Mount San Jacinto State Park
Mount San Jacinto State Park is a scenic park in Riverside County, California, known for its towering peak, diverse wildlife, and stunning alpine scenery. Mount San Jacinto is a mountain in Southern California with a heavily worn peak at 10,804 feet. Magnificent granite peaks, subalpine forests, and fern-bordered mountain meadows provide an excellent chance for outdoor recreation and sightseeing not more than two hours drive from either Los Angeles or San Diego.
Near the city of Idyllwild, the park features two drive-in campgrounds. Most of the park is a wilderness region where hikers and backpackers may escape it all. Mount San Jacinto State Park is located in Riverside County, California, in the San Jacinto Mountains, part of the Peninsular Ranges system. Much of the park is located within the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument. The park is located close to both the Greater Los Angeles and San Diego areas.
Pacific Crest Trail at Mount San Jacinto State Park
The 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail, which connects Mexico and Canada via three western U.S. states, is the crown gem of America’s magnificent pathways. The trail traverses five California State Parks: Castle Crags and McArthur-Burney Falls in the North, Silverwood Lake, Anza Borrego Desert, and Mt. San Jacinto in the South.
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
The tram begins its journey in Chino Canyon, close to Palm Springs, and transports riders from Valley Station (2,643 feet) to Mountain Station (8,516 feet) at the wilderness border. At the Mountain Station, you’ll find a cafe, a gift store, a snack bar, and information on the nearby state park.
The Long Valley Ranger Station is near a picnic area with barbecue stoves, restrooms, a ski centre, a self-guiding nature trail, and the Desert View Trail, which offers stunning views of the surrounding high country, including several 10,000-foot peaks.
San Jacinto Peak Trail
The round-trip distance from Mountain Station to Round Valley is 4 miles with a 600-foot elevation gain, whereas the distance from Mountain Station to San Jacinto Peak is 11 miles with a 2,300-foot climb. There’s something special about the San Jacinto Mountains that keeps visitors returning year after year. Hikers appreciate the range’s contrasts, which give them the impression of being in Switzerland while looking down on the Sahara.
Hikers can quickly and easily access the Mount San Jacinto State Wilderness thanks to the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. Guests can ride a modern tram with rotating floors from the 2,643-foot-tall Valley Station, the lower Tramway Terminal, in Chino Canyon near Palm Springs, to the 8,516-foot-tall Mountain Station, the upper Tramway Terminal at the border of the wilderness.
Address: 25905 CA-243 Idyllwild-Pine Cove, CA 92549, United States
Opens–Closed: 8 am- 4 pm
Phone: +1 951-659-2607
Email: nicholas.garduno@parks.ca.gov
Area: 56.66 km²
Management: California State Parks
Established: 1927
