Agua Tibia Mountain via Dripping Springs Trail in Cleveland National Forest, CA

Hike Agua Tibia Mountain via Dripping Springs Trail Cleveland National Forest, CA

Class 1 16.2 miles 3600 gain 6-8 hrs Out + Back May 14, 2018
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Agua Tibia Mountain via Dripping Springs Trail GPX Track

I need to offset my substantial website costs somehow! You can download a hike/drive GPX to assist you here. Before sharing my GPX tracks with others, please remember my site is otherwise a free resource.

A long trail with countless unnecessary switchbacks leads you slowly up rolling green hills through the Agua Tibia Wilderness to Agua Tibia Mountain. The trailhead is before the campground, so park and walk through the campground to the start of the Dripping Springs Trail. Toward the top, the Dripping Springs Trail turns into the Palomar-Magee Trail, which is a very overgrown road that requires you to hunch over to avoid getting whacked. Look out on the left for a social trail leading through tight brush to the Agua Tibia Mountain summit, where you get some really nice views. I read that the Palomar-Magee Trail continues to be overgrown like this, and I also misread that continuing the loop down the Wild Horse Trail was more than I expected, so I went back the way I came. Consider continuing the loop to add an additional four miles.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Agua Tibia Mountain
4779 ft
848 rise

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I'm not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!

Starting into the Agua Tibia Wilderness.
Starting into the Agua Tibia Wilderness.
Dripping Springs on the left.
Dripping Springs on the left.
The trail continues at a mellow uphill pace.
The trail continues at a mellow uphill pace.
Image 3 from gallery
Image 4 from gallery
Image 5 from gallery
Lots of switchbacks.
Lots of switchbacks.
Image 7 from gallery
Image 8 from gallery
Image 9 from gallery
Image 10 from gallery
Image 11 from gallery
Image 12 from gallery
Image 13 from gallery
Image 14 from gallery
Image 15 from gallery
Agua Tibia Mountain comes into view (left).
Agua Tibia Mountain comes into view (left).
The Dripping Springs Trail becomes the Palomar-Magee Trail and the road deteriorates.
The Dripping Springs Trail becomes the Palomar-Magee Trail and the road deteriorates.
Along the social trail to gain the Agua Tibia Mountain summit.
Along the social trail to gain the Agua Tibia Mountain summit.
Agua Tibia Mountain summit looking west.
Agua Tibia Mountain summit looking west.
Agua Tibia Mountain summit looking east.
Agua Tibia Mountain summit looking east.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!