Location: Riverside County, about 2 miles north-northeast of Idyllwild, 108 miles from Los Angeles

Maps

Auto Club: Riverside County, San Jacinto Mountain Area

Forest Service: San Bernardino National Forest

USGS Topo: San Jacinto Peak 7½

HPS: Route(s), waypoints and explanation of usage

Distance: 2 miles round trip on trail and cross-country

Gain: 1300'

Time: 2-3 hours round trip

Rating: Class 1, easy

Navigation: Easy

Leader Rating: "I", normal conditions

Original: Charlie Knapke, June 1995

DRIVING ROUTE 1

• Take I-10 or SR 60 east to SR 79 in Beaumont. Take exit south to SR 79.
• Go south on SR 79 to the Ramona Expressway. Turn left (east).
• Go east and then southeast on the Ramona Expressway until it ends at SR 74. Turn left (east).
• Go east on SR 74 to Mountain Center (junction with Idyllwild Highway SR 243). Turn left (north).
• Go to Idyllwild Ranger Station (San Bernardino National Forest) on the right. Turn right on Pine Crest Avenue. Note your odometer and go as follows:
• At 0.6 mile, intersection. Make a half right on South Circle Drive.
• At 0.7 mile, Fern Valley Drive on the left with a sign "Humber Park". Turn left.
• At 1.2 miles, fork. Keep left.
• At 2.2 miles, sign "Climber's Route" on the left, at a junction with paved Forest Drive coming in from the right. This is the trailhead. Park on Forest Drive (unlimited parking).

HIKING ROUTE 1

• From the parking area (6280'), a climber's trail starts. Follow this trail as it crosses a creek and meets a paved road.
• Turn right and continue straight on this road, ignoring all side junctions, to its end at a trail register. Sign in here. This is your Wilderness permit (day use only).
• Continue to a sign "Trail not maintained past this point".
• Climb steeply northwest on a network of use trails to the foot of the cliffs.
• Upon reaching the cliffs, turn right and follow along their base.
• Past the final cliffs, ascend cross-country directly west to the main summit trail described in Route 2.
• Turn left on this trail to the summit.