Next to Clear Lake the top tourist attraction in Lake County is Mount Konocti and April is the ideal time to hike to the summit of the mountain. Unlike the summer months when the temperature can soar past the century mark, the spring months offer ideal daytime temperatures between 70-80 degrees.
In my opinion, one of the county’s greatest treasures is the county park at Mount Konocti. The county acquired 1,500 acres at the top of the mountain 10 years ago and turned it into a park. The mountain is open to the public and should be at the top of everyone’s list of places to visit. Without question, it is one of the jewels of Lake County. The view from the summit is nothing short of breathtaking and you don’t have to be a mountain goat to enjoy it.
The mountain has five peaks — Wright Peak, elevation 4,299 feet; Howard Peak, elevation 4,286; South Peak, elevation 4,050; Buckingham Peak, elevation 3,952; and Clark 2, elevation 850.
Wright Peak has a fire lookout station and a road leading to it. Buckingham Peak is home to cell towers for local cell phone reception and transmission. It also has a road leading to it. Buckingham Peak can be identified by the red light that flashes at night. It is there to warn aircraft. Wright Peak is the peak just to the south of Buckingham.
Visitors are allowed to visit Buckingham, Wright and Howard peaks. Presently only hikers are allowed to visit the peaks. To reach the trailhead take Konocti Road out of downtown Kelseyville. It is about a 5-mile drive from Kelseyville on a well-maintained gravel road. There is a parking lot about three-quarters up the mountain. The trail to the peaks is actually a narrow gravel road used by maintenance crews to reach the lookout tower at Wright Peak and the radio station at Buckingham Peak. The view from these peaks has to be seen to be believed. For example, from Wright Peak you can see just about all of Clear Lake and the surrounding communities. On the path to Wright Peak you will pass by a fuselage of a wrecked aircraft. The plane crashed into the mountain in 1970, killing the two people aboard.
The trip up the mountain from the parking lot is slightly strenuous but if you take your time it’s not a problem. The good news is it’s all downhill on the way back. Be sure to carry plenty of water and some snacks. During the summer months it can be hot, so schedule your trip for early in the morning and carry plenty of water and some snacks.
For safety reasons, always travel with a hiking companion and carry a cell phone. Don’t take a dog because if it goes off the trail it could encounter a rattlesnake. I also recommend taking a walking stick. You can make one out of half-inch PVC and it costs less than $5. The trip to Wright Peak is approximately 3 miles from the parking lot, so plan on spending at least five or six hours on the mountain. Even if you don’t care to try the walk up the mountain, you can still enjoy some spectacular scenery from the parking lot.
Hopefully the county will restore the bus service to the summit of Wright Peak for those who are unable to make the hike. The bus service was stopped two years ago when the county was sued in an attempt to halt access to the summit. The county won the lawsuit but hasn’t yet restored the bus service.
One of the highlights of the trip is a visit to the cabin where Mary Downen lived in 1903. Each sunny day at precisely 2 p.m. she would take a mirror and signal her son-in-law and daughter in Lakeport that she was OK. If her daughter didn’t see the mirror flash, she would ride up the mountain to the cabin on horseback to make sure Mary was OK. The cabin still stands and is located only a couple of miles from the parking lot.
Like Clear Lake, Mount Konocti has an interesting history. It is a dormant volcano and dates back to the Pliocene era nearly 5 million years ago. The name “Konocti” is derived from the Pomo words “kno” (mountain) and “htai” (woman). The mountain last erupted 10,000 years ago and there is still geothermal activity in the area. It is said the mountain contains chambers and vents that extend down to Clear Lake. An Indian legend claims Indians would toss painted sticks into the vents and they would end up in Clear Lake. The mountain remains sacred to the local tribes.
The downside of hiking to the summit of Mount Konocti is that once you make the trip you will want to return again and again. It is truly the jewel of Lake County.
Literature and maps about Mount Konocti can be obtained at the Lake County Chamber of Commerce in Lakeport.
