Elevation

10,839 ft / 3,304 m

#1,000 in California

#5,253 in United States

Prominence

8,319 ft / 2,536 m

#3 in California

#18 in United States

Climbs

367 climbs

#3 in California

#40 in United States

Top climbing months

July   18%

June   12%

May   11%

Most climbed route

Palm Springs Tram/Long Valley>Round Valley>Wellmans Divide to the Peak

6.6 mi • 1,761 ft gain • Class 1

Highlights

  • San Jacinto Peak is the highest peak of the San Jacinto Mountains.
  • One of the "Three Saints," the highpoints of the three tallest mountain ranges in Southern California: San Jacinto Peak, Mount San Gorgonio (high point of the San Bernardino Mountains), and Mount San Antonio (high point of the San Gabriel Mountains).
  • One of the most prominent peaks in the US, ranked 6th among peaks in the 48 contiguous states.
  • To the east, the peak towers over the city of Palm Springs; to the west, it borders the mountain community of Idyllwild.
  • The steep escarpment of its north face climbs over 10,000 feet in 7 miles, one of the largest gains in elevation over such a small horizontal distance in the contiguous US.
  • The most popular route starts with a ride on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway from Valley Station at 2,643 feet near Palm Springs up to Mountain Station at 8,516 feet.
  • The Cactus to Clouds trail involves an arduous climbs of over 10,000 feet from the Palm Springs Art Museum to the summit.
  • Another route is hike the Marion Mountain Trail from the nearby mountain town of Idyllwild.
  • Mountaineers tackle the mountain's steep north face from the town of Snow Creek. This route is a challenging mountaineering route that gains nearly 10,000 feet in less than 7 miles and involves hiking over rough terrain, climbing or scrambling on steep rock and long, sustained snow climbing with crampons and ice axe.
48 climbs • 6.6 mi • 1,761 ft gain • 7 hr 54 min • Class 1
32 climbs • 11.2 mi • 4,547 ft gain • Class 1
4 climbs • 11.1 mi • 4,939 ft gain • 8 hr 9 min
2 climbs • 10.9 mi • 4,166 ft gain • 6 hr 17 min
2 climbs • 14.0 mi • 4,274 ft gain • 9 hr 56 min
2 climbs • 17.3 mi • 10,389 ft gain • 13 hr 43 min
2 climbs • 5.6 mi • 1,689 ft gain • 4 hr 5 min
2 climbs • 9.3 mi • 2,432 ft gain • 7 hr 3 min • Class 1

Awards

Challenges