Hike Los Pinos Peak (Orange County)

5.4 miles - Moderate Effort
2-3 Hours (Total)
1,480 Total Feet of Climbing
Max Elevation of 4,510 feet
Leashed Dogs Allowed

The hike to Los Pinos Peak offers a remote and rugged experience through the heart of Cleveland National Forest. Although not technically prominent, Los Pinos Peak is "practically" prominent, and on the hike, given a clear day, you can see from Catalina to San Gorgonio. There are several ways to hike to Los Pinos Peak, and in this guide, I'll show you the most popular (and shortest) route from the area by Falcon Group Campground.

In this Guide:

Video and Turn-by-Turn Directions to Hike Los Pinos Peak
Los Pinos Peak Hike Parking
Tips and Recommendations for the Hike

Quick Links: Cleveland National Forest - NOAA Weather Report - Top Gear Picks (Sep 2023)

When planning, always check the park website and social media to make sure the trails are open. Similarly, check the weather and road conditions.

Where is the Los Pinos Peak Trail?

There's no official trailhead address or parking lot. Instead, you have to navigate to the latitude and longitude below to arrive at the trailhead, at the junction of Long Canyon Road and Main Divide Truck Trail. Use these coordinates:

33.66236, -117.44794

You'll drive up a narrow and paved road, past the Blue Jay Campground, and then to Falcon Group Campground. About 0.5 miles past Falcon Group Campground, you'll see a big gravel clearing on the left. This is the parking area.

Hike Los Pinos Peak Hike Directions 3 — There's not an official trailhead here, but there is a large gravel clearing. Park on the edge of the clearing, away from the roads, which have motor vehicle traffic.

You do not need an Adventure Pass to park here. If you want water and bathrooms, visit the Falcon Group Campground, 0.5 miles before the start of the hike.

Gear For the Hike

If you are familiar with hiking in Cleveland National Forest, you know that it can be a place of extremes. In the winter, there can be (usually light) snow and cold temps. In the summer, temperatures can soar into the 100s. 1-2L of water is usually enough. The area is remote, so bring your regular hiking kit. Trekking poles will help on the steep and loose sections after Los Pinos Saddle.

My Latest Gear Picks

Garmin inReach Mini 2 ( Amazon | REI )
HOKA Speedgoat 5 ( Men | Women )
Zpacks Sub-Nero Ultra ( Zpacks | Review )
Alpine Carbon Cork Poles ( REI | Amazon )

As a hiking guide, I test lots of hiking gear. On my picks page, I'll show you all of the gear that I actually use. I don't accept paid promotions or talk about the stuff that doesn't make the cut. It's just the gear that works best, so you don't have to waste your money.

All My September 2023 Top Gear Picks

Los Pinos Peak Trail Maps

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

Best Smartphone Apps to Navigate: AllTrails | GaiaGPS | OnX

Elevation Profile

Hike Los Pinos Peak Orange County Elevation — This is mostly an uphill endeavor, with a breather at Munhall / Los Pinos Saddle, and then a little up and down as you hike along the ridge to the summit.

3D Map

Hike Brief

Hike Los Pinos Peak Hike Directions 1 — "Los Pinos" translates to "the pines" in Spanish, and the peak was named that because you could spot it by the clusters of Coulter pine trees by the summit.

Hike Los Pinos Peak Hike Directions 2 — But the 2018 Holy Fire did a number on the area, and many of the pine tries have burned well before their 100 year lifespan. On this hike we'll be hiking along the edge of where the Holy Fire eventually stopped.

Ken Munhall Grave — Along the way we'll go over Munhall Saddle, named after Joseph "Kenneth" Munhall, who was a ranger in Cleveland National Forest in the early 1900s. He was born in Pennsylvania (there's even a suburb of Pittsburgh called "Munhall") but spent his life in Southern California. His grave, located in Fairhaven Memorial Park, Santa Ana, has a very cool Forest Service logo on it, giving you a big clue about what was important to him in life.

Lost Pinos Peak Hike Directions

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Hike Los Pinos Peak Hike Directions 4 — The hike starts where Main Divide Truck Trail starts, just back behind the parking area. There's a gate here which can be open or closed. If it's open, you'll be sharing the first part of the hike with OHV vehicles. Generally they are courteous, just keep your eyes and ears open.

Hike Los Pinos Peak Hike Directions 5 — There's a sign at the start. We're heading up North Main Divide.

Hike Los Pinos Peak Hike Directions 6 — Main Divide road is wide and climbs gradually.

Hike Los Pinos Peak Hike Directions 7 — From the start, the views over Cleveland NF are wide open.

Hike Los Pinos Peak Hike Directions 8 — After you round the first bend, Los Pinos Peak comes into view.

Hike Los Pinos Peak Hike Directions 9 — And to your left, Sugarloaf Peak, not to be confused with the well-known Sugarloaf Mountain by Big Bear.

Hike Los Pinos Peak Hike Directions 10 — And then to your direct left is Sitton Peak.

Hike Los Pinos Peak Hike Directions 11 — As you climb you'll see the trail unfold in front of you.

Hike Los Pinos Peak Hike Directions 14 — And some short sections of the road are steep.

Hike Los Pinos Peak Hike Directions 12 — And when the grade eases up on the trail, you'll be able to see to the east. Here's San Jacinto Peak.

Hike Los Pinos Peak Hike Directions 13 — And then to the left of that is San Gorgonio.

Hike Los Pinos Peak Hike Directions 15 — And back to your right is Lake Elsinore.

Hike Los Pinos Peak Hike Directions 16 — At about 1.7 miles in you'll reach Munhall Saddle. Leave the road, go over the gate, and hike up the trail to the left.

Hike Los Pinos Peak Hike Directions 17 — The trail is steep and loose in the beginning.

Hike Los Pinos Peak Hike Directions 18 — But then gets a bit more defined.

Hike Los Pinos Peak Hike Directions 19 — And then you reach a false peak. In the distance is the true peak.

Hike Los Pinos Peak Hike Directions 20 — You have a short downhill as the trail rolls along the spine.

Hike Los Pinos Peak Hike Directions 21 — As you make your way along the spine you'll have nice views of Los Pinos Peak. The burned trees on the right are from the 2018 Holy Fire, started by an arsonist, which halted along this ridge.

Hike Los Pinos Peak Hike Directions 23 — And to the right is Santiago Peak. From this perspective you can really see the damage from the Holy Fire. This whole area used to be lush and green.

Hike Los Pinos Peak Hike Directions 22 — At about 2.6 miles in you'll finally arrive at the last uphill to the true summit.

Hike Los Pinos Peak Hike Directions 24 — When you get to the top, look for the turnoff to the left.

Hike Los Pinos Peak Hike Directions 31 — And here you are, at the 4th highest spot in Orange County!

Hike Los Pinos Peak Hike Directions 29 — There's a USGS benchmark here.

Hike Los Pinos Peak Hike Directions 26 — To the west is the Pacific Ocean and Catalina.

Hike Los Pinos Peak Hike Directions 27 — To the east is Lake Elsinore.

Hike Los Pinos Peak Hike Directions 28 — You'll also notice the trail continues on. I'll cover (the much tougher) hike in from this route in another guide.

Hike Los Pinos Peak Hike Directions 30 — That's it! Just turn around and head back the way you came when you're done at the summit.

Have a question about the guide or want to see what other people are saying/asking? View the Youtube comments for this video. Leave a comment and I will do my best to respond.

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This Guide Was Written by Cris Hazzard

Cris Hazzard 4 Mile Trail Yosemite
Hi, I'm Cris Hazzard, aka Hiking Guy, a professional outdoors guide, hiking expert, and author based in Southern California. I created this website to share all the great hikes I do with everyone else out there. This site is different because it gives detailed directions that even the beginning hiker can follow. I also share what hiking gear works and doesn't so you don't waste money. I don't do sponsored or promoted content; I share only the gear recommendations, hikes, and tips that I would with my family and friends. If you like the website and YouTube channel, please support these free guides (I couldn't do it without folks like you!).

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