Spotlight:Southern California - Mount San Jacinto State Park

Spotlight: At 10,834 feet, Mt. San Jacinto is the second tallest peak in southern California. Although it towers more than 8,000 feet over the surrounding desert, it isn't as inaccessible as it may appear. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway in nearby Palm Springs takes visitors from Valley Station (2,643 feet) to Mountain Station (8,516 feet). At Mountain Station, visitors can enjoy the State Park Visitor Center, a restaurant, gift shop, snack bar and bird's eye views of Palm Springs. Nearby Long Valley Ranger Station provides access to a picnic area with BBQ grills, a ski center, a self-guided nature trail, and the Desert View Trail. From here you can access wilderness area, with a permit, that will allow you to camp or hike the Pacific Crest Trail to the top of Mt. San Jacinto where you feel like you're on top of the world.

Location: Mount San Jacinto State Park is in Idyllwild, just west of Palm Springs. It is accessible via the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.

Cost: Tram tickets are $29.95/adult; $16.95/child (3-12); and $23.95/senior (65+). Day-use wilderness permits are free. Overnight wilderness permits cost $5/person. Parking is $5/vehicle.

Time: Park office hours are from 10am-4pm (Monday-Friday) and 8am-4pm (Saturday & Sunday). If you just go for the tram ride, plan on spending between 1-4 hours. If you want to hike to the summit, it will take most of the day, or you can split it up over two days if you want to take your time.

Description: The tram ride from Valley Station to Mountain Station takes 12 1/2 minutes. The tram floor rotates giving everyone a rotating view of the valley and mountain. We were able to carry our loaded packs on the tram with us.

     With our wilderness permits in hand, we hiked two miles to Round Valley where we camped for the night. The girls slept in a tent, while the guys slept under the stars, which were gorgeous.

     In the morning, we donned our day packs and hiked the 3.3 miles to the summit. Along the way, we signed our names in the guest register of a 1930's cabin.

     After spending about half an hour at the peak, we hiked back to our campsite, packed up our stuff and headed back to the valley on the tram.

Rating: 4 1/2 stars (out of 5)

Things You Should Know: - "To ensure the preservation of the natural environment and assure the visitor of a quality visitor experience, the Department of Parks and Recreation has instituted a Wilderness Permit system; everyone entering the wilderness area for the day or for camping must have a permit in their possession.  Day use wilderness permits are free and are available at the State Park Headquarters in Idyllwild or at the Long Valley Ranger Station.  Applications for overnight permits will be accepted up to 56 days (8 weeks) in advance; if you apply by mail, send your request in at least 10 days in advance. Sorry, no telephone or FAX requests can be accepted."
- Click here to access Wilderness Permit applications. Groups are limited to 15 people, and must have an adult. No dogs are allowed.
- If you are unaccustomed to high elevation, you may want to be prepared with medication to deal with possible high altitude sickness.
- The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is the largest rotating aerial tramway in the world. It runs about every 30 minutes.
- The temperature on the mountain can be as much as 40 degrees cooler than temperature on the valley floor, so be prepared with jackets or sweatshirts.

Nearby: Wet 'n' Wild Palm Springs water park, Sunnylands Center & Gardens, Desert Willow Golf Resort, Coachella Valley Preserve