Dripping Springs
Dripping Springs Trail is a 6.8-mile trail in Cleveland National Forest, California. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking and horse and pack stock. It enters Agua Tibia Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Cleveland National Forest official page carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 33.4564° N, 116.9716° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 33.4169° N, 116.9901° W · Directions ↗ |
The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start. The trail is recorded as 2 segments.
The trail
| Length | 6.8 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 10-12 percent |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | 1W03 |
| Forest | Cleveland National Forest (unit 0502) |
| States | California |
| Detail published | management level, with uses |
Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.
Weather by month
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed year-round |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed year-round |
A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.
Wilderness
- Agua Tibia WildernessFS · the whole line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
Inside a designated wilderness, bicycles and motor vehicles are prohibited by law regardless of the trail record, and permits or group limits may apply.
Trailheads
Dripping Springs Trailhead No season published | 0.1 mi |
Distance is from the point to the nearest part of the trail line. Season text is what the forest wrote and is often a season name rather than a date.
Trails nearby
Camping nearby
Campsite Atlas cards carry site counts and booking links from Recreation.gov. Forest Service cards come from the recreation layer and link the agency page.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedGreater El Cariso Rx
25 mi from the trail midpoint
- WildfireGreen
46 mi from the trail midpoint · 55 acres
- PrescribedOak Woodlands Wcsl Rx
48 mi from the trail midpoint
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
Historic places nearby
Guidebooks for California
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Dripping Springs Trail?
The Forest Service records 6.8 miles under this name in Cleveland National Forest, the sum of 2 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Dripping Springs Trail?
Hiking and horse and pack stock are allowed. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Dripping Springs Trail start?
The line begins at 33.4564° N, 116.9716° W and ends at 33.4169° N, 116.9901° W. The nearest recorded trailhead is Dripping Springs Trailhead, 0.1 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Dripping Springs Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Agua Tibia Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Source: Agua Tibia Wilderness
Where can I camp near the Dripping Springs Trail?
Dripping Springs Campground (0.5 mi) is within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists it with site counts and booking links.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Dripping Springs Trail?
Trail class 3, which the Forest Service describes as developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
How steep and how wide is the Dripping Springs Trail?
The typical grade is 10-12 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Dripping Springs Trail?
Cleveland National Forest, Forest Service unit 0502. The trail is in California.
Is there a fire near the Dripping Springs Trail?
The interagency feed shows 3 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Greater El Cariso Rx at 25 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 2 segments named Dripping Springs in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0502. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.