Dogs are also able to use this trail. Besides that it is a great hike. Cleveland National Forest In total, this results in closure of 81.5 miles of trail (out of 760 open miles) and 54.5 miles of road. This California hike offers a more lengthy, challenging experience for our readers. They recently installed a new gate onto the fire road... Much easier to jump over. The trail was in great shape and normally you will see other hikers out on the trail because the hike to Sitton Peak is popular hiking trail with Orange County Hikers. Sitton Peak Hikers can enjoy panoramic views of Southern Orange County coastal cities, including San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, Dana Point, and Mission Viejo from top of Sitton Peak. Awesome trail with amazing views. It is on all road and trail. Newport Beach The main route around Newport Back Bay is long -- about 10.5 miles -- but mostly even and level. This was peak #2 for me in the 2021 SoCal Six-Pack-of-Peaks challenge. Really mellow until literally the last 1/2 mile. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. I would definitely hike this peak again! The first section of the trail is single track, but much of the […] The trail opens up to the old San Juan Springs rest area. Geez. Here’s a closeup of that last trail marker for Sitton Peak. The trail is primarily used for hiking and is accessible year-round. Started @5:30am and got to the peak at 7:20ish to watch to suns magnificence expand for the day! Trail Notes: From Four Corners, trail climbs west to the wilderness boundary then becomes Sitton Peak trail (7S09). It’s easy to miss this trailhead, so if the store is open, there’s no shame in asking about the trail location. Photo by Christopher Burdorf. The Sitton Peak Trail actually begins along the fire road not far past the Hot Springs inside Caspers. Beautiful views. It was disappointing to learn that the top is drivable. I started on the trail from the Bear Canyon trailhead at about 9:10 am on Tuesday, 1/5/2020. The road leads directly to Double Peak Park that leads directly to Double Peak Park. Large parts of the hike have great views of the San Mateo Wilderness. The total mileage for this hike should be[masked] miles with approximately 2,000' of elevation gain. Truly awesome hike. Be sure to get there early. Sitton Peak Trail is a 9 mile less popular blue singletrack trail located near San Juan Capistrano California. Bear Ridge and Sitton Peak Loop Trail is a 10 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Lake Elsinore, California that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as difficult. The trail is primarily used for hiking and nature trips and is accessible year-round. Sitton Peak trail from wilderness boundary to the Lucas Canyon trail is 6.7 miles. The last 0.4miles was pure inclines so it was the perfect #sufferfest ending that made the views so much more worth it! Bring a doggie bag along with your tp and use it to pick it up. Really nice hike. I was looking for a snow-free trail to do a combination of hiking and gentle running and that’s what I got. At the pass, there are trails going up the peaks north and south, but these are not the ones I am heading to. This moderate hike of approximately 4.5 miles round trip takes you to the 90-foot-high Hemlock Falls without having to do a strenuous climb. On a clear day San Clemente and Catalina islands can be seen off the coast. Main Divide Truck Trail to Santiago Peak [CLOSED], Ortega Oaks to Rancho Carrillo via Bear Canyon Trail, Bear Ridge Trail, and Verdugo Trail. The trailhead is located just off the windy road of Highway 74 next to a famous candy store. This hike starts on the Bear Canyon Loop Trail, which takes us to the Verdugo Truck Trail, to the Sitton Peak Truck Trail. The trail was lined with oak and the usual shapperal for the area but it was pleasant. All Rights Reserved, San Juan Loop Trailhead, Trabuco Canyon, CA, 92679, USA, hiking tricks and tips that I’ve learned over the years, what hiking gear works and what gear doesn’t, Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Hikes, please erase and block them using your web browser. You pass the gated start of the road on the way to the San Juan parking area. This will be an out and back. Females please please please......PACK YOUR TOILET PAPER OUT WITH YOU! You will need an Adventurers Pass for parking. Thanks for the apple and cranberry almonds Goes out to JR and Jim go me back on track. They are very grand and worth the climb to see. The Bear Canyon Loop trailhead begins a few yards west of the candy store. On clear days, you can see the ocean and even Catalina Island. It’s true what they say, last bit is the toughest but once you’re up there you’ll know it was worth it. 24 of us did the 10+ miles hike, started at 7:30am; met 2beautiful horses with owners on them.Thank you to John Santee, the lead and meetup Sunrise to Sunset Hiking group. Great hike with a short rock scramble. Web Map Links: Peakfinder Panorama GeoHack Links CalTopo MyTopo Bing Maps Google Maps Open Street Map: Prominence There are a few trees up on the ridge but little shade en route. The Hike: A local peak always sounds great, right?Find the Bear Canyon trailhead located behind the old -fashioned Candy Store off Ortega Highway. No one wants to see your litter. Only negative is the ridiculous amount of TP left all along the trail and in huge amounts at the summit. Be sure to kick off … The hike is a moderate uphill with some level sections to catch your breath. We were able to see Catalina Make sure to bring plenty of water. SITTON’S GULCH TRAIL. Once there, you are rewarded with the best views on this hike. The trail is primarily used for hiking and is accessible year-round. Great SoCal trail, not as exposed as most. Felt some dizziness and fainting at the top If you came along the bear Ridge Trail, go straight across 'Four Corners' and you'll be on the truck trail. I have full hike directions for Sitton Peak on the site here. The summit trail was a lot steeper for about .3 miles and it reminded me at times of the short climb of about 45 deg up for Sheep Head Mountain. Pretty busy though. To get to the summit (which is small), there is a rock scramble of less than 0.5 miles. Strawberry Peak, Mount Wilson, Mount Baldy (Mt San Antonio), Ontario Peak They have extended the closure of four formal trailheads and 23 informal trail access points, resulting in a larger closure of 23 trails and 19 roads. 360 degree views, clear skies, could see Catalina island and the ocean from the peak. Awesome trail. Down the other side, just past a saddle, is the use trail up Sitton Peak. Parking is located directly across the Ortega Oaks Candy Store in the San Juan Loop parking lot. The last part of the hike to Sitton Peak is the steepest, but is not too long. At 3,273 feet above sea level, Sitton Peak has commanding 360 degree views of the Cleveland National Forest. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. The trail was very nice, well maintained, and had a good amount of shade. Though not one of the higher peaks in the range, its summit provides excellent views out towards the Pacific Ocean (Catalina Island), the mountains of north San Diego, and great wintertime views of the higher San Bernardino and San Jacinto Mountain ranges. There was plenty of parking when I arrived/finished and there weren’t many people on the trail. I would label this portion of the trail as difficult. The trail winds up the spines of the Santa Ana Mountains to the highest point in this area, Sitton Peak. After one mile of mod Bear Ridge Trail: With some of the higher Santa Ana peaks closed due to the recent fires Beautiful 360 degree views at the top. Back Bay Loop Trail. The Sitton’s Gulch Trail is a newer but also popular trail, which runs along the bottom of the canyon. The very last portion of the trail opens up directly on to Double Peak Drive. At 3,273 feet above sea level, Sitton Peak has 360-degree views of the Cleveland National Forest, the expanse of the ocean, and Catalina Island on a clear day. You're at 'Four Corners', where five trails come together. On average it takes 1 hour53 minutes to complete this trail. read more about your privacy and HikingGuy.com here. Hurray for Ochs Larry, up a very steep and uneven trail (maybe 60 degrees or more) to Sitton Peak, without a hiking stick; going down was more challenging. Sitton Peak Truck Trail is a 10 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Lake Elsinore, California that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as difficult. Especially right at the peak. Starting as a single-track path, the trail later follows various double-track fire roads. Pretty decent signage. Would bring friends to do this with me next time #52hikechallenge #6packofpeaks. It does not look used as such recently. There are no big, open views until a bit after mile 4. Final stretch up is a good burner incline and very gradual incline before that. Was the first one in today. Sitton peak is just over 3,200 feet in elevation and the hike is about 10 miles round trip with out doing the full loop. Sitton Peak is the first of the So Cal Six Pack of Peaks Challenge. This multi-use trail can be used both directions. Beautiful clear day! rini sugianto Located just south of Orange County, this peak quite suprisingly sees a little bit of traffic, especially on cooler days. After the second trail marker, you head up a steep incline. There is a big parking lot across the street from the store with a clean toilet nearby. This drive is a heavily trafficked by both vehicle and bicycle. Sitton Peak Truck Trail is a 16.1 kilometer moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Lake Elsinore, California that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as difficult. Friking awesome! Slow to moderate pace. The trail ascends to an unnamed bump (3,250 feet), and then descends to a saddle, where you look for a narrow trail on the right heading up a steep ridge. The trail leading up to Sitton Peak winds up and down through approximately nine to ten miles of the San Mateo Canyon Wilderness and national forest land to an elevation of 3,273 feet. This peak is located in the Santa Ana Mountains in the Cleveland National Forest. 1.3 miles from 4 Corners to narrow trail (.4 mi) up to Sitton Peak summit (3,273 feet). If you missed the turnoff to the hot springs and see this trail marker, you’ve gone too far. It starts out fairly easy, almost feels like a fire road. If you came up the Bear Canyon Trail, turn right and you'll see the old truck trail that heads uphill towards Sitton Peak. Suite 200 Expansive views. This Lower Peak is 10 miles round trip, 1700’ of gain, estimate about 5-6 hours of hiking. Follow the trail as it begins to climb and contour around the peak. Super busy on a Saturday. Sitton Peak side trip: From Four Corners, this trail will be on your right hand side. San Diego, CA 92127 Thu, Jan 23, 2020, 8:30 AM: Distance - 9.5 mileElevation Gain - 2150 feet of gainTime - 5 to 6 hoursWe begin this hike by taking the Bear Canyon Trail south from the Candy Store. 3.2/3.6 - 5 miles (Sitton Peak Trail). Trailforks ranks trails with a combination of user ratings and raw trail usage data from rides. Great views ! What Makes It Great CRS: 800-735-2922, Amazing 2nd Hike of my life today with my son - & 7401 It is one of the top 12 Peaks, and is at the lowest of the altitudes so it is a good place to begin if you are aspiring to be a Peak Bagger. Great challenge. Sitton Peak David Comerzan 909-482-0173 comerzan@verizon.net Ron Schrantz 714-995-8240 rschrantzsce@yahoo.com Join us for a day in the Santa Ana Mountains in the Cleveland National Forest west of Elsinore. Last .5 mile is basically straight up to the peak. Peak Summited: 2020 Sitton Peak: Type of Hike: Day hike: Trailhead: San Juan: Hiking Companions: Hiked with a partner: Road Conditions: Road suitable for all vehicles: Bug Status: No bugs: Snow Conditions: Snow free: Trail Conditions: Trail in good condition You will need an Adventure Pass ($35 for an annual pass, $5 for a daily pass per vehicle) in order to park in the lot. The elevation gain and distance makes this a good intermediate level hike. The hike up was a fairly gentle climb on an excellent trail so the poles weren’t really needed for 95% of the hike. Mellow and great for running, well trafficked, very steep uphill at the end to get to the peak. SoCal Six-Pack of Peaks Challenger Steve does Volcan Mountain and found it a great trail run. Overall, a very beautiful hike on a day with great weather! Mellow elevation gain. The popular Colby Canyon route was closed in recent years after a rock flow mangled large portions of the trail, but, as of December 2014, the trail is open and in great condition. Overview Sitton Peak is located in the southern half of the Santa Ana Mountains in Southern California. The trail persists of mostly coastal chaparral. The 360-degree view from the 3,273-foot summit overlooks a wide area of the Cleveland National Forest. Click here for larger-size photo. A little rocky and overgrown in some areas but definitely manageable. 10845 Rancho Bernardo Road Your trail is the fifth, which heads west (it is the one immediately to the right of the Bear Canyon Trail as you enter the clearing) and should be signed for Sitton Peak. This trail requires some scrambling and light bushwhacking up to the ridge. The trail climbs and winds around a couple of ridges for 1.25 miles to a marker for the Sitton Peak Trail. The best & most popular mountain biking trails in San Juan Capistrano. The Sitton Peak Trail was a road once, too, and is called such once it passes out of the wilderness boundary. Sitton Peak from the trail (2019-10-27). Bring something to eat for the top when you go up, Moderate amount of people. If you want to hike to Sitton Peak, it’s a good one. 858-673-6180 Watch to suns magnificence expand for the top is drivable Falls without having to this... 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