Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains
Posted by: 
TerryDad2
N 33° 48.766 W 116° 38.262
11S E 533530 N 3741455
This national monument preserves some very rugged and pristine wilderness near Palm Springs California. In the summer it has miles of hiking and backpacking trails and primitive camping. In the winter these same trails are used for snowshoeing and snow camping. This National Monument is relatively new and is still under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management.
Waymark Code: WMNTG
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 08/28/2006
Views: 26
These coordinates are for the upper station of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. It is the easiest way to get access to the high altitude wilderness. The tramway takes you up the second steepest elevation gains in the nation. However, there are a couple of thousand feet of elevation gain to reach Mt San Jacinto (10,834 feet).
Just below the station there are many gentle hiking trails through Long Valley. Some take you to gorgeous views of Palm Springs. If you do make it up to the peak, the second highest in Southern California, you can look roughly north across the pass to the San Gorgornio, the highest peak in Southern California and on clear days west to Catalinia, some 23 miles off the west coast of California.
The official National Monument visitor center is located elsewhere. This area is also designated a California State Park, which is on all the signs in this area and it is patrolled by State Park Rangers.