One of the most beautiful trails in Southern California…read more No parking lot. Parking is on the dirt mountain and must use your gps to find. This is a lovely hike and will test your endurance and patience the beginning 1.5 miles be used it's steep. It seems like your going up and up, just go slow and at your pace. Lots of trees and boulders. Lots of stunning views and area for a small picnic. Dogs are allowed on trails with leash and pls remember to pick up after their poop. Many different variety of plants. Enjoy this lovely trail.

1. You need a wilderness permit (can get at ranger station)…read more 2. The road going out to the trailhead is really bumpy/unpaved. 3. Switchbacks on the steeper parts with good stopping points/views the whole way up 4. You can bring dogs- yay 5. 30% shade, 70% sunny 6. 8 miles round trip to look out point and back (4 miles each way)

Oh hell yeah, this is a monster day hike! Did the shorter version of this trail yesterday and my…read moreGarmin measured 10 miles with 2375' elevation gain. The end of the trail is close to 9000 foot elevation with incredible views of the surrounding mountains and there's an old fire tower at the top. I'd say the first 2 1/2 miles are the most physically challenging. It's a pretty steep grade and it just grinds on you. Once you get past that it's much easier. We got started a little bit later in the day then we initially planned so we did not do the version of this trail that included the Caramba Trail. We've done it before and the Garmin clocked 13 miles. For the first 2 miles there were a lot of bugs. I was wishing I had a little hat. Two of them got up my nose dang it. After that, no more bugs until you got to the top and then there are some bees by the fire tower but not too crazy. You do have to get a permit, you can get it from the Ranger station in town. But if you get it in the most busy summer months before Labor Day, you actually have to fax in a permit request ahead of time and they only allow 30 permits per day. You also have to either have an adventure pass for parking or you can have the America the beautiful pass and put it on your dashboard. There are bathrooms available at the trailhead. No water source along the trail. I drank almost my whole reservoir which is 2.5 L. Perfect way to spend my 7 year Anniversary with my love

First of all, nowhere along this hike were there any Takis. Not even a suspiciously rolled tortilla…read morechip. I packed light thinking, "Surely a peak with this name will provide." It did not. Just switchbacks. Endless switchbacks. Furthermore the snack shack at the top was closed. If you're looking for Takis, I would strongly recommend sourcing them elsewhere because this peak will not be assisting.

I visited this trail on a Sunday morning and it was quite busy! I suppose this is one of the more…read morepopular hikes in the area and would probably be much more enjoyable during a weekday. It was about 4 miles to the top with just over 1800 feet of elevation gain on an easy-going trail. The views from the top are quite nice looking over the Idlewile area and the mountains above it. Great spot for a picnic or just to hang out for a bit and appreciate nature.

Great work out thru the snow!! Start with your free permit from the Forest Ranger 1/2 before you…read morepark at Deer Springs Trail. Parking is free. Don't leave any valuables in your car. Do your leg stretches before and after your hike. Bring your hiking ribbons, waterproof hiking boots with added spikes or cleats (for snow), hiking poles/sticks, sun hat, sunscreen, backpack with water, electrolytes, snacks, extra jacket, tissue, mini medic kit, antibacterial spray, music speaker, and a positive attitude!! This is a great hike for healthy athletic souls! Ask your doctor before going I highly recommend it. It's about 9 miles total there and back and 7 hours total in snow! Plan ahead you cannot rush or accidents happen! I hope I helped you guys out before going! -A

Very Short hike - a matter of feet. The end is a vista view of lake perris. Worth the stop but no…read morerestrooms and trail is gravely.

What a beautiful view! After driving on the road for a bit we needed to stop and stretch our legs…read more We are so glad we stopped here. This roadside stop has a small parking lot and a wheelchair accessible sidewalk. At the end of the sidewalk us a large road and a slightly landscaped viewing area. A great place to grab some fresh mountain air, then get back on the road to Palm Springs. Be warned, there was a rattlesnake alert posted in the parking lot. Stay alert!

Excellent maintained trail at the trailhead, there is a rough 2 mile drive to get to the trailhead…read moreI would suggest a high clearance vehicle or four-wheel-drive. Stunning views of three different lakes and surrounding mountains and valleys from the summit. Well worth the hike approximately 7 miles out and back with a 1350 foot elevation gain

Use my directions to locate the correct dirt road to turn off on. Your GPS might lead you down the…read morewrong roads ( which happened to us). I was looking for a hike that didn't require a wilderness hiking permit and found the Cahuilla Mountain Trail. The hike is 2.5 miles each way, but it seems longer because of the heat and the elevation gain. There are several different eco-zones here from chaparral to high desert to pines. Many cool rocks along the way. Some portions of the trail are overgrown and tight. Directions - Take Hwy 371 till you reach Cary road. Go 3.7 miles, the road eventually turns into Tripp Flats road. Look for the sign on the left hand side of the road indicating the trail road ( I took a picture of it ). From the turn off to the small dirt parking lot is about 2 miles up a small winding dirt road. Don't worry, you don't need a 4x4. The trick is to look for something that looks big enough to park a few cars. What tricked me was there wasn't a trail head sign ( though another review I read said to look for it ). Apparently there was a fire and the sign is gone now. So park in this dirt lot and look to the south. You should see an entrance with a metal gate. BTW, If you pass the parking lot by accident and hit to a fork in the road you'll need to turn back, you've gone too far.. - Several rattlesnakes on the trail..

I finally decided to check this place out for the first time, this afternoon. I entered from Ramona…read moreExpy and made a left on Davis Rd. You will drive down a paved road and the rest will be a pebble, dirt road! Man, does my car need a car wash after today! I made a right at W Contour Rd. At this parking lot, they have 1 restroom in a building and a picnic table. I had to use the restroom as I was drinking Starbucks on the way over!! The restroom was clean with paper!!! I continued driving on the "auto tour" and I followed the signs. I saw a beautiful lake with no water. (I thought this was a beautiful view). I kept driving until I saw Pond 1 and I parked in the huge gray pebbled parking lot. I walked along the upper path between both ponds on both sides of me. I took many pictures & videos. I walked until I saw Marsh U and that is where I saw a skunk !!! I have never encountered one during the day. The skunk saw me and ran in the other direction. I wish I brought bug repellent. I was covered in bugs I knew something bit me on my arm. The place felt very eerie walking through there with no one around. I suppose the best times to visit are spring & winter! Enjoy my photos :)

Visited here twice in the past week. It's nicely maintained and a great escape from the noise of…read morethe city. Keep in mind this isn't a well groomed and cliche/touristy picnic spot for you city slickers. I love how they have kept the area natural but still accessible. Wednesdays and Saturdays are closed to the general public for the waterfowl/duck hunters. This area is run and managed by the California Fish and Wildlife. If you're interested in wildlife (raptors and other birds in particular), this place is great. It's also quite scenic at sunrise and sunset as well.

Nice campground. It's rather open between the campsites so privacy is not great. Within reach of…read moreIdyllwild and tons of trails. Devil's Slide is a nice moderate hike going up on a reasonable grade out if Idyllwild.

SoCal Six Pack of Peaks #5…read more Difficulty: Strenuous, shortest hike to San Jacinto but most difficult Mileage: ~13.5miles Pets: No dogs, but people brought theirs anyway View: Desert, San Bernardino Forest, Ocean, LA, SD What to bring: For one person, 3 liters of water, snacks, buy spray, food, Gatorade, trekking poles Parking: Near Marion Mt Campground, free road parking or dirt lot, get there early to get parking, plenty of parking Fee: none for day hikes- need permit though, overnight camping $5 permit. Get your permit at the ranger station- it's outside and always available Time: ~8-9 hours with rest time, leisurely First 3 miles are the toughest. Going up at least 2500 feet. Especially the second mile. Then it gets better and you reach Little Round Camp. Which has a toilet and a nice stream to filter more water. It's a good resting spot. Then the last stretch to the top is super tough. You're climbing up rocks (scrambling) to get to the peak. We started around 6:45am and the weather was good in the morning. Mostly shade on that side. Some parts were muddy. Lots of fresh spring water. When descending, we were going down around 2-3pm and it was quite hot with lots of sun. The trail has heavy traffic and quite popular. The top view was gorgeous! You can see everything on a clear day from the desert to the ocean. The elevation is real, drink plenty of water, and eat a lot of carbs. Don't forget to stop and take in the views, beautiful plants, see some birds and enjoy nature!

The Rangers here are so nice! If you need directions, recommendations, or have questions, they are…read morehappy to help! I came here wanting to know where I could go for a short little walk and they told me to actually drive down the road a little further to go to the "Idyllwild Nature Center" vs here at the State Park. The State Park only really has serious hiking trails, not something easy/short. I was very grateful for the suggestion and we shared a few laughs! Wonderful experience!

The rangers here were really nice and funny, and they gave my spouse and I great recommendations on…read morewhere to hike that wasn't too difficult for us. Thank you so much!