Pursue Solitude on Dark Canyon Trail

Dark Canyon Trail is Little-known Path

When temperatures on the desert floor broil you like shrimp on a grill, the best place to hike is in the cooler, shady mountains.

Unfortunately, every other hiker has the same idea, so trails often are crowded.

One little known path where you can find some solitude is the Dark Canyon Trail.

The 4.2-mile round trip trail also offers multiple great views in the San Bernardino National Forest. It sports a 669-foot elevation gain. While that may seem like quite the workout to some, temperatures will be a full 30 to 40 degrees cooler on the trail then in the Coachella Valley. If you start early enough in the morning, temps in the forest will be in the mid-60s.

To reach the trailhead, from Palm Desert, take Calif. Hwy. 74 south into the mountains. Turn right/northwest onto Calif. Hwy. 243. About five miles past Idyllwild, turn right/north onto Dark Canyon Road (aka Forest Route 4S02). Park at the road’s end near the Dark Canyon Campground. You’re at about 5810 feet elevation.

The trail begins by switchbacking up a mountain side. It’s a jeep tail so is wide. Great views of Dark Canyon below, cut out by the North Fork San Jacinto River, await.

At 1.2 miles, a spur trail runs to the Camp Azalea campsites. You’re at about 6260 feet elevation.

The trail largely levels out for the next third of a mile, offering nice views of the knob to the southwest. Unnamed, it tops out at 6398 feet.

You’ll reach the junction with the Seven Pines Trail at 1.5 miles. The Seven Pines heads into Mount San Jacinto State Park where it junctions with the Pacific Crest Trail on the Desert Divide.

Continuing straight-left/northwest on the Dark Canyon Trail, at 1.7 miles you’ll reach another spur, which heads to the knob’s back side. You can extend your hike by 1.6 miles round trip if you take it. There are some fairly good views of Fuller Mill Creek in the wooded canyon below.

Picturesque boulder piles sit between sugar and Jeffrey pines along the trail. If you start smelling butterscotch, your hiking companion probably hasn’t broken open a pudding, but Jeffrey pines; the tree’s bark smells a lot like the sweet dessert.

The Dark Canyon Trail runs another 0.4 miles as it descends slightly. Keep your eyes trained to the northeast. That big peak looming about you is Mount San Jacinto, which tops out at 10,834 feet, almost a full mile above you.

When you start seeing buildings set back among the trees, you’ve entered the Pine Wood area. This marks a good spot to turn back. You’re more than a mile above sea level there.

Note that some maps refer to this route or parts of it as the Azalea Trail.

As the trail is wide, expect to see some sun. Given this, be sure to don sunscreen, sunglasses and sunhat as well as bring plenty of drinking water.