Kern River Valley Hiking Club

Overview

The Kern Valley Hiking Club was started in 1987 by Bill and Ruby Jenkins of Kernville, CA to help people explore the splendor of the Southern Sierra's and to promote and assist in trail development and maintenance. The group is nonpolitical and non-affiliated. Most of the hikes are taken from the books, Exploring the Southern Sierra, which are updated versions of Self-propelled in the Southern Sierras written by their son, Jim Jenkins when he was in his 20's. Jim was killed by an erratic driver in 1979. Ruby took on the job of keeping the information as accurate as possible, hiking the area and making notes until her death in October 2007. Bill still resides in Kernville.All club hikes take place on Saturday and are open to the public. Visitors to Bakersfield are encouraged to come explore the southern Sierra's with knowledgeable hike leaders. Many of the hikers are local geologists, professors, and other community members who can enrich your stay in Bakersfield!Please Note:All hiking routes are planned in advance. Detailed trail information can be found on the Yahoo Group web site. Plan at least 8 hours for the trip, bring adequate water, and a lunch. A good pair of tennis shoes are fine for most hikes, however hiking shoes/boots are recommended. All hikes subject to change or cancellation without notice. Check the Yahoo Group web site for updated information. Rain, snow, or lack of a trip leader cancels trips please check Yahoo Group site and your email if hike is questionable.Conventional cars can be driven to trail heads unless otherwise noted. Bakersfield Meeting Spot: Hikers coming from Bakersfield normally meet at the Chevron station at the corner of Hwy 178 and Hwy 184 east of downtown Bakersfield. Normally hikers will carpool and split travel costs. There are certain hikes where the meeting spot in Bakersfield will change, please be aware of this prior to traveling.