Mt. San Gorgonio via Vivian Creek

A hiking permit is required to hike in the San Gorgonio Wilderness. Apply for the permit early as the Vivian Creek Trail is the second most popular trailhead for the area and quotas fill up in advance. The permits are free and the entire process can be handled via fax or mail. All the information for the permit system can be found here here.

Start hiking early. The parking lot quickly fills on busy weekends. It is also going to be a long day, and by starting early, you will avoid the worst of the heat.

The trail begins from the east end of the parking lot on an old dirt road. Follow the trail as it will take you down across the boulder wash of Mill Creek. From here, it's a steep one mile section of switchbacks, which brings you to an easier section of trail and a major highlight of this hike, the lush green valley of Vivian Creek. Climbing resumes as you pass the last water source at High Creek. And after a number of switchbacks, the forest opens up, revealing stunning vistas of Mt. San Jacinto and the Inland Empire.

The final stretch of trail is a long diagonal traverse that steadily ascends gravelly slopes to the barren summit. As you reach the summit ridge, you'll pass a clearly marked junction. Bear right and head eastward. You will hit another junction from the south, but ignore this and continue straight for another 0.3 miles as the rock piled summit lies before you. Enjoy the 360 degree views and revel in your achievement of reaching the highest point in all of Southern California.

Retrace your steps on the return route back to the trail head. Fair warning though, the descent will feel much longer than you expect. Take your time as there are some rocky sections of trail, but most of all enjoy the view. You will find the views only get better as the late afternoon sun shines a new light upon the forest.