About
Want to hike Mt San Jacinto? The trail to Mt San Jacinto peak is an out and back trail approximately 10 miles long with a 2,555 ft elevation gain. This trail is a relatively popular hiking trail and hike-able all-year round, weather permitting. This trail can take anywhere between 5-7 hours to hike, and is considered difficult. Dogs are not allowed on this trail.
The trail starts at approximately 8317 ft elevation, and reaches a maximum of 10,834 ft at the peak with 360 views of the surrounding forests, desert, and Palm Springs. Most of the trail is spent in forested area with the final stretch being out in open area as the trail curves to the peak. While the peak has amazing views, it is cold and frequently windy following winter storms so it may not be possible to have lunch comfortably up there. It is also common to feel fatigue during the last ½ mile up the mountain due to reduced oxygen at 10,000 feet.
Be on the lookout for the wooden Mt San Jacinto Peak sign that has long fallen off its post, but may be a nice sign to hold up in any photos to commemorate the trip. There is usually snow on the entire trail with the initial ½ mile being the most iced-out.
Note trailhead signage marks as 6 miles one-way. However my Garmin reading and All Trails average out at 5 miles one-way.
Stats
- Length: 10 miles
- Elevation Gain: 2,555 ft
- Time: 5-7 hours
Permits to hike Mt San Jacinto
Permits are required to hike Mt San Jacinto. A ranger may or may not be at the ranger station at the trail head to view permits. Permits are free and are available to take and fill next to the door of the ranger station. Follow instructions on the permit carefully. Note that your copy of the permit should be returned after you finish your hike. This helps rangers know that you or your group returned safely. This part wasn’t written on the permit, but the ranger told me to put my copy in the camping permits mailbox at the bottom of the ranger station. A ranger is more likely to be at the ranger station when you get back in the evening, rather than the morning. This happened both times we hiked the San Jacinto peak trail.
What to Bring
- Water*
- Crampons or microspikes*
- Leg gaiters
- Hiking sticks
- Snacks
- Sunglasses
- Suncreen – snow reflectivity greatly increases UV exposure
- Jackets
*=highly necessary
Using the Palm Springs Tramway
Trams run up and down the mountain according to the schedule found on their hours of operation page. This may vary depending on season and holidays. We hiked during Christmas week, and the first tram was going at 8 AM each morning. Reservations for tickets are possible, but they are very limited and hard to obtain without booking well in advance. Furthermore, they only release a limited amount of tickets for reservation anyways. You can always get tickets on the spot, in person, and only on the day that you are planning to use the tram.
To hike Mt San Jacinto, always get the earliest ticket possible especially since hikes can take longer depending on the amount of people in your group and the weather. Holidays and holiday weeks can get very busy and crowded fast even in the mornings. So, plan to arrive at least 30 minutes ahead of the time you want to board the tram. You will be able to purchase tickets in-person and on the same day 30 minutes prior to the first tram of the day. Also note that the tram runs on more frequent trips of ~12 minutes per tram during peak days like holidays. Tickets are also timed for the next tram available, so if you get there early, your ticket will hopefully be timed for an earlier tram. Check out their ticket page for the most up-to-date pricing.
Parking for the Palm Springs Tramway
Parking to hike Mt San Jacinto is paid at $12 per vehicle. This does not apply if you have the tramway summer or annual pass, or are a resident of various cities listed on their page here. There are several parking lots. The closest one is parking lot A which we have never had trouble getting a spot in when arriving anytime before 8 AM. Parking lots open at 7 AM.
The tram itself also takes about 10 minutes to travel up the mountain. You can also use this time to observe the excellent views provided by the tram. The tram sways as it passes the 5 towers on its way to the top. If swaying motions make you feel sick or nauseous, try to look off into the distance or close your eyes when the tram sways. Coming down the tram, you will also likely have to wait in a line for around 30-45 minutes. Keep in mind that there is only 1 tram going up and 1 tram going down so expect 12 minutes at minimum to travel, load, and unload people each way.
Weather Forecasting
If you are unsure of whether or not it will be safe to hike Mt San Jacinto weather-wise, you can use my basic weather forecasting techniques explained in this article to make a decent forecast. You can cross check your forecast or just look at my recommendations here to get more accurate forecasts. With winter storms frequenting the west coast this winter, it is important to make sure you are hiking on the right day. I was able to forecast a day between storms with clear weather to hike up the mountain, but because of the winter storm threats, we saw much less people on the trail than we used to see, making for a very peaceful hike experience!
However, that being said, if things look grim, don’t go up the mountain. The obscured views on a muggy, snowing day may not be worth the effort and money. Also, it is worth noting that the tram closes when wind speeds exceed 50 mph at the tram station which would make it unsafe to take the tram. Most mountains have more specific forecasts available on mountain forecast, which I highly recommend. I also recommend checking out San Jac Jon’s trail reports on conditions and weather in the San Jacinto mountains.
Final Notes
Finally, you will definitely have more than enough time to make the last tram leaving the mountain if you arrive for the hike early in the morning. Sunset is early in the winter time – likely in the 4:30-4:40 PM range. It will get dark sooner in the forest too, so don’t plan on setting out too late. I personally recommend starting the hike at 10 AM latest if you have never hiked Mt San Jacinto before, and especially if there are many people in your group. We have never hiked this trail outside the winter season. For those who’ve never skipped leg day, consider checking out the Cactus to the Clouds trail for a very tough challenge. Be warned; Cactus to the Clouds is not a good trail to hike in the summertime and is for experienced hikers only! Do your research before hiking this trail!
Helpful Resources and Sources to hike Mt San Jacinto:
All Trails:
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/san-jacinto-peak-from-the-tramway
San Jacinto Tramway site:
Mountain Forecast:
https://www.mountain-forecast.com/
San Jac Jon’s Trail and Weather reports:
Mount San Jacinto State Park website:
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