As we round the dusty bend more than 200 feet above the green, surging Arroyo Seco River, the mountainside reveals a striking juxtaposition of fire-swept death and spring’s wild resurgence. Charred oaks wither over a bed of bright grass on the gorge’s west side while dense chaparral flourishes along the eastern bluff. Along the fire road, dark blue lupine and orange sticky monkey wildflowers wait for shade from the steamy afternoon sun.

Firefighters traversed Indians Road to fight last summer’s blaze, and hikers have been denied access to the stunning gorge for nearly a year. It’s now reopened, so visitors can again soak up the sun on granite slabs and dive into swimming hole bliss at one of Monterey County’s best inland havens. Camping spots aren’t as competitive here as they are along the coast, and hot summer Greenfield weather makes taking a dip ever so satisfying.

The fire bounced around the gorge so water quality wasn’t adversely affected, says Manuel Madrigal, Basin Complex and Indians Fire Burned Area Emergency Response coordinator. “Not all the hills were slicked off,” Madrigal says. “We got kind of a pattern mosaic.”

The canyon received light rains this season, he adds, so sedimentation in the water should be minimal. But since it was another dry year, it’s best to visit early in the summer, while the river is still flowing steady.

Most Arroyo Seco visitors congregate near the barbecue pits and dip into the mellow waters near the campground entrance. This is ideal for families, but deep emerald pools and isolation reward the adventurous trekker willing to go farther.

Starting from the gorge parking area above the campground, the river winds narrowly for about 10 miles. Hiking upriver is the purest way to fully immerse oneself in the Arroyo Seco’s cool waters, but the Indians Road also offers easy access to several killer swimming spots.

The best swimming hole – though by no means the most secret – is about a 45-minute hike from the parking lot. The trailhead is uphill from the first creek crossing next to two trashcans. A steep walk through scorched chaparral lands you on a small beach where a deep and wide channel surrounded by smooth granite offers the perfect reprieve from the dry south county air.

On a recent Sunday, only a few others waded the waters. The river flowed fast, and neither my girlfriend nor I could swim up a rapid at the end of the pool. For braver souls, the rapid provides an exhilarating slide down into what looks like an abyss.

I would redeem myself with some rock jumping. I’ve often seen groups of teenagers plunge into the blue waters from a rock above the west side, but I’d never tried it.

I warmed up on a 5-foot kiddy drop, then swam to a rope ominously tied to a small tree 25 feet above. The rope wasn’t any help lifting me up the technical rock face.

Swimming downstream led to a simpler route. A short climb, minding the loose rock, landed me on the high perch looking nervously down at the deep blue. I needed another warm-up. I stepped down 10 feet and jumped off a lower edge.

After nearly chickening out and swimming back to the beach, I talked myself into another shot. Looking down from the perch I again hesitated and worried about losing my footing while leaping. Crouching down, I realized that I couldn’t think about it – I just had to do it.

A toothpick fall landed me roughly in the protective water. Like the regeneration sprouting up from mountainside, I felt like I had a new lease on life.

ARROYO SECO CAMPGROUND

The river and day use area are located outside Greenfield. From Highway 101 take the Arroyo Seco exit and head west. From the Monterey Peninsula take Carmel Valley Road to Arroyo Seco Road. $7 day use, $15-20 camping. 674-5726. www.rockymountainrec.com/camp/padres-arroyoseco.htm