If you come through Kernville you will see sights that might frighten you, but remember, everything is OK now and everyone will be safe. So sit and watch. After leaving Kernville you will travel up what is known as Mountain 99. Near Campground 3 you will see charred ground. This is from a fire that broke out earlier this summer and closed the road for a few hours. It won't be until about the five mile further that you will see evidence of the McNally Fire.

There is a building site at Corral Creek, a nice place along the Kern River with a great beach. The fire didn't reach this area. Imagine how you would feel if you were building a new resort area and it got burned before you even finished? These people probably feel very lucky that they weren't burned out. Perhaps next year they can tell their guests the story about how close the fire got to them.

As you continue to drive up the road, you will soon come to Johnny McNally's "Fairview on the Kern". McNally's is one of the oldest places along the Kern. Started many years ago by Johnny McNally, the Deputy Sheriff at that time, it became famous for serving great steaks. Today it still serves some of the best food along the river. During the day, the Hamburger Stand keeps up the tradition of great food. This resort was saved in the fire, which is good. But, be ready. One mile up is Road's End.

At one time, Road’s End was the end of the road up river from Kernville.This was once a nice resort with lots of green trees overhanging the road. It was usually very cool here because of the trees. When you pass through it, you can see all the destruction. The chimney off to the left is all that is left of the old restaurant. This restaurant, at one time was known for excellent prime rib dinners---slow cooked prime with with excellent side dishes, and super desserts. The restaurant, bar and store stood on the left side of the road: they are all gone. There were some cabins and beautiful trees on the right: they are all gone. But, like in all disasters, three of the cabins on the left were untouched. Strange, isn't it? . . ..View of the right side.

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The road continues around and past Limestone Campground. The really green area on the right covers a natural spring. Lots of people come up here just to collect some of the cold spring water. The rock area is usually wet from spring runoff. Around the corner you come across Brush Creek. See how far up the mountain the creek runs? Before the fire you could only see green right off of the road. You couldn't see 25 feet past the road.

As you travel up this part of the road, you will witness the worst destruction yet. There was a lot of brush growing on the sides of the road. In some places you couldn't see very far. Now you can see the edges of the road (didn't know it was such a steep drop, huh?). Just past Lower Durwood you come to the hairpin turn. It used to be hard to see around the bend, it's easy now. The mountain on the other side was burned terribly. Notice whole areas missing anything. There were some trees and a whole lot of brush --- all gone now.

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The road finally winds into Johnsondale, The "R" Ranch. Look on the hills behind Johnsondale. The U.S. Forest Service built backfires here. Those fires burned toward the main fire so that when the main fire got here there was nothing to burn. That was how Johnsondale was saved. If the fire had been faster or the Forest Service couldn't have built the backfires quickly enough, Johnsondale would have been burned. And, if Johnsondale had been burned, Whitsett probably would have gone too. As it was, the fire burned to the right of the road and was stopped at Whitsett by more backfires and by the cutting of wide fire breaks. . . The "R" Ranch sign.

NOTE:  from Gary Plumtree, ASM T176. If I have done my calculations right, this fire has now burned  1/10th of 1% (1/1000) of our state and some of the nicest scenery.