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 Reporter |
Summary: This is a no-nonsense elevation gainer. You start at 5200 feet and in a little over 3.5 miles gain 2600 feet to a final elevation at or near 7800 feet. Most of the early part of the trail is through oak, some scattered pine and chaparral. Views of the San Gabriels and the San Gorgonio Wilderness open up almost immediately. The real beauty comes, however, when you reach the high country and the alpine woods. From the fire lookout on top you are afforded a 360' view of Fuller Ridge, San Jacinto, the San Gabriels, San Gorgonio and all of Southern California in-between, albeit the view is interrupted by the lookout tower. Still, this is a fascinating mountain to climb. The best time to go is winter when Black Mountain Road is closed, so you can avoid people who have taken their cars to the top, and have the views all to yourself. If you do choose winter, watch out for shady icy sections of the trail. Some areas are very dangerous. Trailhead: Take the 10 East to Banning. Exit Highway 243, and follow the signs for the highway. About one-two miles past the Vista Grande Ranger Station, you will see a sign for Black Mountain trail. Turn left and follow the dirt road to a parking area. The trail is pretty easy to follow. In some places it is hard to discern when it follows a rocky wash or tops sandy boulders, just stop to look around and you'll find it. Black Mountain Road will take you right to the top in summertime, so the best time to make this trip is winter when the road is closed and icy. Even on a Saturday, you won't see many people. The clear winter skies are also a bonus. (Lat:33.82395 Lon:-116.75758) Trail Guides for Black Mountain: San Bernardino Mountain Trails - 100 Hikes in Southern California by John W. Robinson (Wilderness Press) Best Seasons: Fall, Spring, Winter, User Groups: Hikers, Dogs, Ranger Contact: San Bernardino National Forest (909)382-2922 Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Allen Riedel, who has posted 123 other hikes on this site. To visit this reporters web site, click here. Trail Reviews Page 1 of 2 Submit your own review 
Reviewed by The_O on 6/26/2009 Hiked on may 31st. Unique hike, especially since it bad been raining for about 2 weeks straight before the hike. Trail turned into a rocked filled stream. Still fun and kept me on my toes. Cloudy day, so no view from the top, however I can guess it has a great view of Lake George. Turbine on top was also cool. 
Reviewed by emeline on 5/12/2009 I wish I had been more prepared for this hike! We didn't quite make it to the top, but here are my preparations for next time: 1. Exercise more the week before (only got the gym twice, so my quads are very sore) 2. Bring more water (my 2 liter hydro pack bladder was dry after 3 miles!) 3. Bring a dog to scope the trail. 4. Go in a cooler season (May 10th was too hot already!), although all the chaperral was in bloom! The Flora, Fauna and views on this hike are extremely rewarding, and there is enough shade to make good rest stops. Overall, an excellent adventure! 
Reviewed by David on 1/31/2009 Great hike - now is the time to do it! Clear air, nice temperatures, no one on the trails. There are a few tough spots, but remember that if the trail seems unclear there's probably just a fallen log blocking your way, so climb over it and you'll probably see the trail. After the fire road the last stretch to the top is tricky in the snow but you can basically just scramble over the boulders to get there. Fun hike, but be careful!
Reviewed by hoody ha on 1/17/2009 hiked this trail last weekend, wasnt bad but there was a decent amount of snow covering the trail. i lost the trail about 3/4 of the way up due to the snow cover. if ur into rock climbing and scrabling there a couple fun stops. dont take your girl friend on this one unless she is inshape...lol
Reviewed by Jason on 8/22/2008 Did this hike on 8/8/08 with my son. the 1st mile was a scramble up a steep hill, but it shortly got onto a flat spot with many large boulders to mess around on. The 1st mile was though oak and manzanite forest, but soon turned to cedars and pines, good workout, we were on a timed so did not make it to the top but would deffinatly do this again. Dont recomend it for the out of shape though.
Reviewed by Jennifer on 10/30/2007 Due to extreme fire activity, and to protect public health and safety, San Bernardino National Forest officials are implementing a forest closure, effective October 23, 2007. The closure prohibits public entry to the forest, with few exceptions, and will last until the extreme conditions subside. The few exceptions to the closure allow access to the Serrano Campground, the Alpine Pedal Path and the Juniper Point Parking Area. Access to these sites is deemed safe, but visitors must remain vigilant and tend to current fire restrictions, including no smoking or no wood or charcoal fires. http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/sanbernardino/ for updates
Reviewed by CAHIKR on 1/1/2007 Awsome hike, great day. Hiked this on 12/30/06, 90% through the snow, but no icey spots. Views were spectacular. Saw four people the whole day. Would do this hike again.
Reviewed by JP on 9/19/2006 Hiked this one late summer, 9/17/06. Perfect weather, great views and an overall nice trail. Saw no one neither up nor back. Pretty good for a weekend. Would like to do it again in the late spring to see the wild flowers and some water in the streams. Notice: Traveling in the backcountry can be hazardous. You are responsible for informing yourself about these hazards and taking necessary precautions. Information on this web site comes from volunteer reporters and may contain errors or omissions. A current guidebook and proper equipment are essential for safe enjoyment of the hikes posted on this site. Keys: California Hiking, California Trails, California Hikes, Riverside County Hiking, Riverside County Trails, Riverside County Hikes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||