Cinnamon walked down FR271 with her usual calm, alert, and interest in exploring new trails. Four Springs Trail had fresh bicycle tracks all over it and we saw the first of many small yellow “Epic Rides” flags. The oaks displayed patches of yellow and bronze leaves amid the green.

 A hundred yards up the trail Cinnamon stopped to stare at a truck parked beside FR 271. She walked and stopped, walked and stopped, alert and watchful about something in front of us. Hikers, or rather hunters, were spread out in the forest in front of us. I talked aloud to Cinnamon as we walked along to reassure her and to let the hunters know we weren’t elk. She alerted again as a fox dashed across the trail from our left, and disappeared into the forest.

 A moment later a boy emerged from the brush on our left and started down the trail toward the road when someone called to him. He turned around and went up the trail toward a man Cinnamon had been watching. She also noticed something — or someone — sneaking through the brush on our right. It was another boy who told the man he’d seen a fox or coyote. The man stopped, waiting for one boy while talking to the other. The man heard us approaching and turned around. He was standing on the edge of the trail holding his rifle safely pointing at the ground. I told him I’d also seen the fox. The man told the boys that we saw a fox and that there was a horse on the trail. After establishing visual and verbal communication with the hunters I thought we would be safe — and we were.

 After passing the hunters, Cinnamon walked faster until the trail began climbing the shoulder of Turkey mountain. She was breathing hard when I stopped her mid-slope to admire the view of another mountain. The trail continues upward in a series of steep ascents, then drops just as steeply into a canyon and immediately begins climbing again. Another steep ascent eases as it follows the ridge before descending across a saddle between two mountains.

 The trail climbs Lake Mountain in a series of switchbacks. A tree had fallen across the trail so I stopped Cinnamon to assess the situation. The tree was too low to ride under and the trail was too narrow to turn around. There was just barely enough space for me to dismount on the downhill side. (It is generally better to mount and dismount on the uphill side, which is why I trained Cinnamon to accept mounting from both sides). After studying the tree from the ground, I carefully led Cinnamon forward. She was hesitant but fit under it with inches to spare. After she was clear of the tree, I tightened the cinch and scrambled back into the saddle.

 The trail makes another steep climb to the Lake Mountain spur where a sign said it was a quarter mile to the lookout. Lake Mountain is a volcano that erupted, leaving a crater that collects water. This was the steepest section yet with switchbacks stacked on switchbacks for 100 yards up to the rim. The trail around the crater was easy. We detoured off trail to view the “lake”, which is a marshy area in the bottom of the crater, and found one tiny puddle.

 We continued to the kiosk for Four Springs Trail and the lookout tower, then went back to the spur trail. I debated with myself whether it would be safer to ride Cinnamon or lead her down the steepest section. On the ascent Cinnamon’s rear hooves were slipping inside her boots so I stopped to tighten them. Cinnamon was looking off the side of the mountain thinking about the descent so I decided to trust her and she carried me down safely.

 We had glimpses of Wolf Mountain and other peaks as the trail wound through some volcanic boulders before descending to a short stretch of single lane cinder road. The trail diverges from this road to meet the junction with the Los Burros Trail at Lake Mountain Road.

 The Los Burros trail winds down the mountain in a series of switchbacks. We were in the middle of these when Cinnamon alerted to something uphill behind us. It was a biker. A moment later Cinnamon alerted again, telling me there were two bikers. At the same time one of them told the others about the horse ahead. Both bikers slowed and stayed back a safe distance. Trail etiquette says all other trail users yield to horses. I found a wide spot to take Cinnamon off trail and turned her around to face the bikers. They correctly interpreted this as permission to pass. They greeted me cheerfully, commented about the beautiful fall colors and the gorgeous weather and thanked me for letting them by. We wished each other nice riding as they rolled away down slope.

 I could see my truck and trailer parked at the Los Burros trailhead. A passing truck kicked up a cloud of white dust on the McNary-Vernon Road below. The dust was settling when we reached the road. Cinnamon paused to study a yellow machine parked at the trailhead. She was sweaty from the ride so I took my time preparing her for the trailer ride home.