Category: Wilderness Hikes

4 Peaks in a Day

@serafinahikes

So here we were, at the South Fork Trailhead, just three days before we would leave for the High Sierra Trail, doing a shakedown hike. We were starting late, and that was my fault. But I wanted to go ahead with the shakedown hike anyway, since we were running out of days to do this, before the Sierras. I wanted to have one day to recover before we headed up there. We arrived just after 4pm, and had just a few hours of sunlight left. The parking lot was completely empty of cars, which was not what I was expecting.

Mount San Jacinto from the Tramway

@serafinahikes

I would hike 11 miles roundtrip to Mount San Jacinto from the tramway. It was not the first time I had climbed Mount San Jacinto. In fact I had climbed this mountain from Idyllwild once, a year ago, as a birthday present to myself. I love challenging myself, and with the temperatures down in Palm Springs into the triple digits, it was a perfect time to escape the desert heat, on a tram ride.

Hiking to the Bear Creek Oasis

@serafinahikes

I headed off towards the Bear Creek Oasis from the Cove Trailhead in La Quinta, CA in February. Winter and spring are the best times to visit here. There is a large parking area, and is a popular place to hike. There are plenty of signs, picnic tables, and a restroom here at the trailhead.

The Coachella Valley Preserve

@serafinahikes

Out in the desert near Indio and Palm Desert is an interesting place to explore called the Coachella Valley Preserve. Within it are miles of trails to explore, including the 4 mile Pushwalla Palms Loop.

Holy Jim Falls

@serafinahikes

I hiked to Holy Jim Falls once the trail had re-opened after the Holy Fire ravaged the area. The trail from Holy Jim to Santiago Peak is still closed. There is beautiful scenery all along the way. The trailhead is accessible down an unpaved Trabuco Creek road, subject to closure, due to flooding, from the adjoining Trabuco Creek,