For some reason, I felt very determined to make it to Lake Isabella, CA. Helping out Darwin in Wrightwood, CA due to his injury, delayed me from my destination, but nevertheless, Bowie and I made it. I didn’t do a lot of research on the area before leaving so I didn’t know much about it. I’m not sure why I felt the strong need to get there in the first place, but I was not disappointed.

The drive in was on a curvy two-lane road enclosed by mountains. The valley, which the road navigated, past by farms and wide-open fields. Bowie was extremely interested in the cows and horses we drove past especially as the van filled with their smell. She hung her head out the window, ears chaotically flapping in the wind. The mountains we passed, were green and spotted with yellow blooms of new spring growth. It was hard not to lose myself in their beauty as I drove.

Still traveling the two-lane road, I rounded a curve to be greeted with the Lake Isabella herself; a large body of glittering blue water. This was a very different look from the dry desert towns I had been driving through on the way. We followed alongside the lake for a few miles taking in the sights as we went. I had previously found a BLM (Bureau of Land Management) area and I really didn’t know where we were going until the GPS proudly announced we had arrived at our destination. We crossed a cattle guard notifying us we were in the “people’s land” and we drove down a fairly paved road into a new world. The BLM area in Lake Isabella went beyond my expectations. We parked at the first pull off we came to and tumbled out of the van into a world of grasses and trees.

As we stretched our legs, we could faintly hear the rush of the Kern River. Bowie and I were drawn in and excitedly, hopped on the first trail that looked to head towards the river. A mile later we found ourselves warmed by the sun and mesmerized by the river’s rapids and the lap of the water at our feet. We took in our view and the sounds it offered for sometime before heading back to the Clydesdale (our van).

Another day during our time at Lake Isabella, we explored the rock formations surrounding the BLM area. I couldn’t help but fall into a world of fantasy as we hiked around the formations that towered over us. I felt like I was walking in the world of Outlander; awaiting the Mackenzie Clan to bound over the mountain. I felt a connection to these formations; I wondered who had touched their rough, warm faces last. Who winded their way among them before us? I wanted to feel their history and hear their stories. I felt as if they each had something to say, I just didn’t understand their language.

A place undoubtedly marked by history, Bowie and I unknowingly came upon a fenced off cabin known as the Walker Cabin. Thanks to an informational posting, we found out the cabin was built back in the 1800’s and was one of the oldest buildings standing in the Keysville area. It was also the sight of a famous shootout back in the 1920’s. Only after leaving did I become aware that Lake Isabella was also marked by petroglyphs left by the Tubatulabal and Kawaiisu tribes; possibly the same people who had walked the rock formations before us.

We spent our time here exploring and taking in the wild beauty and charm of the area. Both as dog and as human, we seemed to both feel very aware of the life around us. Creatures hiding and occasionally revealing themselves to us; ground squirrels, lizards, and the occasional rabbit, murders of crows flying overhead; we were surrounded by our wild brothers and sisters. We observed them as much as they would allow during the day listened to their conversations long into the night.

(Rock Formations And Their Silent History) 

(A View Of The Kern River) 

Things To Expect In Up Coming Blog Posts & Other Stuffs:

Want to learn more about BLM areas? Click here!

Be sure to check out the other links in this post!

Cool Thingys That I Also Do:

Darwin & I Have An Etsy Store: TravelandTrail

My Instagram: The_snuggle_diaries – My picture of Walker Cabin can be found here!

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