7 min
Overview
If you’ve got a few calories to spare, you want all the views, and you wish to unleash the hurt on your quadriceps, I have a great hike for you. The highest point of the Palomar Mountains, dubbed — wait for it — High Point — is a great place to get abundant doses of all of the above. The views here are so good that the Forest Service operates a fire lookout tower that, legend has it, once spotted a fire burning in Santa Barbara County 200 miles away. At the end of the Oak Grove Trail where your leg muscles will finally know mercy High Point occupies a rounded knoll on the eastern edge of the gently rolling range. The route to the top starts from the base of the mountain and wastes no time in climbing. The temps on the east side of the range can be terrifically hot during the summer months, and even though it’s always temperate up top, you probably will want to sit this one out during July and August. Mt. San Jacinto framed by blooming chaparral whitethorn The mountain is also a good spot for backpacking. The Palomar District of Cleveland National Forest recently abandoned their lack of red tape backpacking policies, meaning you now have to fill out a permit request, fax it in to the Palomar District, and wait for your permit. There are a pair of seasonal water sources that might allow refilling, and there are a few different campsites at two spots on the mountain for camping. Mt. San Jacinto following a February snow storm From the Oak Grove Fire Station, find and follow the sign indicating the Oak Grove Trail. This trail will cross a seasonal creek and then begin a sharp ascent along a ridge, crossing back and forth over an old fire break. This is the toughest part of the hike, as the Oak Grove Trail gains about 1500 feet over 1.8 miles. Initially, the trail climbs on the sunny side of the slope, which gets warm in a hurry. At 1.5 miles, the trail crosses over onto the north slope, where shade from dense chaparral will provide a bit of relief from the heat. Wild cucumber on the Oak Grove Trail At 1.8 miles,
Trail Stats
22.7 km
1066 m
1862 m
808 m
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Photos
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