Location: San Diego County, about 16 miles southeast of Julian, 160 miles from Los Angeles

Maps

Auto Club: San Diego County

Forest Service: Cleveland National Forest

USGS Topo: Monument Peak 7½

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

Nearby Peaks: Garnet Mountain, Garnet Peak, Cuyapaipe Mountain, Sheephead Mountain

Distance: 3 miles round trip on trail and cross-country

Gain: 500'

Time: 2 hours round trip

Rating: Class 1, easy

Navigation: Easy

Original: Warren E. von Pertz, March 1968

DRIVING ROUTE 2

• Take I-5 south to SR 78 in San Diego County.
• Go east on SR 78 through Escondido to the junction with SR 79 just past the town of Julian. Turn right (south) on SR 79.
• Go 6 miles to the junction with Sunrise Highway (S1) on the left. Turn left. Note your odometer and go as follows:
• At 7.4 miles, a paved road on the left with a sign "Kwaaymii Point". This is the turnoff for Garnet Mountain. Keep straight.
• At 9.9 miles a parking area at a gated dirt road on the left. This is the trailhead for Garnet Peak. Keep straight.
• At 11.4 miles, Laguna/El Prado Campground entrance and Foster Lodge entrance. Keep straight.
• At 12.5 miles, large parking area on the left (after mile marker 25). A trail from the parking area says, "Big Laguna trail to PCT .5 miles." This is the parking spot for Route 1.
• Drive 1/4 mile south past the parking spot for Route 1. There is a large parking area on the left. Park here.

HIKING ROUTE 2

• From the parking area (5760'), cross the fence at the place provided and follow a faint road leading north.
• Keep left at a fork about 1/4 mile from the cars. The road goes up a long ridge and disappears. Continue north along the ridge to pick up the PCT.
• Turn left on the PCT and follow it to a point out of the trees where the radio installations on Monument Peak can be seen. The PCT will shortly make a sharp left turn with another fork going straight ahead.
• Go straight ahead and follow this fork as it swings right and comes to a fenced enclosure with some trailers inside. (This is a NASA installation.)
• Turn left and follow the fence around the left side of the installation until you come to a paved road.
• Turn left on this road and follow it up to the summit.