Beeks Place Hike From Black Star Canyon

In This Guide	Video and Turn-by-Turn Directions to Beeks Place How to Get to the Beeks Place Hike Trailhead Maps, Recommendations, and Tips for the Hike
Total Distance (?)	16 miles (25.8 km)
Hike Time	6-8 Hours (Total)
Difficulty (?)	Hard
Total Ascent (?)	2,240 feet (683m)
Highest Elevation	2,820 feet (860m)
Fees & Permits	Free
Dogs Allowed	Leashed
Alerts & Closures (?)	Cleveland National Forest
Park Phone	951-736-1811

The Beeks Place hike takes you to the ruins of an old cabin compound built at a scenic spot high in the Santa Ana Mountains. From Beeks Place, you can see from San Gorgonio to Mt Baldy to Catalina. The hike is challenging, taking you 2000 feet up fire roads through the mountains, and along the way, you get epic views, hidden pastures, and even a Native American settlement. While Beeks Place might not be a big-name peak bagging experience, it is a nice long mountain hike that you can do all year.

Where is the Beeks Place Hike?

Beeks Place is just off Main Divide Road, the rugged dirt road that traverses the Santa Ana Mountains, and you can actually drive up there in a 4×4. But what fun would that be? We’ll hike to it instead. The most popular hiking route to Beeks Place is up Black Star Canyon Road, and that’s the route covered in this guide.

Use this trailhead address:
13333 Black Star Canyon Rd, Silverado, CA 92676

Beeks Place Hike Directions 3 — The parking lot is massive but does get full. It’s also the parking area for the popular (and shorter) Black Star Canyon Falls hike. And a popular mountain biking spot too. Good news is that parking is free.

There are no bathrooms or water fills at the trailhead.

Beeks Place Hike Directions 2 — The hike starts at the end of the road at the gate. Occasionally the gate is open, usually for local property owners, and rarely for the driving public. Check the status here.

Gear for the Hike

This is a long hike in the mountains, so prepare accordingly. I don’t recommend doing this hike when it’s hot out. There’s almost no shade once you leave the canyon, and the temperatures can be brutal in Cleveland NF. Either way, bring 3L of water, snacks, and sun protection.

Altra Lone Peak 5
For most people, the Altra Lone Peak is a solid choice that will leave your feet feeling great at the end of any hike. The feel is cushy and light, and if it had a car equivalent, this would be a Cadillac or Mercedes Sedan. The grip is great and they’re reasonably durable for this type of trail runner, which I think is better in most conditions than a hiking boot, and here’s why. The downside of this shoe is that it won’t last as long as something like the Moab 2 (see alternate footwear choices at the bottom of my gear page). I’ve been using mine for many miles and my feet always feel great. Watch my video explaining why they are a great shoe here.
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Latest Price on Women’s Shoe – REI | Amazon
Latest Price on Men’s Shoe – REI | Amazon

Stay Safe Out of Cell Phone Range
If you’re not familiar with the Garmin InReach technology, it allows you to send and receive text messages where you don’t have cell phone signals. You can also get weather reports and trigger an SOS to emergency responders. Even if you don’t have an emergency, sending a quick message telling a loved one that you’re okay or are running late is well worth the cost. The Garmin InReach Mini (REI | Amazon | My Review) fits in your palm and weighs next to nothing.

Gaia GPS Mapping App
Smartphones are not backcountry instruments, but almost everyone has one today. And they all have GPS onboard. So I recommend getting a good GPS hiking app like Gaia GPS that supports offline maps. Just make sure to put your phone in airplane mode so the battery doesn’t drain. GaiaGPS not only has smartphone and tablet apps, but also an online planning tool. You can drag the GPX hike tracks from my (or any) guides into the online map and they will sync to your phone. You can also check for wildfires, weather, snow, and choose from dozens of map types with a premium membership (HikingGuy readers get up to 40% off here). Note that I also carry a paper map with me in case the phone dies or gets smashed.

Here’s my complete gear list that I personally use, have tested, and recommend, updated May 2021.

My May 2021 Top Gear Picks

No company pays me to promote or push a product, all the gear you see here is gear I use and recommend. If you click an a link and buy gear, I get a small commission that helps keep the website ad and promotion free. There is no cost to you.

Beeks Place Hike Trail Maps

This hike follows fire roads up to Beeks Place. In general they are wide, graded gradually, and easy to follow. Despite the fact that the hike is on fire roads and not single-track, it’s still scenic and fun. Just watch out for mountain bikers who often fly downhill here; there’s a local challenge to ride to Beeks Place and back in an hour or less.

There are a number of private land parcels along the hike, especially on the beginning stretch. They are well-marked, fenced off, and often have multiple warning signs. Just stay on the main Black Star Canyon Road and you’ll be fine.

Explore Map on CalTopo View a Printable PDF Hike Map Download the Hike GPX File

If you try to download the GPX file and your browser adds a “.txt” or “.xml” extension to it, simply rename it as a “.gpx” file.

How are you going to navigate this hike?
To start, you should always have a paper map and compass. And it helps to print this guide out or save it on your phone. I highly recommend a GPS as well. I use the Garmin Fenix 6 Smart GPS watch ( REI | Amazon | My Review) with maps (or the more affordable Garmin Instinct). The GPS smartwatch is nice because it’s rugged, works if your phone dies, and also has a billion other features like sleep tracking, workout recording, etc.

Elevation Profile

Beeks Place Hike Elevation — There are two tougher sections on the uphill. First is just past the falls turnoff until you get up toward the Native settlement. Then you have a flat stretch to catch your breath, and then the trail heads uphill to Beeks Place. The distance and well-designed roads make the gradients easy to get a rhythm on.

3D Map

Hike Brief

Hidden Ranch On Beeks Place Hike 2 — There’s a lot of history on this hike. In the middle of the climb you’ll pass through some hidden pastures, which was once home to Hidden Ranch and noted on topographic maps. The ranch is gone, but the ranch vibe isn’t. Photo Silverado Library

There are lots of fun haunted Black Star Canyon stories, and you can dive deeper on them in my hike guide to the falls.
In the middle of the hike you can visit a Native American settlement where the Tongva people would grind acorns and hunt the wildlife that came to drink in the creek. The settlement was allegedly the site of a massacre when local whites accused the people living there of stealing horses.
A few minutes past the settlement is Hidden Ranch, which is where in 1899 the owners got into a dispute about money owed (about $550 in today’s dollars) and ended up killing someone. The trial was a big deal and the ranch owners ended up getting out free. If you want to dive deeper, see if your library has Shadows of Old Saddleback, which has a good history of the area.
And then there’s Beeks Place. The first cabins were built in 1929 by Joe Beek, the the longest-serving Secretary of the Senate in California history (1919–68), and the guy who was attributed with developing the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach as a tourist attraction. The cabins once had a pool and wind-powered electricity. In the 1970s Main Divide road opened automobile access to Beeks Cabin, and vandals would come and steal, shoot, and destroy the cabins. Eventually they were abandoned. And today, according to this brochure, you actually buy it. It’s a bit of a fixer-upper.

Beeks Place Hike Directions

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Video Directions

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Turn by Turn Directions

Beeks Place Hike Directions 4 — Head through the gate, past the usual legal disclaimers about mountain lions, rattlesnakes, UFOs, etc.

Beeks Place Hike Directions 5 — The beginning of the hike is a downhill stretch on an open road. Go straight down the road.

Beeks Place Hike Directions 6 — At the bottom, bear right.

Beeks Place Hike Directions 7 — There’s a sign at that junction. 7.3 miles to go! Almost there!

Beeks Place Hike Directions 1 — Black Star Canyon Road winds around and heads into the lush canyon.

Beeks Place Hike Directions 9 — At the big junction, go straight.

Beeks Place Hike Directions 10 — You’ll see lots of private property here. Avoid the side trails onto private land and stay on the main road. All the private property is well-marked.

Beeks Place Hike Directions 11 — Cross over the bridge.

Beeks Place Hike Directions 12 — And eventually yet another bridge.

Beeks Place Hike Directions 13 — And then the trail eases uphill as it goes up Black Star Canyon.

Beeks Place Hike Directions 14 — When you get to the sharp turn by the turnoff to the falls, about 2.5 miles in, make the left to continue on the road.

Beeks Place Hike Directions 15 — Here’s a closeup of the turnoff to the falls (that you don’t follow). If you want to hike to the falls, check out my guide here.

Beeks Place Hike Directions 16 — Okay, now you’ve got some work to do as the trail gets steeper and climbs out of the canyon.

Beeks Place Hike Directions 17 — Eventually the trail winds around and you can see Pleasants Peak with the radio antennas.

Beeks Place Hike Directions 18 — You’ll be able to see the trail winding up ahead of you as you continue to climb.

Beeks Place Hike Directions 19 — When you get to the Mariposa Reserve sign, continue straight.

Beeks Place Hike Directions 20 — The Mariposa Reserve is a 800-acre area nestled in the middle of Cleveland National Forest. It’s named after the wild mariposa lilies which often bloom in the spring.

The Mariposa Reserve is owned by the Wildlands Conservancy, a great non-profit organization that protects natural spaces. Wildlands also hosts great hikes like the Santa Margarita River Trail, Whitewater Preserve, and Mission Creek Preserve.