Parker Mountain

Wonderful hike to the top of Parker Mountain where there is the foundation of an old fire lookout tower. We only saw one other person on the hike today. Beautiful views at the top!

A nice, easy hike on a pretty decently maintained dirt road. 2 mikes uphill outgoing and 2 miles downhill back. Nice views and the foundation left of the fire watchtower. No shade so not advisable on hit da.

Parker Mountain, located in the town of Acton (formerly Ravenna) has a number of fire roads that can also function as hiking trails. This mountain has an interesting mining history. Rock collectors, aka rockhounds, will also appreciate the emerald green quartz gemstones that can be found scattered throughout.Before you visit you should read SCVhistory.com's web page (link below) that features an article published in 1957. It talks about the "green garden stone" and the Conover Mine. There is also a map that shows you the best places to locate the gemstone. http://www.scvhistory.com/pico/desert0257ravenna.htmThere's an old copper mine known as Conover (also known as Emma) mine. Hugh Blanchard mentions it on his web site, lagoldmines.com. Hugh was a legendary goldmine explorer. He tragically passed away while doing what he loved. Fortunately his site lives on and is an invaluable resource for the location and history of many local mines.http://www.lagoldmines.com/index.php?page=143075.txtAt the top portion of the mine entrance you'll see a prominent quartz vein strike. A vein is a fissure in a rock that's filled with minerals that have traveled upwards from deep below the earth's surface. The hike up the mountain is fairly strenuous. If you decide to make your way to the peak you'll encounter an old cement foundation that used to be the site of Parker Mountain Fire Lookout. The best place to park is off Soledad Canyon Rd near the large power lines. If you pass Thousand Trails RV campground off to the right then you've gone too far. About a quarter mile up the trail you'll see a prominent mine opening over the side of the mountain off to the right. There's a separate side trail that you will need to take that leads to the opening. Obviously it would an incredibly stupid idea to enter the mine. Just appreciate the opening then move on to hiking and gemstone hunting.