note: Accessing the Clear Creek Management Area (henceforth: CCMA) requires permits that must be acquired at least 48 hours in advance via: https://www.recreation.gov/wildernessAreaDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=72153 You need TWO permits just to traverse the CCMA, the Vehicle Permit (costs $5 + $10 reservation fee) and the Serpentine ACEC Permit (free but has a $10 reservation fee). There are two locked gates controlling access into the CCMA. Without permits and gate codes, your trip ends either at the eastern gate at New Idria or the Western Gate at Coalinga Road. Once you have the permits you can call the Central Coast Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management (831) 582-2200 and you can get the gate codes from them (they will ask you for permit #s).

Important Note: The New Idria Mercury Mine is an EPA-designated superfund site, mercury along with other heavy metals is found in levels considered toxic to wildlife and local populations. Much of the remaining buildings are protected by chain-link fences, and there are signs discourage loitering, camping, entering those areas. Make of that what you will.

The area of operations. You have Hollister to the NW, Gonzales to the W, King City to the SW, Mendota to the NE and Coalinga to the SE.




We started our trip in Gonzales, CA, which is about a 1.5 hour drive from San Jose. I wanted to get a little more dirt under our tires and Old La Gloria Road is worth a good 16 miles of dirt. It's a goaty way, and the only way, to traverse the Gabilan Range. Much of it is a single lane dirt road with steep dropoffs on the western half of it. Taken to the East, it eventually deposits you on Airline Hwy/Hwy 25 just north of the Pinnacles National Park.



Cockpit view of Old La Gloria Rd.


#OB5345 in his Expedition climbing Old La Gloria Rd.


Once you cross the Gabilan Range, OLGRd quickly becomes pastoral with cattle ranches on both sides. The western half of the road was recently graded and smooth as of this writing, the eastern side is slightly washboarded.


Once at Hwy 25, you have the option of approaching New Idria/CCMA from the north via Panoche Rd, or from the south via Coalinga Rd. We went north to the little village of Paicines with it's one general store the only option for restrooms/food/snacks for probably 30 miles in any direction.

Telling war stories...

 
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ScorpioVI

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After a short break for snacks, we load back up and take Panoche Road east.


Not much to say about Panoche Road which turns into New Idria Road after about 40 miles. It's a two-lane road for much of the way, the asphalt looks like it was laid down 60 years ago and has only been getting patch jobs since. Lots of suicidal squirrels and jackrabbits everywhere. On the plus side, much of it is quite scenic and made me quite envious of the few ranches and homesteads in the area.

You'll eventually come across the intersection to Little Panoche Rd. Taken north this will take you through Panoche Hills and Mercey Hot Springs before dumping you back into I5.


Stay straight and keep heading east and it turns into New Idria Rd and starts veering southwest and south. This is typical of the scenery in the area.


This is the sign that indicates you are nearing New Idria. And what is crappy asphalt turns into dirt.


Important Note: The dirt road is hardly what I'd call technical, for example my brother made it up there on his VW Jetta. There's some erosion and ruts and landslides and steep dropoffs and tight switchbacks, but nothing that even a beginner off-roader can't tackle. But I would avoid this road altogether after a heavy rain and even in the best of conditions, be prepared, and bring friends. You are a long way from any kind of help and there is no cell reception in the area. We did not see another soul on our way up to camp.
 
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The only sign in the area warning against camping and loitering.


What remains of the furnace. Quick rundown of the process of mining mercury. Cinnabar ore (mercury sulfide) is crushed and roasted in rotating kilns, this vaporizes the mercury which is then channeled into condensers before collecting the mercury in it's liquid form.


In the 1970s when the mine shut down, speculators bought the site and promised investors there was gold in the area, they were eventually charged with mail fraud. In the 1990s a developer from San Jose took over the land, started a drug rehab program, and used the "patients" from that program to truck in garbage and construction debris and junk cars and turned New Idria into landfill. He was eventually fined by the EPA.

The remains of the drug rehab houses.


The area is pretty well littered with junk.


Honestly this area kinda gave me the creeps.

 
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Back on the road we go.

There's a few of these forks that have no signs whatsoever to point you in the right way. I relied on GaiaGPS loaded with a track I found from another overlander who was in this area recently.


Much of the trail looks like this:


This spot in particular got a little tight and required a spotter just to be safe.


OB#5345 making his way through.


Eventually we make it to camp. The place was trashed. Here's my brother cleaning up as much as he could. Unfortunately I failed to bring trash bags for this trip so we couldn't haul out much. We probably could have filled several contractor's bags full of trash.


A little fire.


A little food.


A lot of hot air.


And we call it a night.
 
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ScorpioVI

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Dash camera footage of the trip. I'm still in the process of editing and uploading more videos and will update this thread accordingly. These are largely unedited, and you're gonna hear whatever book I'm listening to at the moment, or hear me farting, or hear me talking to the dog. This is just to give interested folks an idea of what the road and trail conditions are like. Much of the footage will probably put folks to sleep, I don't even see myself watching these videos again, take it or leave it.




 
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TOMB

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Haven’t been to New Idria in years. Looks the same. There used to be some pretty sketchy people around there. I do drive Panoche Road once in a while. The Panoche Inn is a great place to stop if it hasn’t been sold.


Sent from my iPhone using OB Talk
 

Alan_Hepburn

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I know this post is 2 1/2 years old, but I'd like to ask some questions:

1. I'm thinking of doing the circle in a clockwise direction: Paicines to New Idria to Pinnacles, but the only GPS I have is a Garmin 1450. Would the "roads" be in its database, specifically the junction at Cold Creek Rd? Is there a map available that would show the correct turns, if the roads are not marked?

2. You mentioned needing a permit for entry - does that apply to New Idria Mine area, Cold Creek Rd area, or something else?

Thanks - the videos looked pretty cool!
 

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I'd like to make the clear Creek Run, I haven't been on that road since it was closed. If anyone makes this run I'd like to join if possible!

Also there is additional camping opportunity for a second night at Griswold Hills, Panoche Hills, and Mercy Hot Springs depending on time of year (BLM gates closed during fire season).

At Paicines take Panoche Road then it is clearly marked to new Idrea after Panoche. Continuing through New Idea you will reach the north gate to Clear Creek. As far as the spurs being marked between New Idrea and the gate, It has been too many years. I used to do the loop and all over Clear Creek with simple BLM maps a long time ago, before GPS was in common use. There really isn't much out there and all spurs should not take you too far a quick turn around can't fix.

New Idrea mine is all private property. The road is a county road, so you can drive it, but there is not much you can do at New Idrea but stop and see what you can from the road. No permits required. Just above New Idrea there used to be a bit of BLM land before the Clear Creak gate. This used to be accessible and a popular target shooting spot. I'd check with the BLM field office to see if it still is open. The permits are required for the actual section of road above New Idea and above the BLM patch, to be able to open the gate and enter Clear Creek and make your way through. At the south end of Clear Creek and after passing the southern gate, a few campgrounds, and a creek, you will tee into Coalinga rd to loop back to either hwy 25 or to the valley side (hwy 33 or 5).
 

rho

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Its been on my list to-do for a long time, the permit thing is a pain but I might try to make it out there this winter...
 

The Meyer Life

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Thanks for the great info! I just got off the phone with the BLM office and I think we are going to try to make this run on Sunday. My brother has a Ford Raptor and we have a Ram Rebel so some of those spots may be a bit tight! Got the recovery gear, some shovels, and the chainsaw packed just in case.
 

Alan_Hepburn

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Thanks for the great info! I just got off the phone with the BLM office and I think we are going to try to make this run on Sunday. My brother has a Ford Raptor and we have a Ram Rebel so some of those spots may be a bit tight! Got the recovery gear, some shovels, and the chainsaw packed just in case.
So, if you have a group does every member of the group need a permit, or is a single permit good for more than one vehicle?
 

The Meyer Life

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You need one vehicle permit (per vehicle) and 1 serpentine ACEC (per person)to enter the clear creek area. Both permits are available from the link in the main post. You can add people onto your main ACEC permit that way you only have to pay the processing fee once. The lock combination will be on the vehicle permit when you go to print it. They said we didn't have to print it we could just save it as a pdf on our phone. The road is technically closed because it is no longer being maintained but the BLM rep and the sheriff said we could drive it. They said its a little hairy in some spots but we shall see.
 
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rho

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Huh, I'll have to give em a call this afternoon. If you're down for some company, I'd love to tag along.
 

The Meyer Life

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Huh, I'll have to give em a call this afternoon. If you're down for some company, I'd love to tag along.
As long as you mind masks and distancing! We have to be extra careful as we have a son who is immune compromised. We would love to have y'all along. We are planning on starting at the Chevron on Panoche Road and Highway 5 at around 9am. I will ping you once I nail down the details with my brother.
 
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rho

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As long as you mind masks and distancing! We have to be extra careful as we have a son who is immune compromised. We would love to have y'all along. We are planning on starting at the Chevron on Panoche Road and Highway 5 at around 9am. I will ping you once I nail down the details with my brother.
Totally reasonable request IMO. I'll pencil it in... what do y'all do for coms? I mainly use HAM but can do FRS and GMRS as well.
 

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Thanks for the great info! I just got off the phone with the BLM office and I think we are going to try to make this run on Sunday. My brother has a Ford Raptor and we have a Ram Rebel so some of those spots may be a bit tight! Got the recovery gear, some shovels, and the chainsaw packed just in case.
May I join? (03 WJ)
Located in Tres Pinos so I would be a local resource if any problems are encountered (tools, car trailer, and so on....)
 

The Meyer Life

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Thanks for the great info! I just got off the phone with the BLM office and I think we are going to try to make this run on Sunday. My brother has a Ford Raptor and we have a Ram Rebel so some of those spots may be a bit tight! Got the recovery gear, some shovels, and the chainsaw packed just in case.
May I join? (03 WJ)
Located in Tres Pinos so I would be a local resource if any problems are encountered (tools, car trailer, and so on....)
For sure! Would love to have you.