The San Andreas fault at Wallace Creek, San Luis Obispo County, California

Abstract

From either the coast or the interior, Wallace Creek is most easily reached by way of California 58 (Fig. 1). Precisely at the southwestern base of the Temblor Range, leave California 58 and drive southwest on an unmarked paved road about 0.2 mi (0.3 km) to a junction with an unpaved road (Fig. 2). Tum left (south) on this road and follow the San Andreas fault to Wallace Creek. The unpaved road leading to Wallace Creek is impassable to all vehicles during and immediately following major storms. At all other times, two-wheel- or four-wheel-drive vehicles can be easily driven to within 1,300 ft (400 m) of the site. To avoid the gradual destruction of fragile tectonic landforms, park vehicles along the road near the section 33/34 boundary fence and walk the short distance north to the fault. During the dry season, be careful not to park on dry, flammable vegetation.