CUSTOM TOURS

Custom tours are available to all areas of California for groups of 10 or more. To schedule a group tour for any of the trips listed below, call Dr. Gregg Wilkerson at The Bureau of Land Management Bakersfield District Office (661) 391-6177. The field trip fee is 25.00 per person. Payment is required to sign up. More field trip information is located at: Geology Field Trips

Panoche-Tumey Hills and Coalinga

This tour starts at the Baker Oil Museum in Coalinga. From there we study the Coalinga Coal Beds and then go the boundary of the Tumey Hills Wilderness Study Area. A hiking expedition follows for 2 miles to the Cretaceous Moreno Formation Plesiosaur and Mosasaur beds.

East Cuyama Valley and Carpenteria

The paleontology and geology of the San Joaquin Valley, Eastern Cuyama Valley and Coast Ranges is discussed. We visit scenic Santa Barbara Canyon and the San Andreas Fault. The trip includes a visit to the Carpenteria oil seeps which is a historic and archaeological site. This trip will end in Carpenteria. There will be optional camping Saturday night at Carpenteria State Beach for those going in private vehicles.

Newhall-Quartz Hill-Rosemond

This investigates the titanium deposit at Soledad Canyon, the graphite vein deposits and Howlite borate deposits at Tick Canyon, and the Tropico Gold mine near Rosemond. We also investigate a large anorthosite body in the northern San Gabriel Mountains. A final stop is made a Placerita, the site of the first gold discovery in Spanish California -no, it was NOT as Sutter's Mill.

Mineral King and Case Mountain Sequoia Grove

The seldom-visited giant sequoia groves on BLM land at Case Mountain are inspected by a one-1 mile hike cross-country (no trails). This unique experience is followed by a tour of historic Mineral King in Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park. Base metal silver-lead-zinc (gold) mineralization there is associated with an ancient sub-sea volcano. High clearance vehicles are required for this trip.

Santa Maria Basin-Point Sal

The ecology, history and geology of the Santa Maria area are enjoyed with stops at Point Sal and Vandenburg Air Force Base. Plate tectonics, continental accretion and shoreline processes are topics of discussion. Additional stops will be made at the Celite Diatomaceous Earth mine, where fish fossils can be found, and La Purisma Mission. The program ends at Point Sal State Beach. Optional camping at Point Sal on Saturday night is possible for those not going on this field trip in private vehicles. This trip requires hiking to and from the Point on a steep trail.

San Francisquito Dam and Old Ridge Route

This trip explores the San Francisquito Canyon and the infamous Dam disaster that occurred there in 1920. We also investigate the San Andreas Fault between Lake Elisabeth and Quail Lake. The tour includes a mine tour at the National Cement Limestone Mine. The final part of the tour returns to Castaic Junction over the Old Ridge Route. This historic roadway has many outstanding exposures Ridge Basin sediments and their unique geologic history.

San Andreas Fault: Gorman to Wallace Creek -Carrizo Plains-

This trip examines the "Big Bend" segment of the San Andreas Fault. Exposures of the 1857 Ft. Tejon Earthquake fault scarp are inspected along with several pressure ridges and sag ponds. The timing of earthquake activity along this stretch of the San Andreas is discussed in relation to the offset drainage at Wallace Creek. The paleotectonics, sedimentation and drainage pattern of the Carrizo Plains and Temblor Range are reviewed.

Kennedy Meadows-Black Rock-Sherman Pass

The High Sierra of Tulare and Kern counties is the focus of this field trip. From Lake Isabella we investigate archaeology sites at South Lake, the Solstice Rock and Birthing stone on our way to a zoned pegmatite in the Chimney Peak Recreation Area. We then take County Road J41 to Kennedy Meadows and Blackrock Ranger Station, examining plutons and enclaves and other igneous geology topics. We return to Bakersfield through Sherman Pass.

Johnsondale- California Hot Springs

This program examines the geologic history of the western face of the Sierra Nevada. 200+ million year old roof pendants near Johnsondale will be seen along the North Fork of the Kern River. The Kern Canyon Fault will also be discussed. We return to Bakersfield by way of California Hot Springs.

Pack Saddle Cave

This is an all-day hiking trip to Pack Saddle Cave north of Kernville. It is a 3 hour hike into the cave on a fairly steep trail and a 2 hour return hike. Bring your flashlights! The geology and mining history of the Kern Canyon-Lake Isabella area is covered including a discussion of hydraulic gold mining on the Kern River from 1851-1871.

Bakersfield to Mojave and Red Rock Canyon

Mercury mines along Highway 58 near Keene and the Cactus, Golden Queen and Soledad Mountain gold mines near Mojave are visited. Then we see the fascinating geologic features of Red Rock Canyon, where there are outstanding exposures of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. Nearby, we look at remnant structures of old salt mines at Saltdale, a ghost town at the shore of Koehn Dry Lake Bed. On the way we examine the Garlock Fault, a significant structural feature of California. The day ends with a tour down the Kern Canyon on our way back to Bakersfield. Management practices for the Mojave ground squirrel, Desert tortoise and Tehachapi salamander are discussed.

Breckenridge and Piute Mountains

Volcanoes? Near Bakersfield? This tour takes back roads up Breckenridge Mountain, where we explore the mines and hot springs of Havilah, the original county seat. We travel through the Piute Mountains, core of an an ancient volcanic complex.The Bright Star mine, Claraville, and Weldon mining districts are investigated. Examples of interaction between ecosystems and geology are discussed.

Westside San Joaquin Valley

This field trip has a distinct orientation towards petroleum. The ecology and geology of Wheeler Ridge, and the White Wolf Fault, the fault that ruptured causing the 1952 Bakersfield Earthquake, are seen at the south end of the San Joaquin Valley. Then we travel to the Maricopa and McKittrick Brea Pits, and discuss 1860's Oil Mining of diatomite near McKittrick. The Lake View Gusher at Midway-Sunset Oil Field, Elk Hills Naval Petroleum Reserve and South Belridge oil field are discussed. The trip includes a display of core at the California Well Sample Repository, California State University, Bakersfield.

Eastside San Joaquin Valley

This trip near Bakersfield examines the Bena fossil beds, endangered plants (Bakersfield Cactus) and includes a display of core at Bakersfield College. Topics include the Kern River, Round Mountain Fault, Kern Front Fault, 1952 Tehachapi-Arvin-Bakersfield Earthquakes, Hazardous Material Disposal and the 15 million year old Olcese Formation Turritella (gastropod) fossil beds.

Santa Maria-Carrizo Plain-Cuyama Valley

This trip starts in Santa Maria and investigates the ecology of the Santa Margarita Lake region including the Rinconada and La Panza mining districts. The tour continues on Highway 58 to the Carrizo Plains for a look at the San Andreas Fault. The tour ends with a private showing of the Luis Bonilla Ranchero and Una Halford Chumash artifact collection in New Cuyama.

Cerro Gordo

The ecology, geology, mining activity and mining history of the Southern Inyo Mountains is investigated. Stops are made at Little Lake, Lone Pine, Olancha, and Keeler. The mining camp of Darwin is also visited on the way to Darwin Canyon and the Crystal Springs mining district. The man-made ecosystem changes at Owens Lake are discussed.

San Andreas Fault: Coalinga to Pinnacles

The Tumey-Panoche hills pleisiosaur/mosasaur site, New Idria Mercury mining district, San Andreas Fault, and Pinnacles National Monument are the main stops on this trip. The history of earthquake activity including the 1983 Coalinga and 1992 Parkfield earthquakes are discussed as well as plate tectonics and the origin of mercury in the California Coast ranges.

Soda Lake -Carrizo Plains- to Parkfield

Parkfield, the "earthquake capital of the world" is the final stop in this trip along the San Andreas Fault. We learn about the complex and fascinating ecology at Soda Lake and Carrizo Plains Natural Area. We see examples of off-set fences and bridges in the fault zone. We investigate oil seeps at McKittrick. The stratigraphy and ecology of the La Panza and Gabilan ranges are studied including Syncline Hill in the Carrizo Plains.

Walker Basin-Loraine Mining Districts

The mining history of the Piute Mountain and Loraine Mining Districts is covered. Stops include the Tungsten King, Joe Walker, Golden Cowboy and Zenda Mines. Watch out for garnets! We also visit an archaeology and hot-springs site at Twin Oaks. We return along Caliente Creek road.

Valley Springs-Copperopolis, "Western Copper Belt"

We learn about acid mine drainage at the infamous Penn mine, limestone mining at San Andreas and open pit gold mines at Jamestown and Carson Hill. This is followed by an excursion to Copperopolis and the Royal Mountain King Mine and then to the California asbestos disposal quarry.

Owens Valley-Mono Basin

This is truly a special trip, with water management, historic mining, glacial and volcanic geology are the main topics. Stops or topics of discussion include Cinder Hill, Owens Lake, Alabama Hills, Mazourka Canyon, American Perlite Mine, Tinnemaha Reservoir, June Lake, Devil's Post Pile, Inyo Craters, Mono Lake, Bodie State Park and Travertine Hot Springs. Isn't this an overnight trip?

Mother Lode Part I- Southern Mines

This 3-day field conference examines the mines, geology and mining history between Mariposa and Jackson. There will be a Friday Evening Lecture Series in Jamestown at the Community Hall 6:00-9:00 p.m. Saturday's trip will be from Jamestown through Columbia and then to the Hidden Treasure Mine and hence to the Westpoint Mining District via the Chaw Se Historic Park (petroglyphs, grinding stones). This tour ends at the Kennedy Wheels in Jackson. Sunday's Field trip starts in Coulterville and examines the mining areas of La Grange, Hornitos, Bear Valley and Mt. Bullion. The Sunday field trip ends with a stamp-mill demonstration in Mariposa and a visit to the State Mining and Mineral Museum. This trip is co-sponsored by the Far West Geoscience Foundation.

Mother Lode Part II- Northern Mines

This 3-day field conference looks at the structure, stratigraphy and ecology of the Northern Mines of the Mother Lode in Sierra and Plumas Counties. Friday's trip will be from Camptonville to Taylorsville by way of La Porte. Saturday's trip will be from Taylorsville to Downieville by way of the Walker Mine. Sunday's trip will be from Downieville to Grass Valley. There will be a Friday Evening Lecture at the Taylorsville Town Hall, 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Mother Lode Part III- Central and East Belt Gold Mines- Jackson-Coloma-Auburn

This 3-day field conference and symposia examines the mines east of Placerville and between Placerville and Auburn. Mining history and ecology at Coloma, Garden Valley, Georgetown, Volcano, Kelsey, and Cool are investigated.

Kern Canyon-Lake Isabella-Walker Pass

The geology and ecology of the Kern Canyon, Kern River and Lake Isabella is investigated. Stops are made at the Keysville, Kernville and Weldon Mining Districts. Processes for recovery of tungsten and gold are discussed. Archaeology sites in the Walker Pass area (Solstice Rock and Birthing Stone) are also visited. We start at sunrise at the Solstice Rock.

Death Valley

This 2-day field trip explores the geology of the Amargosa Basin, Death Valley and the Panamint and Argus Mountain Ranges. Stops include the Bullfrog gold mine in Rhyolite, the Ryan Borate deposits near Amargosa Valley, and several stops within Death Valley National Park, including Mahogany Flat, Aguerreberry Point, Dante's View, Harmony Borax Works and Greenwater.

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Contact us at: 661-324-6350

Address: 2018 Chester Ave.
Bakersfield, CA 93301

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