San Gorgonio
San Gorgonio Mountain or “Old Greyback”, is the highest peak in Southern California at 11,503 feet (3,506 m)
It is not a particularly craggy mountain, and from a distance, it only appears to be an extremely high hill, earning it the name of greyback. Despite not being particularly striking in appearance during the summer, it is the only mountain in Southern California with a summit a significant distance above the tree line. As such its bright white winter snow cap, unobstructed by vegetation, makes the mountain noticeable from many miles away. The mountain hosts the longest recorded line of sight in the contiguous United States; it is plainly visible from the summit of Mount Whitney, 190 miles away.
There are four well trekked trail heads for approaching this mountain: South Fork, Fish Creek, Momyer, and Vivian Creek. This page will detail the trek from Vivian Creek trail head.
Quick Hike to the Observatory
An easy, quick hike on wide, dirt fire roads.
Done and dusted in about 1 hour over a distance of less than 2 miles.
Family-friendly
Dog-friendly
Mt. Wilson Hike
A 12 mile round trip.
A steep, rugged trail.
This is an advanced hike / trot / run covering a 6,500 ft ascent from Sierra Madre to the top of one of the most visible mountain tops in Southern California.