Walker Basin Road is a rural highway located in the namesake Walker Basin in the Sierra Nevada of eastern Kern County. Walker Basin is named after famed mountain man and scout Joseph R. Walker. The roadway encompasses an area which once passed through the Joe Walker Mine and was part of a larger stage route to the original Kern County seat of Havilah.
Modern Walker Basin Road begins at Caliente-Bodish Road at Rankin Ranch (established in 1858). From Rankin Ranch the corridor passes through the namesake Walker Basin to an eastern terminus located at Caliente Creek Road and Piute Mountain Road near Twin Oaks. Walker Basin Road is 9.5 miles in length and maintained as Kern County Road 475.
Part 1; the history of Walker Basin Road
Much of modern Walker Basin Road was a segment of what was Thomas Baker's stage road to Kern River Valley. The Kern River Gold Rush began in 1853 and spurred development in the southern extent of the Sierra Nevada range.
The Stockton-Los Angeles Road came into use to facilitate travel to the then new Kern River mining claims. The Stockton-Los Angeles Road was a replacement of the earlier route known as El Camino Viejo. Unlike the El Camino Viejo the Stockton-Los Angeles Road avoided the dense Tule Marches in San Joaquin Valley. The Stockton-Los Angles Road stayed close to the Sierra Nevada foothills near the new claims on the Kern River watershed. The corridor of Stockton-Los Angeles Road was also part of the 1858-61 alignment of the southern Butterfield Overland Mail Route.
On April 30, 1855, Buena Vista County was formed by the State Legislature out of what had been the dividing line of Township 20 and Township 21 of Tulare County. The Stockton-Los Angeles Road can be seen on the 1857 Britton & Rey's Map of California heading south from the vicinity of Visalia to the Buena Vista County line via Woodville. The Stockton-Los Angeles Road in Buena Vista County continued south over the Tule River to Stickney's Ferry near Tailholt (displayed as Whites). A trail connecting Tailholt to Linn Valley and the Kern River via Greenhorn Summit is displayed branching from the Stockton-Los Angeles Road.
Buena Vista County was dissolved during 1859 and reabsorbed back into Tulare County. During 1860 a stage road would be created out of the previous trail from Tailholt to the Kern River by way of state funds utilized by Thomas Baker. Thomas Baker's stage road is sometimes referred to in historic record as the "the old Bull Road." The Baker Stage Road continued south from the Kern River towards Tehachapi Pass via Havilah.
Another attempt to split southern Tulare County occurred during 1864 in the form of proposed Coso County. Coso County would have comprised lands which make up present-day Kern County and Inyo County. The proposed Coso County was to be voted upon during 1864 but the election never took place.
Kern County would be formed out of southern Tulare County on April 2, 1866. Kern County comprised the former lands of Tulare County below the Township 24 and Township 25 line. The new Tulare County/Kern County line was located just south of Tailholt and near the Stockton-Los Angeles Road/Baker Stage Road junction. Havilah located on portion of the Baker Stage Road south of the Kern River was selected the original Kern County Seat.
The presence of a stable population in Walker Basin led to the Baker Stage Road being extended southward to Tehachapi Pass. The extended corridor followed what is now Caliente Creek Road to Indian Creek. From Indian Creek the stage road continued southward to Tehachapi Pass emerging near the site of the Monolith Mine.
The popularity of the Stockton-Los Angeles Road began to decline rapidly as the Central Pacific Railroad line through San Joaquin Valley was built during the 1870s. Farm diversions for irrigation in San Joaquin Valley and the presence of various rail sidings along the Central Pacific Railroad spurred infrastructure development which made travel through previous wetlands easier.
The 1873 Bancroft's Map of California shows White River (previously Tailholt) located south of the main junction of the Stockton-Los Angeles Road and Baker Stage Road. The primary junction of the Stockton-Los Angeles Road and Baker Stage Road is displayed branching at Fountain Springs. The Baker Stage Road con be seen heading south over Greenhorn Summit towards Kernville, Isabella, Bodfish and Havilah. From Havilah the Baker Stage Road is seen branching through Walker Basin towards Willow Springs via the community of Joe Walker. The Baker Stage Road passed through the future town site of Tehachapi and crossed the Tehachapi Mountains roughly where Tehachapi-Willow Springs Road is now located.
During 1874 Havilah would lose the Kern County seat to Bakersfield. During April 1875 the Southern Pacific Railroad would plot Caliente siding at the site of Allen's Camp.
The Walker Basin Road and what is now Piute Mountain Road can be seen as a unified corridor connecting Rankin Ranch east (near Caliente-Bodfish Road) to Claraville on the 1898 W.B. Walkup map of Kern County. Claraville had been founded in the 1860s as mining camp located at about 6,000 feet above sea level east of Piute Peak. By the end of the decade the town was all but abandoned. The alignment displayed her passed through the site of the Joe Walker Mine and Thompson Canyon.
Walker Basin Road can be seen originating at Caliente-Bodfish Road on the 1914 United States Geological Survey map of Caliente.
The 1915 United States Geological Survey map displays modern Walker Basin Road realigned south of the Joe Walker Mine along the grade it presently follows. The Walker Basin corridor is shown to be continuous with what is now Caliente Creek Road and the stage road along Indian Creek to Tehachapi Pass.
After the Joe Walker Mine shuttered in 1873 it would eventually come under the ownership of the Phoebe Hearst estate. The mine was purchased by Tom Duffin in 1939 and reopened by 1941. Pumping water remained a difficult task which eventually led to the mine shuttering again. The Joe Walker Mine site was repurposed as a reservoir which provides irrigation to the numerous farms located in Walker Basin.
Walker Basin Road is maintained as Kern County Road 475. The corridor is 9.5 miles spanning from Caliente-Bodfish Road near Rankin Ranch to the intersection of Piute Mountain Road and Caliente Creek Road.
Part 2; a drive on Walker Basin Road
Eastbound Walker Basin Road begins at Caliente-Bodfish Road at Rankin Ranch. Rankin Ranch was founded by Walter Rankin in 1863. The ranch was a known stage stop on the Baker Grade and is presently under the 6th generation of family ownership.
Eastbound Walker Basin Road winds through the southern half the basin and intersects Jones Road. Walker Basin Road makes a right-hand turn at the intersection to continue eastbound.
Traffic on eastbound Walker Basin Road is advised of 27 miles of curves ahead. The sign assumes traffic will continue on an almost clockwise circle towards Caliente-Bodfish Road via Walker Basin Road and Caliente Creek Road.
Walker Basin Road continues east to a terminus located at Piute Mountain Road and Caliente Creek Road. Traffic continuing straight from Walker Basin Road transitions onto Caliente Creek Road and enters the Twin Oaks area.
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