Pacific Crest Trail: Most Diverse – San Jacinto Mountains, CA
This 49.8-mile traverse passes through all six California life zones, from scrubby deserts of chaparral and shaggy Mojave yucca to the frosty spine of the San Jacinto Range.
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The best place to experience the PCT’s notorious elevation changes is on the traverse of the San Jacintos. From the 10,804-foot top of Mt. San Jacinto, you’ll descend almost 9,600 feet in about 20 miles, dropping through all six of California’s life zones. In two or three days, you’ll go from a barren alpine summit to forests of white fir, lodgepole pine, and western white pine to a scrubby desert of chaparral and shaggy Mojave yucca—the biotic equivalent to walking from Alaska to Death Valley. Following a long ridge, this traverse features high-mountain views of rugged side canyons, the cliffs of rock-climbing mecca Tahquitz Rock, Joshua Tree National Park, and Southern California’s highest peak, 11,499-foot San Gorgonio. Tagging Mt. San Jacinto’s summit requires a detour off the PCT via the Wellmans Cienaga and San Jacinto Peak Trails (a distance comparable to the PCT stretch you’ll miss). The payoff: views stretching into Nevada and Mexico, and to the Pacific.
LOCAL WISDOM Hike northbound to knock 3,200 feet off your climb. The best campsites are on side trails: Cedar Spring, a mile north via Cedar Spring Trail 4E17; and Little Tahquitz Valley, .3 mile north on the Tahquitz Valley Trail.
Trail Facts
- Distance: 78.5
Waypoints
PCT075
Location: 33.5633010864258, -116.576713562012
To begin, head N from CA 74 (Pines to Palms Highway) on PCT
PCT076
Location: 33.5922393798828, -116.570655822754
Penrod Canyon, stagnant creek; best not to drink
PCT077
Location: 33.6231346130371, -116.564002990723
Saddle and spur to Live Oak Spring
PCT078
Location: 33.6426315307617, -116.57054901123
Notch near Lion Peak with great views of San Jacinto and out east
PCT079
Location: 33.6662330627441, -116.575302124023
Cedar Springs spur trail
PCT080
Location: 33.6710166931152, -116.580032348633
Great views rocks to relax and enjoy; good camping here too
PCT081
Location: 33.6844329833984, -116.600234985352
Switchback up Palm View Peak
PCT082
Location: 33.6900329589844, -116.609352111816
Febes Saddle junction
PCT083
Location: 33.6899185180664, -116.609901428223
Water cache
PCT084
Location: 33.7099838256836, -116.622535705566
Trail junction
PCT085
Location: 33.716682434082, -116.624519348145
Apache Peak; old trail junction
PCT086
Location: 33.7277679443359, -116.632713317871
Dry campsites
PCT087
Location: 33.7606315612793, -116.644653320312
Dry campsites
PCT088
Location: 33.7606010437012, -116.665397644043
Straight at offset (Y) trail junction
PCT089
Location: 33.7576179504394, -116.671600341797
Go R to stay on PCT, or take L for sidetrip to Tahquitz Peak
PCT090
Location: 33.7740669250488, -116.673065185547
Saddle Junction turn L onto the Devil’s Slide Trail to head down to Idyllwild
PCT091
Location: 33.7876014709473, -116.678199768066
Saddle
PCT092
Location: 33.7865676879883, -116.689514160156
Creek with good water at Strawberry Cienega
PCT093
Location: 33.7835693359375, -116.69995880127
Creek with good water
PCT094
Location: 33.7825660705566, -116.702713012695
Strawberry Junction camp
PCT095
Location: 33.7828826904297, -116.704170227051
Keep R @ Strawberry Junction; trail goes down to Idyllwild area
PCT096
Location: 33.8008003234863, -116.704917907715
Seven Pines Trail junction; keep R
PCT097
Location: 33.8000183105469, -116.699348449707
Navigational aid: this stretch might be covered under snow, upcoming WPT’s are for routefinding in case trail is faint
PCT098
Location: 33.8005485534668, -116.698852539062
San Jacinto River headwaters
PCT099
Location: 33.8018341064453, -116.699066162109
Navigational Aide
PCT100
Location: 33.8019676208496, -116.698783874512
Fuller Ridge Junction
PCT101
Location: 33.8075485229492, -116.697547912598
Major creek
PCT102
Location: 33.8087158203125, -116.697448730469
Navigational Aide
PCT103
Location: 33.8105506896973, -116.697319030762
Creek
PCT104
Location: 33.8168334960938, -116.701568603516
Navigational Aide
PCT105
Location: 33.8201332092285, -116.703750610352
Navigational Aide
PCT106
Location: 33.8210678100586, -116.705215454102
Navigational Aide
PCT107
Location: 33.829948425293, -116.712249755859
Navigational Aide near Castle Rocks
PCT108
Location: 33.8349990844727, -116.719718933105
Navigational Aide
PCT109
Location: 33.8363723754883, -116.723045349121
Large dirt road flat with camping possibilities but possibly no water
PCT110
Location: 33.8563346862793, -116.733116149902
At the end of the dirt road, PCT trail re-starts. Take R and begin epic switchback session down to Snow Creek and desert floor.
PCT111
Location: 33.8692817687988, -116.697814941406
Water with decent flow
PCT112
Location: 33.869701385498, -116.693420410156
Water, decent flow
PCT113
Location: 33.8773002624512, -116.680114746094
Snow Creek
PCT114
Location: 33.878101348877, -116.678970336914
Water fountain placed for PCT hikers
PCT115
Location: 33.9251327514648, -116.694869995117
CA 10 underpass
Crags and pines
Location: 33.8228149414062, -116.707542419434
Intermittent views over the pines and outcrops of the San Jacinto Wilderness. ©Jack Haskel
Snow-laced slopes
Location: 33.8288230895996, -116.710975646973
From Fuller Ridge, find stellar views overlooking the north face of San Jacinto Peak and the Colorado desert and windmills below. ©Jack Haskel
Snow on Fuller Ridge
Location: 33.8331680297852, -116.71549987793
Navigation can get tricky in the snow-covered section in the San Jacinto wilderness. ©Jack Haskel
Impromptu Trail Sign
Location: 33.853271484375, -116.735534667969
Look for this turn to begin the descent to the desert floor. ©Jack Haskel
Over the valley
Location: 33.8644371032715, -116.716491699219
The view north toward Palm Springs over the canyons of the San Jacinto Wilderness. ©Jack Haskel
Wildflower medley
Location: 33.8672981262207, -116.711196899414
Signs of the life in an otherwise parched landscape. ©Jack Haskel
Fountain
Location: 33.8787498474121, -116.677993774414
Not a mirage: this fountain was gifted to thirsty PCT hikers. ©Jack Haskel
Shady spot
Location: 33.9244117736816, -116.694885253906
Hikers hanging in the nice shade of the freeway. ©Jack Haskel
Water Cache
Location: 33.6897926330566, -116.61116027832
Wooden seats and some great trail magic at a water cache. ©Jack Haskel
Craggy Peak
Location: 33.670783996582, -116.580032348633
Rocks jut from a ridgecrest, framing the sprawling folds of the San Jacinto Range. ©Jack Haskel
