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Laguna - Garnet Peak

GPS Track

Panoramic view north towards Anza Borrego Desert State Park from ascent slopes of Garnet Peak

January 30, 2022

Garnet Peak is fantastic viewpoint in Laguna mountains at eastern edge of Cleveland National Forest.   Scenic Sunrise Highway bisects the area south-north between I-8 and SR79. Focal point is Mount Laguna Lodge / Campground / Visitor Center around midpoint. There are several maintained trails along the way, including world famous Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), that runs from US/Mexico border and ends just south of Manning Provincial Park in BC, Canada.  Altitude is around 6000 ft and climate is considerably colder compared with mild California coast;  storms sometimes deposit several inches of snow in winter months and might make conditions difficult specially as people in this part of the world are not used to winter driving.

Normal Garnet Peak trail is quite short and can be done in about 2 hours, when starting from normal trailhead.  Pullout is small and not marked, thus easy to miss.  It will be about 5 minutes from Mount Laguna visitor center, going north.  Use GPS track (download link on top of page, waypoint 4 - Sunrise Highway).  On my trip, wanting a taste of Pacific Crest Trail I parked at Penny Pines (waypoint 0 - Penny Pines) then followed PCT rolling across gentle hillside for about 2.5km to intersection with normal Garnet Trail.  On return I descended directly then simply walked on road back to Penny Pines.  This distance is short (about half a km only) and two cars will not be required.  Penny Pines parking area is also much wider.  Winter gate that gets closed after snow storms is there.

Hiking is hands-in-your-pocket type along PCT and lower part of Garnet Trail, but upper part past PCT/Garnet junction is more steep with rocky trailbed that asks for bit of balancing now and then.  Final rise to the summit has one low class 2 scramble step; it is very short and does not present difficulty. Summit area is not particularly wide and quite rocky. Peak is popular and space to sit might be hard to find during summer weekends.  Summit views are phenomenal, in particular aerial panorama of Anza Borrego Desert State Park directly NE.  On a clear day distant Mt. San Jacinto and Salton Sea can be seen as well.  This hike is well recommended as introduction to Laguna mountains area with bit more challenge than popular forest/meadows valley walk on Sunrise trail to the west.

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