Momyer Creek Trail To Dobbs Cabin Featured
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Los Angeles Hikes

Momyer Creek Trail to Dobbs Cabin

  • 12 miles - Hard Effort
  • 5-7 Hours (Total)
  • 3,150 Total Feet of Climbing
  • Max Elevation of 7,460 feet
  • Leashed Dogs Allowed

Located in some of the most pristine wilderness of Southern California, the hike up Momyer Creek Trail to Dobbs Cabin is a real treat. The hike offers several camping options, solitude, and a backcountry feel, even though it is not that far from civilization. And Momyer and Dobbs are influential figures in local history: this peaceful hike route was at the center of the battle between development and wilderness protection.

In this Guide:
  • Video and Turn-by-Turn Directions to hike Momyer Creek Trail to Dobbs Cabin
  • Getting a Permit for the Hike
  • Insider Tips & Recommendations

Where is the Momyer Creek Trail?

The hike starts at an established trailhead in Forest Falls, CA. Use this trailhead address:
40560 Valley of the Falls Dr, Forest Falls, CA 92339

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The parking lot is massive and never close to full.
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There's a board at the trailhead. Check it out before you hit the trail.

There are no bathrooms here. If you have to go, drive up to the nearby Falls Picnic Area.

You do not need a parking pass at the Momyer Creek Trailhead.

Permits

You can get a free permit for a day hike or overnight camping trip at the San Gorgonio Wilderness Association's permit website. Save the permit on your phone or print it out. This isn't a popular trail and you should be okay to score a permit at the last minute. The two campsites are Dobbs Camp and Alger Creek. Space is limited at the trail camps (no facilities), but again, this is not a popular area.

Permit Availablity

Can't get a permit for your date? Try OutdoorStatus.com and get a text message as soon as a cancelled permit opens up!.

Gear For the Hike

This is a backcountry hike and you should plan accordingly.

Gear That I Love Right Now

Nothing is sponsored or promoted, just the actual gear that I use.

Gear Inreach Mini 2
Garmin InReach Mini 2Hit SOS or just tell loved ones that you're running late where your cell phone has no service.  Review here.
Mtn Racer 3 Gear
Topo MTN RacerAggressive and fun with a wide toe box (=no blisters). Get them wet, they dry quickly. Lots of cushion and comfort.
Hikelite 26 Gear
Osprey Hikelite 26Lightweight, carries all your gear, and your back doesn't get sweaty. Oh yea, it's also one of the most inexpensive packs you can get.

Check out the complete list here. ( Updated October 2024)

Momyer Creek Trail to Dobbs Cabin Trail Maps

Click Here To View

Use This Map:
View in CalTopo | PDF Map | GPX File

Elevation Profile

Momyer Creek Trail To Dobbs Cabin Elevation
Here's the one-way elevation profile. The trail eases into a climb that ends once entering the San Gorgonio Wilderness boundary. From there it's rolling terrain that falls on the side of uphill as you head toward Dobbs Cabin.

3D Map

Momyer Creek Trail To Dobbs Cabin 3d Map
After crossing Mill Creek wash, we'll climb up a few miles before heading along the ridge, crossing the Alger Creek drainage, and coming around to Falls Creek and Dobbs Cabin

Hike Brief

Momyer Creek Trail To Dobbs Cabin Historic
Here's Dobbs Cabin around 1900. The picturesque cabin, visited by tourists guided by John Dobbs, was featured in postcards at the time. Photo Pioneers of Mill Creek Canyon

Dobbs Cabin Hike Directions

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Go past the trail sign and bear left, taking the wider switchback down to the lower area. It's easier than the steep cutoff straight ahead.
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Hike past the bench toward the Mill Creek wash.
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The trail winds down toward the main area of the wash.
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Crossing Mill Creek is always a new experience. The trail changes based on water flow and changing conditions. And the stream can be high or low. The key is to look for the big brown sign on the other side and make your way toward it.

Sometimes there can be intense flash floods at Mill Creek. If that's the case, it's not the time to do this hike.

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Once across Mill Creek, start the Momyer Creek Trail on the right of the sign. The beginning can be hard to spot.
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The trail continues above Mill Creek.
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And then turns back west and is mostly level.
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When you break out of the oak canopy, you'll get expansive views down Mill Creek and the trail gently slopes uphill.
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Across Mill Creek Canyon are some small peaks, including Oak Glen Peak (center here). On the other side of the peak is Oak Glen, where all the apple orchards are.
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When you hit the first switchback, the climb starts in earnest.
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The views up Mill Creek Canyon are epic.
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Soon you'll enter a canopy of oak. Aside from short exposed sections after this, the trail is mainly wooded.
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You can even see prickly pear cactus as you pass 6000 feet.
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Keep winding up the switchbacks and enjoying the views as they present themselves.
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At about 2.7 miles in you enter the San Gorgonio Wilderness. Why is this sign so far back from the trailhead?
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And shortly after that you reach a trail junction. The Momyer Creek Trail continues toward San Bernardino Peak to the left. We're going straight on the Momyer-Alger Creek Trail.
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Here's a closeup of the trail sign. We're heading to Alger Creek next.
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After the last junction the main climbing is done, and the trail is rolling. This is the connecter trail that the Boy Scouts built. Thank you Boy Scouts!
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In front of you as you head east is Dobbs Peak, named for the same Dobbs as Dobbs Cabin.
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This section of trail is spectacular with cliff walls on one side and the lush Alger Creek basin below.
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As you enter the Alger Creek watershed it feels more like the Sierras than the cactus-lined scrub it was a mile or so before. You'll start a descent toward Alger Creek.
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When your reach Alger Creek Camp spur (to the right), make a hard left on the Falls Creek Trail.
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Alger Creek Camp has some primitive tent sites along the trail.
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Cross over Alger Creek just upstream from the last junction.
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And then climb out of Alger Creek's gully.
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As you climb there's one viewpoint where you get nice views of Anderson Peak and San Bernardino Peak East.
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The trail levels out and rolls as it passes through some small meadow areas.
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At around 5.1 miles in the Falls Creek Trail continues up to the left. We're taking the spur trail to Dobbs Cabin, which is straight.
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Here's the sign from the last junction.
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Once past the junction you'll see a sign for Dobbs Camp. You have about 0.5 miles of descent to the creek.
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Continue down the steep slopes.
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When you get to the creek, make the sharp turn downstream and stay on this side of the creek.
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Hike under the fallen tree.
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And when you come out at the waterfall, you can cross the stream to the right and below it to find the tent sites.
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You can also stay on this side and head downstream more for other places to cross. At this point it's all unofficial use trails.
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There's several tent sites and then this lower and largest one, about 100 yards downstream from where you joined it.

Is this the actual site of the cabin? I was told that but I'm not sure. I've heard of metal debris off-trail to the north. I'm also not positive after looking at the old image earlier in the guide. Wherever it was, it was around here somewhere. The area in the last photo was definitely cleared and leveled by humans.

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That's the hike! When you're done, just return the way you came.

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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!). You can stay up to date with my new guides by following me on YouTube, Instagram, or by subscribing to my monthly newsletter.