This blog will detail 1,000 video hikes in Southern California. By Southern California, I am drawing a line from San Luis Obispo to the Nevada Border. Anything south of that line will be declared "Southern California". In a way, it is a personal challenge to do so many hikes. Mainly, however, it is my way of showcasing how many hiking opportunities there really are right in our own geographic back yard. As a blog, it serves as a companion piece to my Youtube channel "1,000 Hikes in So Cal". It is also a work in progress, as I don't actually have 1,000 edited videos completed. This will take effort for quite some time before it is declared done. Even then, there will still be more out there. Here's to hiking and all the positive effects it has had on my life...and possibly yours!
While heading further east of San Diego, the Cleveland National Forest occupies the mountains before reaching the desert. In this portion of the forest, the trees are mostly scattered oak, with many low lying bushes. To begin the hike, I doubled back down the road from the large parking lot. An unsigned fence gate marks the beginning of the hike. It follows a creek channel northeast of the peak before it makes a sharp left and heads up a gully.
Heading up the ridge.
While starting to level off on the ridge, the trail presses on to the west over false summits before officially reaching the high point of Guatay Mountain. The views don't disappoint from the high vantage point. In my case, I looked out and identified other peaks that I visited in the past, and the ones I had yet to visit.
Approaching the peak.
I came back the same way with a satisfying visit. I had big plans on the day to visit other peaks before heading back home. I continued up Sunrise Highway to go to Manza Benchmark, which was part of the Sunset Trail.
On the summit.
I also wanted to complete the Sunset Trail. However, when the overgrown trail to Manza fizzled out after about 2 miles, my desire to also continue on the Sunset Trail faded. From there, I accepted Guatay as the hike of the day and spent a relaxing late afternoon in Old Town San Diego before wrapping up the day. The next day, I went to Lawson and Gaskill Peaks. I completed the hike but realized that I shot no video on either summits. Can't have much of a video about climbing peaks without the money shots! So somehow, the complete plans did not work out, but that's the way it goes sometimes. Someday I may go back and add a completed video to the 1,000 list.
I had alreadycompleted Strawberry Peak at a previous time, which is the neighboring peak to Lawlor. The hike starts at the same trailhead, which is the Strawberry Peak Trail at Red Box Junction. Therefore the hike is the same for both outings up until Strawberry - Lawlor Saddle, but this time, I took a right and headed up the slope toward Mt Lawlor. The climb from the slope is more or less a Class 2 climb, where there are many boulders to climb over and around. The high point of the hike gets reached on the summit of Mt Lawlor.
Looking across the ridge toward Barley Flats.
From the summit, a steep use trail descends the slope back down to the Strawberry Peak Trail, however, I continued forward on the ridge, hoping to extend the hike to Barley Flats. At the time, I was not sure if a trail actually connected both summits, so it became a bit of a real time adventure. Some parts of the ridge were overgrown, but for the most part, a firebreak gave me an access route most of the way. Eventually, the ridge dropped to a dirt road which led me the rest of the way toward Barley Flats. I left the road to reach the summit, which has a water tank on it. To make it official, I took the attached staircase to reach the top.
The water tank on Barley Flats.
After then completing a double summit hike, the next task was to find a different way back to the trailhead. I had researched another route that goes parallel to the ridge, as well as parallel to Angeles Crest Highway. I took the dirt road south of Barley Flats until it turned into a single track and began the parallel route.
Heading up the steps.
Despite some overgrowth, I pressed on. The trail seems to get little use, but it was still visible all the way back down to the Strawberry Peak Trail. Once back on it, I gave a sigh of relief for being able to complete the task without having to retrace my steps back up the ridge. From there, I returned to Red Box to close out the experience.
The Boy Scout trail goes from Indian Cove to Park Road inside of Joshua Tree National Park. Therefore, there is more than one way to get to Keys Peak. I do prefer the route from Indian Cove, though.
The canyon walls begin closing in.
Not only is it fee free from that starting point, but the hike is more memorable. From Indian Cove, the trail slides into a wash, passes along some tight canyon walls, then elevates to the Joshua Tree Plateau. After that, there is still a peak to climb.
Leaving the trail toward Keys Peak.
Since there are no signs pointing out Keys Peak, I referred to hiking apps on my phone to assure me that the giant rockpile I was looking at was actually the one considered to be Keys Peak.
On the summit.
As the trail began passing the peak on the west side, I left the trail and walked over to its base. From there, I carefully worked my way up and through the boulders toward the summit. At the top, I found a summit register, which certainly alleviated whatever doubts I had regarding whether or not I was climbing the right peak.
Summit benchmark.
Great views appear in all directions overlooking the canyons I climbed, the other peaks to the east, and also the Joshua Tree Plateau. After a long pause at the summit to soak it all in, I carefully descended and returned back down the canyon. On the way back I passed Mount Mel. I considered adding it to the hike, but decided that I would come back sometime and give the Mount Mel hike its own day, while also exploring Indian Cove more closely.
The hike begins at Black Rock Campground, which has no fee for day-hikers to visit. Warren Peak is a hike that I had completed several times from this starting point.
Warren Peak.
However, including Panorama Peak to the hike makes this a much better experience. So instead of just going out an back to Warren Peak, the Panorama Peak Loop is quickly accessible along the way.
On the summit of Warren Peak.
Warren Peak has great views over the northwest part of the park to the south, as well as the town of Yucca Valley to the north. I pondered for a bit on the conical summit before returning the wash, where the Panorama Peak junction is accessed.
Heading up the Panorama Loop.
The hike gradually climbs up a ridge to its high point at Panorama Peak. As the name suggests, the views are good up there.
Summit view toward Yucca Valley.
After the high point, the trail loops back down to the wash, where it then becomes a sandy descent back to the parking area and campground. This may be the best hike in the Black Rock area, although there are certainly more to choose from. I took the time to give nearly each its own day.
Strawberry Peak sits along a high ridge featuring Josephine Peak and Mount Lawlor. Strawberry is the tallest and more impressive of the three. It also does resemble an upside down strawberry!
Getting a good view of Strawberry Peak.
The Strawberry Peak Trail extends along the lower slope of Mount Lawlor, which is rather level much of the way leading to Strawberry Saddle. From the saddle, it is a different story, as it climbs rather abruptly up the side of the mountain. However, with persistence, and the desire to stand on the top like a conquering hero, the climb eventually runs out of elevation.
Approaching the peak.
On this recent visit, there were at least three summit signs waiting for me (which is a rare thing, since visitors at other mountains that i went to often take these signs home like souvenirs).
On the summit.
The descent is also steep, but quick. Once back at Strawberry Saddle, there are other options, such as adding Mount Lawlor, going to Strawberry Potrero, or even continuing to Josephine Peak after leaving the summit.
Dropping down to Peak 5166.
I planned to give each peak its own day, so I headed back the way I came. However, before going all the way back down, I veered off the trail a bit to visit a side peak, Peak 5166. This is the visible high point in between Red Box and Mt Lawlor. Therefore, I turned it into a double peak visit.
