Trip: Dry Lake in the San Gorgonio Wilderness
The trip to Dry Lake via the South Fork Trail in the San Gorgonio Wilderness is a quick and fun overnight or single day hike. Even during the cold winter months, this quick hike is doable in a single day including travel time to the trailhead from most of the Southern California area. During the summer, you can easily summit Mt. San Gorgonio at 11,502 feet in a long day or easy overnight trip.
How to Get There:
The South Fork Trailhead is located off of Highway 38 on Jenk's Lake Road. There are multiple trailheads off this road so be sure you are at the right one! The easiest way our authors use is this: If you are traveling up Highway 38 from Redlands, CA you need to turn right at the second intersection of Highway 38 and Jenks Lake Road. Follow Jenk's Lake Road and the first trailhead parking area on the Right will be the South Fork Trailhead.
The South Fork Trailhead is located off of Highway 38 on Jenk's Lake Road. There are multiple trailheads off this road so be sure you are at the right one! The easiest way our authors use is this: If you are traveling up Highway 38 from Redlands, CA you need to turn right at the second intersection of Highway 38 and Jenks Lake Road. Follow Jenk's Lake Road and the first trailhead parking area on the Right will be the South Fork Trailhead.
The Climb:The hike to Dry Lake is considered a moderate hike as there is about 2000 feet of elevation gain on the way from the South Fork Trailhead. Fortunately, long switchbacks in the steepest areas allow you to more easily scale these elevation gains. Starting from the trailhead your first major milestone is Horse Meadows at about mile 1. This picturesque meadow allows a nice stop to take a quick break and there are a couple picnic benches as well as some general information posted by the rangers. From here, the next stop is "Poop-Out Hill" which marks the boundary into the wilderness where permits are required. If you elect to poop out here, you can follow a slightly different path around poopout hill and back towards your original trail. Our authors have not taken this trail so we cannot advise on its exact path. From poopout hill you start a more gradual climb towards Dry Lake. Intersections with other trails are clearly marked. This section is more uphill than the earlier section of the hikes, featuring both "S" shaped switchbacks and long, sharp switchbacks. The last mile before Dry Lake follows a small valley defined by the outlet of Dry Lake (when there is water). As the trail opens up at Dry Lake you are given spectacular views of the surrounding peaks, including the popular Mt. San Gorgonio. Follow the trail to the left around the edge of Dry Lake and you will come across a sign designating the camping areas. The camping at Dry Lake is a relatively small area while the Lodgepole Springs camping area is much larger.
Water:
Depending on rainfall and snowfall in a given year water can be relatively scarce or abundant in the area. Lodgepole Springs provides some of the most consistent water at any given time, while Dry Lake is frequently dry. As you can see from the pictures, there are a number of creek crossings along the route; however, these are a number of miles from the camping areas near Dry Lake. You can view many water source conditions in the San Gorgonio Wilderness here.
Depending on rainfall and snowfall in a given year water can be relatively scarce or abundant in the area. Lodgepole Springs provides some of the most consistent water at any given time, while Dry Lake is frequently dry. As you can see from the pictures, there are a number of creek crossings along the route; however, these are a number of miles from the camping areas near Dry Lake. You can view many water source conditions in the San Gorgonio Wilderness here.
Things to Do:
The most common activity in this area is peak bagging, including Mt. San Gorgonio. There are numerous routes to this, and all the peaks, please consult your trail map regarding these various routes. For recommendations, we recommend Hikin' Jim's Blog.
The most common activity in this area is peak bagging, including Mt. San Gorgonio. There are numerous routes to this, and all the peaks, please consult your trail map regarding these various routes. For recommendations, we recommend Hikin' Jim's Blog.
Route Options:
The San Gorgonio Wilderness is crisscrossed by trails meaning you can reach Dry Lake, Dollar Lake, Mt. San Gorgonio and a multitude of other peaks via numerous trailheads. We recommend Hikin' Jim's List of Loops for a variety of ways to explore the San Gorgonio Wilderness. Look for another featured trip showcasing the "Grand Tour Loop" coming soon to Peak Passages.
The San Gorgonio Wilderness is crisscrossed by trails meaning you can reach Dry Lake, Dollar Lake, Mt. San Gorgonio and a multitude of other peaks via numerous trailheads. We recommend Hikin' Jim's List of Loops for a variety of ways to explore the San Gorgonio Wilderness. Look for another featured trip showcasing the "Grand Tour Loop" coming soon to Peak Passages.
Distances:
South Fork Trailhead to Dry Lake is about 6 Miles
South Fork Trailhead to Dry Lake is about 6 Miles
Length:
This trip makes a great overnight trip with a summit of Mt. San Gorgonio
This trip makes a great overnight trip with a summit of Mt. San Gorgonio
Permits:
Permits are required. During peak season the more popular trailheads such as South Fork Trail can be difficult to get permits. Permits can be reserved and picked up from the Mill Creek Ranger Station. The ranger station can fax you your permits. A Forest Adventure Pass is also required to park. Day Passes or Annual Passes can be purchased from a number of vendors.
Permits are required. During peak season the more popular trailheads such as South Fork Trail can be difficult to get permits. Permits can be reserved and picked up from the Mill Creek Ranger Station. The ranger station can fax you your permits. A Forest Adventure Pass is also required to park. Day Passes or Annual Passes can be purchased from a number of vendors.
You can also view this post at Peak Passages by visiting: http://www.peakpassages.com/tripideas/trip-dry-lake-in-the-san-gorgonio-wilderness/
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