Moses Spring Trail to Bear Gulch Reservoir

Start uphill on Moses Spring Trail and stay left at the High Peaks junction. At the caves junction, take the right branch toward Moses Spring; the left branch enters Bear Gulch Cave and is a separate option. The rocky tread squeezes past large boulders and includes uneven steps, so this short route asks more of your footing than the mileage suggests. The cave passage can close seasonally or after high water or rockfall; check its current status only if you plan that separate route.

Moses Spring is a shaded grotto where weathering and erosion have carved a niche among the rocks. Water supports ferns and other green plants here. Stay on the trail through the narrow passage and give the small patch of greenery room.

The stone dam was completed in 1935 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The reservoir is important habitat for California red-legged frogs, so watch from a distance and don’t approach or make them jump. This is the route’s signature view: step back enough to include some of the rocky ridgeline above the water in a photo.

Use Bear Gulch Day Use Area parking. From the Nature Center parking area, cross the wooden footbridge and the flat, shaded picnic area to the Moses Springs trailhead; the 1-mile distance above starts at that trailhead, so allow extra walking time from the lot. Restrooms and drinking water are at the day-use area, with no refill on the trail. Pets aren’t allowed on park trails; service animals are permitted. If you want a longer hike, the separate 2.2-mile Moses Spring–Rim Trail Loop continues past the reservoir and returns by Rim and High Peaks trails.