Hike San Mateo Peak (Cleveland National Forest)

4.6 miles - Moderate Effort
Or: 15 Miles With Morgan Trail
2 Hours (Total)
1,100 Total Feet of Climbing
Max Elevation of 3,594 feet
Leashed Dogs Allowed

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.

In this Guide:

Video and Turn-by-Turn Directions to Hike San Mateo Peak (Cleveland National Forest)
Where to Park for San Mateo Peak
Insider Tips and Recommendations

Quick Links: Cleveland National Forest - NOAA Weather Report - Top Gear Picks (Feb 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 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

San Mateo Peak Hike Directions 2 — There's a parking area on the side of the road.

San Mateo Peak Hike Directions 3 — The parking area is marked as the Morgan Trailhead.

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

San Mateo Peak Hike Directions 4 — When you park, (carefully) cross South Main Divide Road and take a look at Lake Elsinore, about 1800 feet below.

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.

I waste my time with lousy hiking gear so you don't have to. Only the winners get onto my gear page. There's no fluff, sponsorships, or promotions. It's just gear I personally use, have tested, and recommend. Right now I'm liking my inReach Mini 2, Garmin Epix, and Lone Peak 6 shoes.
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My February 2023 Top Gear Picks

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

Free Nav Tools: GaiaGPS - AllTrails

Guides to Help You Navigate

How To Use the AllTrails App (Beginners)

Hiking With Gaia GPS For Beginners

How-To: Using Routes, Tracks, and Waypoints for Garmin Outdoors GPS

How To Read a Topographic Map

Elevation Profile

San Mateo Peak Elevation — The beginning is pretty flat, and then you head uphill. There are some short downhill dips on the climb.

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

San Mateo Peak Historical Map — When surveyors mapped the area they thought the location nudist camp was more important than marking the summit known now San Mateo Peak.

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

San Mateo Peak Hike Directions 5 — The trail starts behind the trail board.

San Mateo Peak Hike Directions 6 — You'll have a nice downhill stretch on the Morgan Trail to start.

San Mateo Peak Hike Directions 7 — Keep your eyes open for a cut-back trail, just before the trail register. You're going to want to take this.

San Mateo Peak Hike Directions 8 — If you were to go straight past the last junction, you would see a trail register and the Morgan Trail continuing.

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.

Hike San Mateo Peak Cleveland National Forest Direction A — The trail goes through a shaded area, and you'll see a plastic friend on a post to the left.

San Mateo Peak Hike Directions 9 — Don't worry, the plastic lizard won't bite.

San Mateo Peak Hike Directions 10 — Continue along the trail, which passes Lion Spring (usually dry) and crosses over a small creek a few times.

San Mateo Peak Hike Directions 11 — At the t-junction, make the hard right.

San Mateo Peak Hike Directions 12 — You'll see a trail sign for San Mateo Peak.

San Mateo Peak Hike Directions 13 — And shortly after that is another junction, where you make another right.

San Mateo Peak Hike Directions 14 — There's another trail sign here for San Mateo Peak.

San Mateo Peak Hike Directions 15 — Now you start climbing. Some sections are steep, but none are too long.

San Mateo Peak Hike Directions 16 — When you break out of the trees into the chaparral, you'll see San Mateo Peak off to your left.

San Mateo Peak Hike Directions 17 — And on your right is a tattered flag on an unnamed peak. When I did this hike about 5 months earlier, the flag was new, now it's shredded. Maybe it'll be gone when you visit. You can bushwhack up there if you'd like, but there's not much to see.

San Mateo Peak Hike Directions 18 — To your right you'll see Santiago Peak (with the antennas).

San Mateo Peak Hike Directions 19 — And to your left, Mount San Jacinto.

San Mateo Peak Hike Directions 20 — Look for another trail marker on your left.

San Mateo Peak Hike Directions 21 — Which also has another friendly reptile.

San Mateo Peak Hike Directions 22 — There are some steep uphill sections.

San Mateo Peak Hike Directions 23 — And some short dips.

San Mateo Peak Hike Directions 24 — When you reach the first boulders, it's a false summit. Keep hiking.

San Mateo Peak Hike Directions 25 — And shortly after that you'll see another group of boulders in the distance, which is San Mateo Peak.

San Mateo Peak Hike Directions 26 — There's a cool group of boulders at the peak, along with a flat rock, great for picnics, just before it.

San Mateo Peak Hike Directions 27 — Check out the summit sign and register.

San Mateo Peak Hike Directions 28 — And climb the small boulders to get to the "top top."

San Mateo Peak Hike Directions 31 — To the north is Angeles National Forest.

San Mateo Peak Hike Directions 30 — To the northeast is San Gorgonio.

San Mateo Peak Hike Directions 29 — And to the east is San Jacinto.

San Mateo Peak Hike Directions 32 — That's it. From here just go back the way you came.

Related Guides

Morgan Trail Hike (Cleveland National Forest)

Hike Los Pinos Peak (Orange County)

Upper Hot Spring Canyon Waterfall Hike

Hikes In and Around Orange County

Cleveland National Forest Hiking

Hikes In and Around Riverside County

San Mateo Canyon Wilderness Hikes

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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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