This hike is essentially a long downhill with good views and the possibility of nice fall colors in the scattered aspen groves along the way. It's a good late season hike but it's always possible that snow may close access to the upper trailhead by the time you read this. If that's the case just do the hike in reverse as an in-and- out.
About five miles in on Blue Lakes Road as you climb out of Faith Valley and approach Charity Valley, you'll find a wide spot with lined paved parking on the west side of the road. This replaces the off road parking at the trail about one-quarter mile further. Start here at 7,840 feet by hiking south on the dirt road, parallel to the main road, stay left at the fork and turn east on the trail. You'll end the hike in about seven miles at just under 6,000 feet, so you'll need good knees. And, unless you're climbing back out, leave a vehicle at Grover Hot Springs for shuttle purposes.
Pass through a cattle gate with a hiker's zigzag (avoid the barbed wire) and continue as the trail contours northeast on open slopes with great views of the Sierra crest behind you. Undulate in and out of small gullies on mostly volcanic sediments covered in season with mule ears, sagebrush and sego lilies. To the right is Charity Valley, much of it private property, and Markleeville Peak. Pass scattered lodgepole pines and junipers, ascend to garage sized volcanic rock on the right which is the highpoint for this trek. A scramble up to the ridge to the left would provide good views toward Hope Valley and the Carson Range.
Descend as the valley narrows and parallels Charity Valley Creek amid an increasingly dense mixed conifer forest of lodgepole, western white pine, white fir, Jeffrey pine and lower, incense cedar with occasional aspen stands. Notice how, in the forest, alders replace the willows in the riparian (streamside) zone and manzanita dominates the sagebrush. The substrate turns granitic here for the rest of the journey.
More steeply now the trail descends north around granite outcroppings on the right and at about four miles meets the trail and creek coming down from Burnside Lake, roughly 800 vertical feet and 2-1/2 trail miles above. At this confluence the trail turns east, continues the descent with occasional switchbacks and good down-valley views and the creek becomes Hot Springs Creek.
Nice old growth trees mingle with younger trees in this section and as you get lower notice the many cedar trees. The steep south wall of the canyon with imposing granitic rock topping it comes closer. Through the forest admire the many granite benches between Charity Valley and Sawmill Creeks. There's some good scrambling there.
The trail and the creek diverge and nearing the canyon floor, with about a mile to go, you'll merge with the well used waterfall trail leading to the falls a hal-mile upstream. The falls are barely a trickle now but in early season are quite impressive.
Continue downstream the last mile though forest, meadow areas, scattered aspens and increasingly numerous cottonwoods. The meadows are golden now and in the warmth of the late afternoon sun smell quite nice. You'll be ready for a soothing, relaxing dip in the hot springs about now but if you stay too long in the hot pool you'll be as limber as a fricasseed chicken. In that case morph to your vehicle and return to the start point.
Grover Hot Springs charges $5 to park but this is good as a pool pass also. The pools are closed on Wednesday and prior to 11 a.m. in which case you can park at the Charity Valley East trailhead on Hot Springs Road. The park is open until 7 p.m. Seasonally this schedule may change so it's wise to check first. Their phone number is (530) 694-2249
The usual precautions apply. Even though it's mostly downhill it does require a certain level of fitness. Carry the 10 essentials and leave only footprints.
