The Tough Hike To Southern California's Tallest Mountain Is Beyond Worth It For Unmatched Views

Located less than an hour from San Bernardino is the trailhead for the most popular route up the tallest mountain in Southern California. The extremely difficult Vivian Creek Trail leads straight to the top of snow-capped San Gorgonio Peak. This journey through the beautiful San Gorgonio Wilderness takes you along a rocky pine forest trail, past little streams and blooming wildflowers, spotting deer, bears, and bighorn sheep along the way. When you reach the top, you'll be rewarded with some of the most beautiful views in California as the landscape sprawls out below you.

As incredible as the views from the summit of San Gorgonio are, this is not a hike to be taken lightly. California has a lot of hiking options, from short easy treks like the LA favorite Eaton Canyon Falls hike to the long, potentially dangerous wilderness thru-hike, the Pacific Coast Trail, which also happens to go through the San Gorgonio Wilderness. Vivian Creek Trail is different, though. This journey takes around 10 hours across challenging terrain and goes so high you'll likely experience the effects of not only the weather but also the altitude.

Make no mistake about it, this trail isn't deceptive. The moment you set out from the trailhead, you are faced with a set of steep and challenging switchbacks. While this is technically one of the steepest parts of the trail, it doesn't necessarily get much easier as you go up. Vivian Creek Trail is a direct route towards the top of the mountain; when you set out on this path, you'll find yourself going uphill the entire way. The positive is that the higher you go, the more impressive the views become. Not only will you take in the valley below, but you might also be able to spot the Vivian Creek waterfall, if you listen for it.

Hikers must follow the creek through the forest until they find another series of switchbacks. This grueling set may not be quite as steep as the first, but after a full day of hiking and with the thinning high mountain air, it may be the hardest part of the journey. Finally, you'll follow the ridge until you reach the very top of San Gorgonio. This wide, flat, rocky expanse is the highest point in Southern California. Enjoy it; you've earned it.

There are many trails that are only for experienced hikers, and Vivian Creek Trail is very much one of them. If this trail is on your bucket list but you're not used to such difficult treks, you'll need to train for it. On his website, HikingGuy, professional hiking guide Cris Hazzard recommends starting with Sugarloaf Mountain and graduating to Ontario Peak and Bighorn Peak before attempting San Gorgonio.

Before you set out, you'll need a National Forest Daily Adventure Pass for $5 from the San Bernardino National Forest Offices. If you want to break this trip up into two days, there are a few different camps you can stop at. The first is Vivian Creek Camp, located after the first very steep portion of the trail, which often has fresh water available. The next is Halfway Camp, which is not actually halfway up but is large and welcoming. The most popular is High Camp, which lets you stop before the summit switchbacks. If you're able to wait until you finish the hike, you can stay at Summit Camp, where you can appreciate your accomplishment right at the top of the mountain and make your way down the next day. However, if you want to stay overnight, you'll also need a permit from the San Gorgonio Wilderness Association.