San Jacinto Peak (Hiking from Palms Springs)

3D Layout and Google Map of the entire hike from Ramon Road (Trail Head) to the peak.

Location: The trail head is located at the intersection of Ramon Road and La Mirada streets. This is the end of Ramon Road in Palm Springs.

Directions: From I-10 take Hwy 11 into Palm Springs. Turn right in Ramon Road and park at the end of the street. The trail can be accessed from the west end of Ramon Road. Take Ramon Road until the street ends at the mountain. You can park on La Mirada Street or off Ramond Road Street. The trailhead is off to the right.

Type of Trail: One way to San Jacinto Peak and back to the Tramway Station.

Total Distance: The distance is 22 miles.

Elevation Gain: There is approximate 10,000 feet elevation gain reaching 10,334 feet at the San Jacinto Peak.

Time Required: About 12 hours at a comfortable pace.

Article News:

The May 5, 2005, Backpacker Magazine on page 87 describes the Cactus to Clouds hike as the number 5 hardest Dayhikes in USA.

The writer says: “Sure, it's a big deal to climb Mt. Whitney-but on the highest peak in the lower 48, you begin at 8,360 feet. To conquer Cactus to Clouds, you start on the desert floor and ascend 10,700 feet-a vertical half-mile more than Whitney. Two fun ways to put your pain in perspective as you churn up the unmaintained trail: The trek to San Jacinto’s 10,804-foot, boulder-strewn crown is only 800 vertical feet shorter that the climb from Everest basecamp to summit-comparable to doing more than a thousand flights of stairs. Start before dawn, because temps hit triple digits more than 100 days a year, and there’s no water below 8,500 feet. But come prepared for wild temperature inversions and possible rain and hail up high; the worst scenario is to be forced to descend waterless in the ruthless afternoon heat. From the top, where you'll see every major peak in Southern California and all the way to the cost, most people hike down 2,300 feet and take the tram back to town; the hikes tough enough without adding another 8,000 feet of downhill”.

Best Times: a group of members of the Technology Department and friends are continually trying to improve their personal times doing what we consider a “hard workout” from Ramon Road to San Jacinto Peak. Times reflected here are personal and it is only the best time that they say they did only as a reference to improve their own times in this challenge.

More pictures

Turns

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