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    San Jacinto Wildlife Area

    4.0 (5 reviews)

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    5 years ago

    Helpful 6
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    5 years ago

    Helpful 9
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    3 years ago

    Spent many hours here. So close to civilisation, yet peaceful and a great area to bird.

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    6 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    Massacre Canyon

    Massacre Canyon

    3.3
    (8 reviews)
    8.0 mi

    Challenging but beautiful! Take the trail along the water, the mountain side one is dangerous.read more

    I love this place. Whenever I go to gramma's to do housework for her, I either go here or…read moreIdyllwild. I especially love this place on windy and rainy days. The high trail gets pretty sketchy and makes for a good time. For anyone wanting to know where this place gets its name, here goes. The local native tribes had a battle that ended here. One tribe made it to the waterfall and couldn't go anywhere. The other tribe held the high ground and slaughtered them. Google it. Anyway, parking sucks. There are a couple places off the side of the road to park. Other than that, you'll have to take your vehicle down a small hill and park in a dirt lot. Said dirt lot is a place where people like to run OHV's, and their trucks. There are some elevation changes and jumps. This used to be a loop until someone removed the rope from the highest section of the waterfall. The one at the lower half is still there. When the ropes were there, it was about a 5 mile loop.the trail doesn't end at the decent from the ridge to the waterfall. You can take the trail back another 12+ miles. It opens up to some Wild West looking shit, and then a bunch of huge boulders. The high trail is the fun part. It's pretty sketchy without high winds or rain. I prefer to come here with wind, and or rain, for a better time. The width of the high trail is about a foot, to 18 inches. At some spots, it may be unclear If you're not very experienced. At other spots there is no trail, so you'll have to stretch your legs pretty far, or make a short hop. There are plenty of rocks to get a foothold or handhold on, but be careful; some of it fragments quite easily. People also go shooting here, but usually well past the loop, and they don't aim at the trails. This place is not monitored by park rangers, so if you need anything, you'll need to call San Jacinto Sheriffs. Since it's not regulated, you can camp without permits. Have fun, be safe, watch for snakes, weird locals, keep an eye out for falling rocks, and yell down below if you happen to dislodge some rocks from the high trail. This is a good local playground; enjoy it and keep it clean.

    Photos
    Massacre Canyon
    Lizard
    Lizard
    Trail

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    Trail
    Rainbow Bridge Via Pacific Crest Trail

    Rainbow Bridge Via Pacific Crest Trail

    4.8
    (4 reviews)
    39.6 mi

    The Pacific Crest Trailhead - Mojave River Forks End of Road serves as a significant access point…read moreto the iconic Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) in Southern California. Situated at an elevation of 923 meters in the Mojave Desert region, this trailhead marks a unique intersection where the vast wilderness of the PCT meets the end of California Highway 173. It is a crucial gateway for exploring the diverse landscapes of the San Bernardino Mountains foothills and the unique desert environment. Visitors consistently highlight this trailhead as the most accessible starting point for reaching the popular Deep Creek Hot Springs, making it a favored destination for hikers. The opportunity to experience a distinctive desert section of the Pacific Crest Trail, with its scenic Deep Creek Canyon and lush riparian vegetation, is another major draw. The convenience of a wide parking area at the end of the paved road also contributes to its popularity among those looking for day hikes or shorter excursions on the PCT. Before setting out, hikers should be prepared for a creek crossing within about a mile of the trailhead, as Deep Creek must be forded. While often shallow or dry, especially during certain times of the year, water levels can rise significantly after rain or snowmelt, potentially requiring an alternative parallel track near the dam. The trailhead offers ample free parking at the dead-end of Highway 173, making it easily reachable by passenger vehicle. This trailhead is ideal for hiking and trail running, particularly for those aiming for the Deep Creek Hot Springs, which is typically a 12-mile out-and-back journey. The arid desert climate suggests that spring and fall offer the most comfortable conditions for exploration, avoiding the extreme heat of summer or potential high waters in winter. Its location also provides convenient access to nearby amenities at Mojave River Forks Regional Park, including camping and recreational opportunities at Silverwood Lake.

    i love this trail, but do it on a cloudy day, wont recommend hiking this on a hot day because…read moretheres no shade the whole time. and pls. pick up after your pet. parking is kinda sketchy too. so take the risk. Other than that love the bridge at the end of the trail!

    Photos
    Rainbow Bridge Via Pacific Crest Trail
    Rainbow Bridge Via Pacific Crest Trail
    Rainbow Bridge Via Pacific Crest Trail

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    Tenaja Falls Trail Head

    Tenaja Falls Trail Head

    4.2
    (9 reviews)
    27.4 mi

    The waterfall is awesome. Getting there is not so awesome - be prepared to go down windy one lane…read moreroads for quite some time. After you get there, there's a short easy-to-moderate hike to the waterfall. If you are feeling brave, you can go down the first waterfall for a much closer view of the main waterfall. If you choose to do this (which I do not recommend), please be careful - one minor slip and you're falling dozens of feet onto rocks. Each time I have come here, I found a tick on myself - be warned that they are abundant in this area.

    Great adventure for a sunny Saturday afternoon. The path to the top of the falls is more of a trek…read morethan a hike, due to the slow accent and being covered by trees and brush for most the journey you are not exposed to the hot sun making for a pleasant experience. For most the hike will take only a half an hour to reach the top, and about the same to descend. The path is not well marked, and hopefully you will encounter others along the way to keep you on the right trail. Now the drive to the base of the hike is another animal! Narrow, rough, uphill, downhill, washed-out paved road with some extremely deep potholes, and trenches making for a long slow drive of about 3.5 miles with opposing traffic that requires you to make way for passing very often, and blind curves to contend with. But....the pain was worth the pleasure we experienced once we reached Tenaja Falls. The view from the falls was breathtaking, and the water was cool and refreshing to sit beside and bathe my toes! I would assume that this is the best time to visit because the temperature is moderate, and the actual presence of rushing water to enjoy. Next visit I will pack a picnic lunch, and enjoy an extended stay. Highly recommend.

    Photos
    Tenaja Falls Trail Head
    Tenaja Falls Trail Head
    Tenaja Falls Trail Head

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    Gray's Peak Trail

    Gray's Peak Trail

    4.7
    (20 reviews)
    28.6 mi

    First, on a Sunday afternoon at the end of October, no parking by noon. My second reason for…read moreremoving a star is that the "female" restroom was out of order, the "male" restroom didn't have a trash can (which I understand, partly, being in the forest). But why have a girls and boys restroom, why not just two bathrooms. And the last reason I kept a star, only one trash reciprocal in the entire parking lot. I believe we should continue to encourage Visitors to "pack it in, pack it out" plus some. How do we do that if we expect then to put it in their car and take it with them? Trailhead has a very descriptive sign, provides lots of good information. Trail is 6.4 miles, 1,174 altitude gain (out/back), dogs allowed on lead, near Fawnskin. This trail offers AMAZING views of Big Bear Lake, bikes also share the trail. (Dog bags provided at trailhead, pls pick up after yourself, and your doggie;) There's so much to explore, get up, and get out there.

    A nice escape, I think it's probably less-trafficked because it's on the North Shore (away from the…read moremain crowds) and a bit away from the Discovery Center. At the top is a rock outcropping where you can get a good view of the lake, albeit partially obstructed. I saw a cinnamon-furred black bear near the top the last time I hiked (June 27, 2017 around 6:15pm), so be on the lookout, keep your distance, and make your presence know (I stomped my feet, and he took notice and slowly went about his business in a different direction than where I was). July 13, 2017: did an evening hike and saw 2 deer, along with a pair of yellow eyes and green eyes (more deer?) at night, and three scorpions along the trail. You will need an Adventure Pass to park in the lot, but alternatively you can park along the road (a good spot is by the Eagle habitat warning sign).

    Photos
    Only a few nice views in the begining and the end of the hike.
    Only a few nice views in the begining and the end of the hike.
    Hanna Rocks at sunset, seen about 2/3 of the way up the trail.
    Hanna Rocks at sunset, seen about 2/3 of the way up the trail.
    Gray's Peak Trail

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    San Jacinto Wildlife Area - hiking - Updated July 2026

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