Hike San Mateo Peak (Cleveland National Forest)
In This Guide |
|
Total Distance (?) | 4.6 miles (7.4 km) |
Other Options | 15 Miles With Morgan Trail |
Hike Time | 2 Hours (Total) |
Difficulty (?) | Moderate |
Total Ascent (?) | 1,100 feet (335m) |
Highest Elevation | 3,594 feet (1095m) |
Fees & Permits | Free |
Dogs Allowed | Leashed |
Alerts & Closures (?) | Cleveland National Forest |
Park Phone | 951-736-1811 |
Weather & Forecast | Latest Conditions |
Stay Safe | Copy this webpage link to the clipobard and share with a friend before you hike. Let them know when to expect you back. |
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San Mateo Peak, a beautiful and fun hike with a fantastic summit and sweeping views, is not officially there. The trail is not on the Forest Service maps, and you won’t find “San Mateo Peak” anywhere on an official topographic map. But the trail and peak are there all right, and in this guide, I’ll show you how to hike to the top and enjoy this fun peak in Cleveland National Forest.
Where is San Mateo Peak?
We’re going to start at the Morgan Trail parking area off of South Main Divide Road for this hike. Note that South Main Divide Road is paved and not a dirt road like North Main Divide Road. Use this trailhead address:
Morgan Trailhead, South Main Divide, Decker Canyon Rd, Lake Elsinore, CA 92530


You do not need a permit to park here, and there are no facilities.

Gear For the Hike
This is a backcountry hike, but its short distance means that you can get away with fitness clothes here. I wear light hiking gear. In the summer it can get brutally hot, so bring at least 1L of water. There are a few sections of steep slopes where trekking poles will help.
San Mateo Peak Trail Maps
Overall the trail is easy to follow, but can get a little overgrown. The beginning is rolling and then you have about 900 feet of climbing. There are steep sections, but overall it’s nothing like a big mountain hike.
Explore Map on CalTopoView a Printable PDF Hike MapDownload the Hike GPX File
Elevation Profile

3D Map

Alternate 15-Mile Hike
If you want a longer hike, you can easily combine this stretch of trail with the full length of the Morgan Trail for a distance of about 15 miles. Start at the Candy Store, hike up the Morgan Trail, and then pick these directions up at the wilderness sign-in box (see the directions below). You’re going to want to also read my guide to the Morgan Trail and follow the directions there (don’t use this trailhead).
Hike Brief

Why all the mystery around this trail and peak? Will I see any nudists spilling out of the camp on this trail? So many questions…
- Before 1984, San Mateo Peak was just another bump in the Elsinore Mountains, albeit one higher than Elsinore Peak (now covered in antennas and a short walk up a dirt road).
- In the 1960s a guy named Ken Croker entered the scene. He found the old trails in the Santa Anas built by the CCC in the 1930s, and with the help of the Sierra Club, restored them.
- He’s also the force behind creating the San Mateo Canyon Wilderness, known as “the wildest part of the Santa Anas.” The Forest Service opposed the creation of the area, because it meant more work in managing the land. If you’re not familiar with what’s special about a Wilderness Area, I recommend watching this quick video.
I had to use my vacation time from work to testify. The Forest Service officially fought it tooth and nail. They did not want to see another wilderness area established by Congress because it causes them special headaches, from a management standpoint. But a lot of the lower-level Forest Service people said, ‘Go get ‘em. That’s a fantastic area. That ought to be a wilderness.’Ken Croker to the LA Times
- There is no official “San Mateo Peak,” although it is the highest point in the San Mateo Canyon Wilderness. And although you will see an elevation posted here on some versions of the USGS topographic map, there is no survey benchmark at the summit.
- Today the Sierra Club maintains this trail along with all the others in the area. You can help them by volunteering.
San Mateo Peak Hike Directions
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Video Directions
Turn by Turn Directions




Although this trail skirts in and out of the San Mateo Canyon Wilderness, I do recommend signing the trail register here, which helps the Forest Service understand trail traffic and (hopefully?) get more funding for trails.

























This guide last updated on April 19, 2022. Did something change on this hike? If so, please contact me and let me know. I'll update the guide.