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** Use at Your Own Risk **
See the Retired Peak Guides in the Archives for Microsoft Word and other versions of this peak guide.
Location: Riverside County, about 2 miles northeast of Idyllwild, 112 miles from Los Angeles
Maps
Auto Club | Riverside County, Los Angeles and Vicinity |
Forest Service | San Bernardino National Forest |
USGS Topos | San Jacinto Peak 7½, Idyllwild 7½ |
Official HPS Maps |
TPO file - Save to your computer then open with National Geographic TOPO! |
| Viewable JPG file - Approximately 920K |
| GPX file or Google Earth KML file to
download to GPS units and other map software (How to use GPX and KML files) |
| Routes as shown on
CalTopo using the above files (How to use CalTopo) |
Nearby Peaks: Red Tahquitz, Lily Rock
Printable version of this route
ROUTE 1
(USFS Adventure Pass may be required)
- Distance: 9 miles round trip on trail
- Gain: 2200'
- Time: 4-5 hours round trip
- Rating: Class 1, moderate
- Navigation: Easy
Original: Warren E. von Pertz, September 1968
DRIVING ROUTE 1
- Drive I-10 to Banning. Exit at 8th Street (SR 243). Note your
odometer and go as follows:
- At 0.2 mile, turn left.
- At 0.7 mile, turn right on San Gorgonio Avenue.
- At 1.4 miles, keep left on SR 243.
- At 25.0 miles, Idyllwild Ranger Station (San Bernardino National
Forest) on the left. Turn left on Pine Crest Avenue. Note your odometer
and go as follows:
- At 0.6 mile, intersection. Make a half right on South Circle Drive.
- At 0.7 mile, Fern Valley Drive on the left with a sign "Humber
Park". Turn left.
- At 1.2 miles, fork. Keep left.
- At 2.2 miles, trailhead on the left. This is the climber's trail for
Suicide Rock. Keep straight.
- At. 2.6 miles, Humber Park. Park here.
HIKING ROUTE 1
- The Devils Slide Trail begins at the upper right corner of the
parking lot. From this trailhead (6440'), hike up the trail 2.5
miles to Saddle Junction (8040'). At this point there are four
trail choices.
- Take the extreme right trail with a sign "Tahquitz
Peak".
- Follow this trail up to the summit.
Printable version of this route
ROUTE 2
(USFS Adventure Pass may be required)
- Distance: 6 miles round trip on trail
- Gain: 2400'
- Time: 3-4 hours round trip
- Rating: Class 1, moderate
Original: Warren E. von Pertz, September 1968
DRIVING ROUTE 2
- See the driving instructions for Route 1. From the Idyllwild Ranger
Station, go south 0.7 mile on SR 243 to Saunders Meadow Road on the left
just north of the Idyllwild Elementary School.
- Turn left (southwest). Note your odometer and go as follows:
- At 0.9 mile, Pine Avenue. Turn left.
- At 1.0 mile, Tahquitz View Road. Turn right.
- At 1.2 miles, a dirt road with a sign "South Ridge Trail - 2".
Turn right. A high clearance vehicle may be necessary.
- At 2.2 miles, fork. Keep left.
- Go to the turn-around at the end of the road. Park here. Ample
parking.
HIKING ROUTE 2
- From the parking area (6480'), hike up the South Ridge Trail to where
it meets Route 1 just below the summit.
- Turn right and hike about 100'
up to the lookout.
SPECIAL CONDITIONS
Wilderness permits are required under all circumstances. Permits are
limited to 12 hikers. Permits may be obtained from the Idyllwild
Ranger Station just off SR 243 at 54270 Pine Crest Road. There is a
self-issue permit stand outside of the ranger station. The weekend
quota for the Devil's Slide Trail is usually filled in advance during
the summer months. Permits for the South Ridge Trail are much easier
to obtain. Permits may be obtained in advance from:
San Jacinto Ranger District
54270 Pinecrest
P.O. Box 518
Idyllwild, CA 92549
Voice: (909) 382-2921
Fax: (951) 659-2107
HISTORICAL NOTES
Tahquitz Peak is named for a leader of the Soboba Indians, Chief
Tahquitz, about whom there are various legends. In one story, after
changing from a loved to a hated chief as a result of evil spirits,
Tahquitz' body was destroyed by his tribe, but his spirit escaped to the
present Tahquitz Peak. Thunderstorms in the area are evidence of his
presence. Legend has it that his spirit still lives there with a
rattlesnake and a condor, although the watchful fire lookout cannot
corroborate this.
The Lookout is open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Memorial Day through early
October. To find out if Lookout will be open call, Mr. Doug Wood at
909-659-8553.
Please report any corrections or changes to the
Mountain Records Chair.
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