San Gorgonio Mountain via South Fork and Dry Lake Loop in San Bernardino National Forest, CA

Hike San Gorgonio Mountain via South Fork and Dry Lake Loop San Bernardino National Forest, CA

Class 1 21.5 miles 5400 gain 9-12 hrs Loop May 10, 2018
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

San Gorgonio Mountain via South Fork and Dry Lake Loop GPX Track

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You can knock about 700 feet of elevation gain off this hike if you don't do Charlton, Little Charlton, and Jepson Peaks.

I hiked San Gorgonio Mountain via the Vivian Creek years ago, but didn't get to see any views because of the random April snow. So, I planned a big loop from the north side of the Bernardino Mountains. This long but gradual ascension to San Gorgonio Mountain includes a traverse of Charlton Peak, Little Charlton Peak, Jepson Peak, Big Draw Peak, and San Gorgonio Mountain.

Follow the South Fork Trail to the Dollar Lake Saddle (Dollar Lake was empty today), and then continue on the San Bernardino Divide Trail, taking a short detour for Charlton and Little Charlton, and redirecting the trail up to Jepson Peak for a short time. All three are pretty steep, but don't have any brush to get through. You can see Anderson and Bernardino on the opposite ridge during the few miles leading up to the Gorgonio summit. This was a loop I did a few months ago, so this added some nice perspective. After the San Gorgonio Mountain summit, continue back down on the Sky High Trail, which leads to Mine Shaft Saddle. From here, you'll get the nicest views of the day as you go through a meadow beneath Jepson and Gorgonio, and then as the trail follows the side of a mountain, where you get really nice views of Charlton Peak and the valley below.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Charlton Peak
10806 ft
246 rise
2
Little Charlton Peak
10696 ft
96 rise
3
Jepson Peak
11205 ft
125 rise
4
Big Draw Peak
11171 ft
11 rise
5
San Gorgonio Mountain-Northwest Slope
11400 ft
n/a rise
6
San Gorgonio Mountain
11499 ft
8294 rise

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Starting up on the South Fork Trail, lots of bends.
Starting up on the South Fork Trail, lots of bends.
Image 1 from gallery
A cabin along the way.
A cabin along the way.
Image 3 from gallery
Entering San Gorgonio Wilderness, where you can see San Gorgonio Mountain.
Entering San Gorgonio Wilderness, where you can see San Gorgonio Mountain.
Sugarloaf Mountain, north of the trail.
Sugarloaf Mountain, north of the trail.
Junction with Dollar Lake and Dry Lake. I went right first.
Junction with Dollar Lake and Dry Lake. I went right first.
San Gorgonio Mountain up there.
San Gorgonio Mountain up there.
Looking back down the lightly ascending trail.
Looking back down the lightly ascending trail.
Charlton Peak center, Gorgonio Mountain left.
Charlton Peak center, Gorgonio Mountain left.
After Dollar Lake Saddle.
After Dollar Lake Saddle.
Looking back toward San Bernardino Peak heading toward Charlton Peak.
Looking back toward San Bernardino Peak heading toward Charlton Peak.
Jepson Peak on the right, Charlton left.
Jepson Peak on the right, Charlton left.
Looking back along the Bernardino Divide Trail.
Looking back along the Bernardino Divide Trail.
Charlton Peak summit. Little Charlton visible center right, Jepson top right, Gorgonio center top.
Charlton Peak summit. Little Charlton visible center right, Jepson top right, Gorgonio center top.
Back on the official trail headed toward Jepson Peak.
Back on the official trail headed toward Jepson Peak.
Jepson Peak ahead.
Jepson Peak ahead.
Looking back toward Charlton and Little Charlton.
Looking back toward Charlton and Little Charlton.
Looking down into the valley that houses Forest Falls, CA. Bernardino Peak center.
Looking down into the valley that houses Forest Falls, CA. Bernardino Peak center.
Image 19 from gallery
Jepson Peak summit, looking back.
Jepson Peak summit, looking back.
Jepson Peak summit, looking toward San Gorgonio.
Jepson Peak summit, looking toward San Gorgonio.
Looking back along the ridge from Jepson to Gorgonio.
Looking back along the ridge from Jepson to Gorgonio.
Looking toward San Gorgonio Mountain.
Looking toward San Gorgonio Mountain.
Image 24 from gallery
Image 25 from gallery
Image 26 from gallery
Image 27 from gallery
Image 28 from gallery
San Gorgonio Mountain summit, looking west.
San Gorgonio Mountain summit, looking west.
Back at the junction, heading along the Sky High Trail.
Back at the junction, heading along the Sky High Trail.
Image 31 from gallery
Image 32 from gallery
Image 33 from gallery
Plane crash site memorial.
Plane crash site memorial.
Image 35 from gallery
Image 36 from gallery
Image 37 from gallery
At the base of San Gorgonio Mountain's boulder field. The trail is very well manicured, though.
At the base of San Gorgonio Mountain's boulder field. The trail is very well manicured, though.
Approaching Mine Shaft Saddle.
Approaching Mine Shaft Saddle.
Heading into the meadows below San Gorgonio Mountain.
Heading into the meadows below San Gorgonio Mountain.
San Gorgonio Mountain left, Jepson Peak right.
San Gorgonio Mountain left, Jepson Peak right.
Image 42 from gallery
Image 43 from gallery
At the north end of Dry Lake, looking back toward San Gorgonio Mountain.
At the north end of Dry Lake, looking back toward San Gorgonio Mountain.
Image 45 from gallery
Image 46 from gallery
Charlton Peak left, along the Dry Lake Trail as it hugs the mountainside.
Charlton Peak left, along the Dry Lake Trail as it hugs the mountainside.
Image 48 from gallery
Image 49 from gallery
Dry Lake Trail looking back toward San Gorgonio Mountain.
Dry Lake Trail looking back toward San Gorgonio Mountain.
San Gorgonio Mountain left, Jepson Peak right.
San Gorgonio Mountain left, Jepson Peak right.
Image 52 from gallery
Approaching the junction with Dollar Lake and South Fork Trails. Head back the way you came.
Approaching the junction with Dollar Lake and South Fork Trails. Head back the way you came.

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!