Trip date: 8/10/2014

Location: San Bernardino National Forest - (San Gorgonio Wilderness)

Permit/Pass: Forest Adventure Day Pass: $5. Forest Adventure Annual Pass: $30. Interagency (National Parks) Annual Pass: $80. This hike travels through the San Gorgonio Wilderness area of the San Bernardino NF and requires a permit (free for day hiking). Permits can be obtained either at the Mill Creek Ranger Station or the Barton Flats Visitor Center.

Maps: NA

Directions: After picking up Hwy. 38 in Redlands, CA, follow 38 east into the San Bernardino National Forest. The drive turns back to the north, then heads east again as it passes through the  town of Angelus Oaks. Drive 5.7 miles to the junction with Jenks Lake Rd. West. Turn right onto Jenks Lake Rd and go 2.5 miles to a left turn into the parking lot for the South Fork trail. The trailhead sign is up next to the bathrooms. Pick up the trail just on the other side of the road.

Synopsis: South Fork trail is one of the main trail leading to San Gorgonio, the tallest peak in southern California. This hike samples just a bit of that trip, going as far as the spur to the Poop-out Hill viewpoint. From here we took an worn and unmaintained trail away from South Fork and ended up going cross-country on an off trail loop. If attempting to duplicate this trip, be sure to bring orienteering gear and skills and know how to read a topo map. (*If unsure, just turn this hike into an out and back and return the way you came.)

Trail sequence: South Fork trail / Poop-out Hill / off-trail

Type: Loop

Distance: 5.1 miles (*4.4 miles)

Elevation: Min 6868’, Max - 7888’

Profile:

Rating: Moderate (factors: cross-country, some rocky and steep sections, altitude)

Trail notes: Mostly easy and good footing on South Fork trail. The off-trail sections can be rocky. Be sure to have appropriate orienteering gear. The last few hundreds yards of this hike followed Jenks Lake Rd. back to the parking area.

Poop-out Hill - San Gorgonio Wilderness

Turn by turn:

  -- Head up the trail as it meanders along hillsides and canyons for about a mile before coming to Horse Meadow. Here you'll notice a couple of cabins and a picnic table. Continue on, crossing a dirt access road (this is where the loop from Poop-out Hill apparently reconnects with the South Fork trail) and climbing gently through low brush, then forest, for another mile.

  -- Just over a rise, and before the trail starts descending, you meet the spur trail to the Poop-out Hill viewpoint on the left. Turn left (east) here.

  -- After taking in the views and interpretive signs, continue east along the barely noticeable trail that begins to descend.

  -- Shortly after crossing a small creek (water in season) you drop down to a dirt parking area. Here is where we left the trail (which is the road leading to this spot) and continued north, following the ridge of a canyon just to the east.

  -- After about a mile we found ourselves in a private camping area and turned to the west to head back to the trailhead, sometimes following dirt roads, sometimes taking one of the many paths criss-crossing this popular part of the park.

  -- At about 4.8 miles we picked up Jenks Lake Rd. and walked the remaining distance to the trailhead.

Photo gallery: Flickr