|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
         
 Reporter |
Summary: This moderate all day outing is as good as it gets. The trip starts out by taking the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway almost a mile straight up into the San Jacinto wilderness. The first 2 miles of trail traverses a lovely pine forest, passing through Round Valley. The trail then begins a 1 mile accent to Wellman Divide, a great spot for lunch with breathtaking views. At this point the trail heads north towards the peak. The forest is somewhat open with the ground covered in lush vegetation, and ever more stunning views of the desert below. Near the summit you will encounter a small stone cabin, and after a easy rock scramble up a 100 yards or so, you will be at the peak. John Muir considered the view from San Jacinto peak one of the most sublime on earth. It is a great hike! Trailhead: From Interstate 10, take the Palm Springs exit (hwy 111) and drive 9 miles to Tramway road. Turn right and follow the road 3.5 miles to its end at the Tramway parking lot. The tram takes you from palm springs to the 8500 foot level near Long Valley in a short, but spectacular 12 minute ride. The cost was about twenty bucks round trip. (Lat:33.81308 Lon:-116.63841) Trail Guides for San Jacinto Peak via Palm Springs Tram: 100 Great hikes in and near Palm Springs by Philip Ferranti (Westcliffe Publishers) San Bernardino Mountain Trails by John W. Robinson (Wilderness Press) California Hiking by Tom Stienstra & Ann Marie Brown (Foghorn Press) Best Seasons: Fall, Spring, Summer, User Groups: Hikers, Ranger Contact: USFS (909) 659-2177 Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Jim Zuber, who has posted 105 other hikes on this site Trail Reviews Page 1 of 8 Submit your own review 
Reviewed by Thom on 6/24/2008 Great day and a beautiful hike. Small problem with my hiking partners old shoes falling apart, but I had tape in my first aid kit and did trailside repair to get back to the tram. Tram people allowed us to come back up after buying new shoes at Big 5. Next time we make it all the way to the summit.
Reviewed by Thom on 6/24/2008 What a beautiful hike, except that my hiking partners shoes came apart about 2 miles into the hike. Luckily I had tape in my first-aid kit and repaired them so that we made it back to the tram. They allowed us to ride down, get new shoes and come back up. Made it to Wellman's Divide, great views and friendly people on the trail. The farther we got from the tram, the more readily we received a hello in return.
Reviewed by Bill S. on 6/23/2008 Did this hike yesterday as a "tune-up" for Mt. Whitney in a couple weeks. The scenery was amazing, weather was perfect. While we saw ALOT of people along the trail and about 30 at the summit, it didn't seem over-crowded. Amazing view from the summit, definitely worth a day trip. 
Reviewed by Lori on 5/12/2008 Hiked May 10, 2008. Two days later, I am still invigorated by the experience. I hiked with 11 other people as part of a group, 3 Peaks in 3 Weeks, that was formed by a co-worker. I will be forever grateful to Dan for I would have never done any of this otherwise. It was a beautiful day although there is still quite a bit of snow. We lost the trail more than once until we started the climb to the peak. It is my first summit. It was warm with only a slight breeze. A bit hazy but did not diminish the beauty of the view. It was an awesome, awesome day, with an awesome group of people. I had my fill of snow on this day, but will definately do it again when the snow melts and you can see the trail. All of the trail!!
Reviewed by BB on 4/11/2008 Hiked Apr 7, lots of snow past Long Valley. Crampons (or some traction devices) would be good. Got as far as Wellman Divide with careful boot placement and trekking poles. Trail mostly disappears past Round Valley campground. Had a GREAT time.
Reviewed by JG on 3/23/2008 John Muir was right - sublime!
Reviewed by James on 3/18/2008 Out there on Sat. March 8th, 2008 for a day hike in snowshoes with two friends. A lot of snow everywhere up top. Alternately icy and slushy as fresh snow had not fallen for I think about two weeks and the weather in So Cal since has been clear and mild, as it was that day. We hiked out of Long Valley, into and across Round Valley, up the draw to the Wellman Divide, and then traversing across towards Miller Peak. We made it about half the distance to Miller and stopped for lunch in the shadow of Jean Peak. A glissade down the slope from there back towards Round Valley started us on our way back. A great day out as I have always had up there.
Reviewed by Jennifer on 10/30/2007 As of 10/27 the State Park is closed to due extreme fire danger. No hiking until further notice. Contact the ranger before making the trip. Notice: Traveling in the backcountry can be hazardous. You are responsible for informing yourself about these hazards and taking necessary precautions. Information on this web site comes from volunteer reporters and may contain errors or omissions. A current guidebook and proper equipment are essential for safe enjoyment of the hikes posted on this site. Keys: California Hiking, California Trails, California Hikes, Riverside County Hiking, Riverside County Trails, Riverside County Hikes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||