Wild Peter and I wanted an easy backcountry hike without driving the full 47 miles to my favorite Nira Camp trailhead on Manzana Creek. The Santa Ynez River ford at “First Crossing” had just opened to vehicles, so off we went on April 16 (4.1.1. directions).

After driving up the Chumash Highway (154), turning off onto Paradise Valley Road and passing Sage Hill, we saw two trucks pondering the rushing Santa Ynez River, but not moving forward. Excited by the river, we drove slowly across on the submerged concrete causeway. My Tacoma was high enough, but it was thrilling as we used the four-wheel-drive.

Shortly after, we saw the prominent Lower Oso sign and parked immediately.

There weren’t any other vehicles around, and it felt good being the first folks back there. There also were no checks for the Adventure Pass, which was excellent since I don’t have one.

The scenic Upper Oso Campground is still shuttered, but I knew there was an attractive trail running roughly parallel to the road there, and we preferred that to hiking the empty road (this is an option). The footpath wends along for 1.1 miles amid glorious early spring foliage featuring lupine, monkey flower and California buckwheat among many other varieties.

Given the recent spate of rattlesnake reports, with two humans bitten by them, we proceeded cautiously. I wielded my two hiking poles and tapped the path ahead, more for snake deterrence since motion disturbs them if they’re right in front of you.

This trail ascends less than 200 feet as we move toward Upper Oso Campground. I wore heavy boots and long trousers against poison oak along with a wide-brim hat against the burning sun, even though we had set out shortly after dawn.

Sage plants come in many related varieties, but I had never focused on the fancifully named purple sage (salvia leucophylla), also called gray sage.

Fragrant and delicate, this plant supplied the titular name for Zane Grey’s most famous western novel, “Riders of the Purple Sage” (1912).

This book has inspired five movies, the names of several country music bands, a mention in Stephen King’s novel “Tommyknockers” and, of course, the rock band New Riders of the Purple Sage, which included guitarist Jerry Garcia before his Grateful Dead fame.

Grey wrote the following lines 114 years ago in his iconic novel:

“The sage about him was breast-high to his horse, oversweet with its warm, fragrant breath, gray where it waved to the light, darker where the wind left it still, and beyond the wonderful haze-purple lent by distance.”

How interesting that our salvia leucophylla is native only to California while Grey’s novel is set in Utah, but like me he was apparently no botanist. His novel is “iconic” since it explores “western” themes of religious conflict, gender dominance and even morality vs. virtue signaling.

It’s not the most exciting read. I recalled that Owen Wister’s 1902 “The Virginian” is a much better book, which also explores such themes, including the hoary cowboy archetype.

All these thoughts on the trail arose from identifying the magnificent purple sage along the way.

After leisurely hiking for a little more than a mile amid towering oaks, we came back to the paved road and entered empty Upper Oso Campground, eerily silent and utterly pleasant.

Hiking straight through the camp, we went to the upper end and the locked gate to Camuesa-Buckhorn Road.

We had planned to hike on this empty dirt road through Oso Canyon and some sandstone narrows — particularly enticing since we knew there wouldn’t be any annoying ATVs or motorcycles here at this time (the road runs for another 28 miles).

Ambling on the rugged terrain we admired the cliffs above and appreciated melodious water music emanating from roaring Oso Creek below.

I’m always on the lookout for Indigenous remains, and we were pleased to spot some of the mysterious “cupules” in a fascinating array.

Would Grey or Wister have noticed these intriguing designs?

After some additional walking, we passed by the tricky turn-off to the Santa Cruz Trail (27W09) that eventually leads to Nineteen Oaks Campground and then several miles on up to Little Pine Mountain. We knew this trail was heavily damaged and chose not to push on to the primitive 19 Oaks Camp.

A leisurely walk back to Upper Oso also found us gazing at the hallucinogenic plant datura, also known as jimson weed.

I recommend this moderate three-mile hike in the spring before summer’s brutal heat makes it a chore. Older hikers and children would also enjoy this trek, especially the views and the fragrant displays of spring flowers.

During our ramble, there weren’t any cars around or any other hikers, which enhanced the secret solitude and meandering thoughts. I recommend not bringing your canine pal since there are plenty of rattlesnakes about this spring.

4.1.1.

Driving directions: Take Highway 154 to the Paradise turnoff, drive past the closed Paradise Store and Sage Hill Ranger Station to “First Crossing” camp (signed) and make the ford over the Santa Ynez River. Dogs must be on leash.

Jack Schaefer’s 1949 novel “Shane” is a better read than either Wister or Grey.