Abbotts Canyon is where I first encountered a rattle snake. I ran over it with my bike as we were riding down there. It was a narrow bike path between the Sagebrush. We also would have to be really careful when the Sage-Ticks were in full blood seeking mode.

I have great memories of Abbott's Canyon and Abbott's Creek. I was 95% sure I camped overnight by the creek in the canyon but reflecting back on it, I'm just not sure. I (and my friends, the Duvall brothers and Jimmy Hicks) was only 8 or 9 years old, and knowing there were snakes and such in there, I just can't imagine my parents allowing me/us to camp there.

So I might have to be a history revisionist here. :)

I do know 100% that my buddies and I spent an entire day swimming and kinda body-surfing down the creek. I banged my hip on a rock in the creek and it resulted in a painful hip-flexor injury that hurt for weeks. But before the bruise set in, we did some serious adventure-seeking in that canyon.

Btw, I don't recall any tossed garbage like cans or bottles.

So we all waded upstream to the source of the creek. Eventually we came upon a tunnel/cave that went deep into the side of the canyon. Of course we went inside it! Just call me Johnny Quest. :)

Anyway, it was dark, damp and drippy in there as we forged deeper and deeper into the tunnel, still wading upstream. I don't recall any unusual noises, save for our echoing voices and the gushing creek.

Then we saw this HUGE baricade-like door that appeared to be holding back a tremendous amount of water, the pressure visible as water gushed between every crack and slight opening. It was as if some sort of monstrous water creature was being held back, like King Kong behind that Skull Island wall, or the ancient walls of Jerusalem.

Somebody, I forget just who, claimed it was the bottom of the reservoir. Somebody suggested it was a massive spring. I've always believed we were at the bottom of the reservoir and if that baricade ever were to give way and break open, we were goners.

As this sight looked more and more ominous and menacing, and just visualizing being flushed out of that tunnel like shot out of cannon, us kids ultimately turned and ran and splashed our way like hell to get out of there!

But whether we spent the night in Abbott's Canyon, I'm foggy on that. We might've all spent the night at the Duvalls, where I used egg shampoo for the first time and thought it was just gross to have eggs in my hair, but that's another thread...

I remember at the tender age of 8 or so a couple of my playmates and I walking all the way up Abbot's Canyon to the cave. We had flashlights because someone told us there was a cave up there. We slowly inched our way into the cave but didn't have the kahoonas to go very far. I've always wondered how far it went and what was up there, thanks Bobby!