10,834' San Jacinto Peak, the second highest peak in Southern California is in the Mount San Jacinto State Park and Forest Service San Jacinto Wilderness and can be reached by a number of different routes. It is a popular area and is heavily traveled in the summer. It is an excellent spring and fall trip when allowance is made for the prevailing weather. Winter provides excellent snowshoe or ski tour trips with proper equipment and training.
The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is a popular way to reach the high country for winter trips and is also used at other times of the year. Tramway website here.
Details of routes can be found in the guide book "SAN BERNARDINO MOUNTAIN TRAILS" by John W. Robinson, Wilderness Press which is available here.
Since when I did these trips with friends, Explorer Post 360 and the Sierra Club between 1958 and 1970 there have been many changes which control access to limit overuse. Camping is limited and reservations are required in the State Park. Check the Mount San Jacinto State Park and Forest Service San Jacinto Ranger District for details and permit information.
The typical route we used was the Deer Springs Trail Route with variations. This link includes a detailed interactive map that you can enlarge and print.
San Jacinto Peak Deer Springs Route Map and Profile
I hiked to the peak as follows:
Date:
October 25-26, 1958
Spring 1959
Spring 1959
October 24-25, 1959
January 30-31, 1960
March 5-6, 1960
June 18-19, 1960
July 30-31, 1960
Dec 30, 1960-Jan 1, 1961
January 7-8, 1961
February 18-19, 1961
July 22-23, 1961
October 7-8, 1961
January 27-28, 1962
March 3-4, 1962
May 26-27, 1962
July 28-29, 1962
August 3-4, 1963
July 11, 1964
October 10, 1964
February 20-21, 1965
May 9, 1965
October 9, 1965
June 25, 1966
August 6-7, 1966
March 18-19, 1967
June 5, 1967
October 7, 1967
August 3-4, 1968
August 2-3, 1969
August 8-9, 1970
September 26-27, 1970
November 14, 1970
Party:
Council Explorer Trek - to peak (first ascent)
Don Deck - Little Round Valley in snow
Don Deck and Lew Maddox - peak via Little Round Valley
Council Adult Training - peak
Post 360 - snow camp at saddle
Don Deck - snow camp at saddle
Post 573 - peak
Post 360/500 North Lake Shakedown - peak
Don Deck - Deer Springs Trail - spend New Year in peak cabin
Post 360 - cold camp on peak
Post 573 - Little Tahquitz Valley
Post 360/500/Troop 6 - Yosemite Shakedown - Round Valley only
Don Deck and Bob Brooks - Round Valley - 3" snow
Post 360 & Friends - snow camp at saddle
Mountaineering Course - Skunk Cabbage Mdw - 5 feet+ snow, -15 degrees
RCS North Face trip - peak - Bill Thomas, Bob Kemp, Dave Kemp, John Butler,
Don Rappolee, Hugh Lantz, Bill Paine and Don Deck (Pictures)
Post 360 + - Rock Creak Shakedown
Post 360 + - South Lake Shakedown
Post 360 - 9 Peaks Award qualifier to peak
Post 360 - 9 Peaks qualifier to peak
Post 360 - peak camp via tramway
Post 360 - Wellman divide including cross-country
Post 360 - 9 Peaks qualifier to peak
Post 360 - Coed via tramway - 22 to Hidden Lake
Post 360 - Yosemite Shakedown
Post 360 - peak camp via tramway
Post 360 - Coed via tramway - 22 to Hidden Lake
Post 360 - 9 Peaks qualifier to peak
Post 360 - Rock Creek Shakedown
Post 360 - North Lake Shakedown
Post 360 - South Lake Shakedown
Troop 360 - Round Valley - peak
Post 360 - 9 Peaks qualifier to peak
Miles
20
12
16
20
7
7
20
20
25
20
11
15
15
6
10
20
20
20
22
22
16
12
20
5
20
10
5
20
17
18
21
20
20
Explorer Post 360 hitting the trail for San Jacinto Peak - 10-26-58
Suicide Rock from Devil's Slide Trail to San Jacinto Peak - 10-24-59
Lilly Rock from Devil's Slide Trail to San Jacinto Peak - 10-24-59
Suicide Rock from Devil's Slide Trail to San Jacinto Peak - 10-26-58
Lilly Rock and Tahquitz Peak from Suicide Rock - 12-30-60
Saddle from Suicide Rock - 12-30-60
Willow Creek Camp - 6-18-60
Entering Mt. San Jacinto wilderness State Park on Explorer Post 360 day hike - 10-9-65
Hidden Lake Junction on Explorer Post 360 climb of San Jacinto - 10-26-58
View from Desert View on San Jacinto hike - 6-18-60
Round Valley on Explorer Post 360 San Jacinto hike - 10-26-58
Round Valley Camp on Explorer Post 360 San Jacinto hike - 10-26-58
Sunrise at Round Valley camp - 10-25-59
Sunrise at Round Valley camp - 10-26-58
Sunrise at Round Valley camp - 10-26-58
Morning fires at Round Valley camp - 10-26-58
Up and At Em at Round Valley camp - 10-26-58
Tahquitz Peak from San Jacinto Peak trail - 7-31-60
Explorer Post 360 viewing Cornell Peak from trail - 5-17-59
Cornell Peak from San Jacinto trail - 10-26-58
On the trail to top of San Jacinto Peak - 10-25-59
Top of San Jacinto Peak - 10-26-58
Hut on top of San Jacinto Peak - 10-26-58
Bill Paine and Me standing next to door of hut on top of San Jacinto Peak - 10-25-59
Bunks inside hut on top of San Jacinto Peak - 10-26-58
Cooking inside hut on top of San Jacinto Peak - 10-26-58
Sunset from near top of San Jacinto Peak - 12-31-60
Banning-Baumont Lights from top of San Jacinto Peak - 1-7-61
Scott Henderson and Marty Kress resting on top of San Jacinto Peak - 10-9-65
Checking the registers on top of San Jacinto Peak - 10-9-65
View west from top of San Jacinto Peak - 1-1-61
On top of San Jacinto Peak - 10-9-65
View of San Gorgornio Mountain from San Jacinto Peak - 10-26-58
Looking down Snow Creek-North Face from San Jacinto Peal - 10-26-58
On the way down from San Jacinto Peak - 10-26-58
Trail junction on way down from San Jacinto Peak - 10-26-58
Looking at Tahquitz Ridge from San Jacinto Peak trail - 5-17-59
Desert and Salton Sea from San Jacinto Peak area - 10-28-62
Wellman's Cienega on way down from San Jacinto Peak - 10-25-59
Explorer Post 360 at Wellman's Cienega on San Jacinto Peak trail - 5-17-59
Icd at Wellman's Cienega on San Jacinto Peak trail - 1-1-61
Salton Sea from Wellman's Cienega on San Jacinto Peak trail - 1-7-61
Explorer Post 360 on the trail to Wellman's Cienaga
with Tahquitz Peak in the rear - 5-17-59
View from saddle near Strawberry Cienega on San Jacinto Peak trail - 1-1-61
Suicide Rock from near Strawberry Cienega on San Jacinto Peak trail - 1-1-61
Saddle from Strawberry trail on San Jacinto Peak trail - 1-8-61
Sunset from San Jacinto saddle - 1-30-60