The Heart Rock Hike & Building a Pandemic Hiking Passion
The COVID-19 pandemic has turned our city-dwelling selves into avid hikers. Pre-pandemic, we used to hike maybe a few times a year. We enjoyed it, sure, but there were always more fun things to do. Like take a day trip to Vegas, make new friends, and start a dance party on a casino floor. With limited free weekends and vacation time, hiking was pretty low on our priority list. Y’all know the corporate grind, trade-off drill.
Pre-COVID-19, we didn’t really have a weekly routine. We flew by the seat of our pants and did different things every weekend. Spontaneity and a drive to constantly try new things were two of the biggest things that tied us together. As the pandemic shut down travel and pretty much all communal spaces, we searched for new ways to find enjoyment and meaning in our daily lives.
Nature was an untapped frontier that was hiding in plain sight all along. Southern California greedily hoards natural beauty, packed with a diverse array of hikes through mountainous, desert, and beach terrain.
But beginning a new hiking hobby still came with pandemic-era challenges. Would hiking trails even be open? What if we ran into people on narrow trails? What if we needed to use the bathroom?
As we started to venture out into nature, we began to gain confidence. Mit learned to comb the internet for local hike reviews, discovering precious insights from recent visitors. We started to share intel with other Angelenos. We learned which gas station bathrooms would be open. (Yo. Extra Mile convenience stores are the business).
With our newly-minted confidence, we have hiked nearly every Saturday since April 2020. Our adventures have taken us from majestic national and state parks to hidden corners of LA County’s backyard, and beyond.
Review: The Heart Rock Trail
The Heart Rock Trail in Crestline, CA combines two of our COVID-19 passions: Hiking and Netflix. We were inspired to check out the trail after streaming the 2014 horror film, “Creep.” Mit discovered that this naturally heart-shaped rock actually existed, and it was only about an hour and a half from our house.
Armed with convenience store snacks, we set off last Saturday to find the famed heart-shaped landmark in the San Bernadino National Forest.
We were surprised to find that the Heart Rock Hike is, for the most part, a paved trail. Its main paved drag is mild and easy to cover. You just might miss the entrance to the main attraction, though. As you near the end of the paved trail, keep an eye out for a tiny “Heart Rock” sign fastened to a tree on the right side, which we feature in our video. Hike down the slanted hill toward the sound of water, and you’ll reach the heart rock after dead-ending into a cliff overlooking a waterfall.
In early Feburary 2021, there was melting snow scattered throughout the hike. Thankfully for our Angeleno bodies, the temperature hovered in the mid-50s. We rewarded ourselves for the 1.7 mile exertion with some salsa verde chips and snow-chilled iced tea.
TL;DR
The Heart Rock Hike is easy, short, and terminates with a waterfall and massive heart-shaped rock. It’s a unique experience, and you don’t have to work too hard to enjoy it. If you find yourself in southern California, stop by the Heart Rock Trail for a socially-distanced good time.