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 Reporter |
Summary: This is a long, but not so tough haul up the Western ridge of San Jacinto. You pass through different climactic zones, and the trail has its share of ups and downs, so coming back isn't the easiest route you can take. And for some odd reason, the return trip seems longer than the ascent. There are several campgrounds along the way should you decide to backpack. The trail is well shaded, and very gentle in its slope. There are a few steep spots, but hey, you are climbing a big mountain after all. John Muir called the sunrise from the peak "one of the most sublime vistas he'd ever seen," unfortunately sublime is not the way it is described now. The smog-ridden filth from LA is everywhere, by the time we summitted Baldy was covered and obscured. However, if you can catch the rare clear day in So Cal, this would be the must-see spot to catch it from. Trailhead: Take the 243 from either Banning or Idyllwild, drive until you reach Black Mountain road. Turn East onto the dirt road. It is rutted and rough, but you should be able to make it with even a low-clearance vehicle. Follow the road for 8 miles to the turnoff for the Fuller Ridge trail road (signed.) Drive to the parking area and the posts for the PCT are east to pick up. Give yourself a good hour and fifteen minutes drive time from Banning, although the trail is perfect for a late morning stroll. It doesn't get very hot, even in August. Take the PCT to the connection with the Deer Springs Trail, and then the short branch that takes you past the shelter to the peak. (Lat:33.81477 Lon:-116.67939) Trail Guides for San Jacinto Via Fuller Ridge: California Hiking by Tom Sinestra and Ann Marie Brown (Avalon Travel) San Bernardino Mountain Trails - 100 Hikes in Southern California by John W. Robinson (Wilderness Press) Day Hikers Guide to Southern California by John McKinney (Olympus Press) Best Seasons: Fall, Spring, Summer, User Groups: Hikers, Ranger Contact: Mount San Jacinto State Park (909)794-1123 Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Allen Riedel, who has posted 123 other hikes on this site. To visit this reporters web site, click here. Trail Reviews Page 1 of 2 Submit your own review 
Reviewed by Viewer on 6/13/2009 This is an interesting way to hike San Jacinto but the unpaved road leading to the trailhead is a nightmare. For this reason alone, I would not hike this way again. The road is 8 miles and is in horrific condition, with ruts, potholes and assorted other nasty problems. Even with high-clearance Honda Pilot, it took 47 minutes to reach the trailhead. The hike itself I feel is grossly inferior to the traditional approach via Humber Park. The flow of the hike is strange, with many ups and downs. Once you hook up with the Marion Mtn. intersection the trail is overgrown with thorny bushes which make long pants almost mandatory unless you want to get scratched up pretty badly.
Reviewed by Linda on 5/18/2009 We hiked it on 5-17-09. We are getting ready to hike Mt. Whitney, so we did this one for a pre-workout. We found it quite difficult. We wore a GPS, and the final distance was 15.6 miles,not 14.5 miles. The vistas and views were beautiful, but the many ups and downs on the trail made our hike back (when we tired) very trying. Our GPS showed the final elevation at the top of the boulders as 10,500 feet. 
Reviewed by Steve on 9/2/2008 My second time for this trail. Trail maintenance excellent. First time was only to Little Round Valley. This time was from trailhead to San Jacinto Peak and back. Sign says 8.0 miles, Forest service map adds up to about 7.5. I did the hike for the exercise (total time 6hr 20 min with 20 min lunch at peak. With sightseeing and walking only I estimate 8-9 hours duration. Yes it seems longer on the way back both because of the many uphill segments and because the switchbacks at the transition from SJP to Fuller ridge tend to make you think you are further along than actual.
Reviewed by BradL on 6/19/2008 I did this trail on Saturday, 6/14. I agree with the other recent report. Just wanted to add that the sign says 8 miles to the Peak (16 round trip) and that seems about right to me. Plus the drive up Black Mountain road does take a long time (~45 minutes) because it's pretty rough/slow-going. the extra 1.5 hour of driving makes this hike less-desirable for me, coming from San Diego. Good hike though.
Reviewed by Ros and Jon on 6/16/2008 This was a beautiful hike, but be prepared for a long difficult day hike. The trail itself was in great shape- ran into the trail gorillas doing maintenance- great job! Water was flowing great and was perfect to refill on the way down. We did it as a day hike and only made it partially up the deer springs trail. We started too late in the day to finish the hike before dark. Allow more time than you think to drive to the trail head. The hike back out does seem longer than the way in. There are some steep switchbacks on the way out- so make sure you have enough energy to get out to your car. We're in decent shape but with all of the ups and downs this really kicked out butts- but the views are worth the trip.
Reviewed by GregD on 9/4/2006 Hike on 8/31/06. Very nice day again in SoCal. Hiked on Thursday, only other people I saw were a few at the summit. The trail is very long and very difficult. You should be in very good shape for this hike. Me - I'm not in such shape and I thought I was going to collapse ... No kidding, this is a real butt-kicker. And the comment about the hike seeming longer on the way back is very true. The views are terrific, but just be ready for an intense workout. A lot of the climbing is over 9000 feet, and that makes it hard to breathe.
Reviewed by Scott on 8/10/2006 Hiked from Fuller Ridge Trailhead, spent the night at Little Round Valley and summited the following morning. Water flowing well everywhere at this time. Arrive early on the summit to miss folks coming from Round Valley and the tram. The road to the trailhead a bit rough, much easier with a high clearance vehicle. Full trip report with pictures on http://www.alicotto.com/sanjaclrv/sanjaclrv.htm. Enjoy the hike!
Reviewed by BLT on 8/6/2006 Hiked this Aug 5 2006. Long beautiful walk, lots of ups and downs with several running creeks once you get above the ridge. The summit area was crowded with folks who came up the tram. We were happy to leave them to get back to the quiet west side of the mountain. I give it 4 stars but I will use a different route next time up San Jacinto as this is too many miles for my liking. 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
