This scenic driving tour climbs from the desert through the Santa Rosa and San
Jacinto Mountains, before descending again to the desert. The route passes
through a series of areas preserved for animal habitat, ranging from desert
oasis to snow-capped mountains, and parts of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto
Mountains National Monument and San Bernardino National Forest. Drivers can
pull off the winding and often steep road at a number of pulloffs or lookout
points, each with habitat ranging from forested mountainsides with pine, oak
and fir, to a reservoir, to arid brush- and cactus-covered stretches -- not to
mention sweeping views of mountains and valleys.

This scenic driving tour climbs from the desert through the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains, before descending again to the desert. The route passes through a series of areas preserved for animal habitat, ranging from desert oasis to snow-capped mountains, and parts of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument and San Bernardino National Forest.  
Drivers can pull off the winding and often steep road at a number of pulloffs or lookout points, each with habitat ranging from forested mountainsides with pine, oak and fir, to a reservoir, to arid brush- and cactus-covered stretches -- not to mention sweeping views of mountains and valleys.

Bird's eye view of the park

Palms to Pines Scenic Byway

The Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains provide a world-renowned scenic
backdrop to the desert communities of the Coachella Valley. The National
Monument serves as a model for community based support and creation. This
monument reflects the vision of the local jurisdictions that assisted in the
designation.

## Safety

Many areas of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument are
remote and challenging. You cannot always depend on a signpost or a ranger to
get you out of a fix. Bring appropriate equipment so you can be prepared for
weather changes and can take care of yourself, if necessary, overnight.

  * **Do not recreate alone**. Or leave an activity plan with friends, family, or a ranger that detail where you will be and when you expect to return.
  * **Have a communication plan**. Cellphones do not get signal in all parts on the National Monument; a radio, personal locator beacon, satellite phone, or signaling mirror can be crucial in a time of need.
  * **Carry and drink as much water as you can**. At least one gallon per person per day is recommended. When half of your water is gone, turn around and head back.
  * **Protect yourself from the sun**. Dress in layers, Wear a hat, sunglasses, protective clothing, and sturdy footwear. Use sunscreen. Bring warm layers and a waterproof shell on longer hikes – the weather can change quickly.
  * **Know your trail**. Carry a map and pay attention to the terrain so you can find your way back.
  * **Beware of dangerous flora and fauna**. Watch where you put your hands and feet. Cacti, ocotillo, rattlesnakes, and bees (to name a few) may pose danger to visitors.
  * **Keep children near you and stay on the trail**.

## Recreation

To help you decide which of the many trails to take – especially if you’re a
newcomer – we have divided the National Monument into three areas: the San
Jacinto Mountains west of Palm Canyon divide, the Northern Santa Rosa
Mountains between the Palm Canyon divide and Highway 74, and the Southern
Santa Rosa Mountains from Highway 74 to the Monument’s border with Anza
Borrego Desert State Park. Each area has its own personality. Along with the
trail areas listed above, these are some of the more popular trails in the
Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument.

Trails are rated as easy, moderate, or strenuous in accordance with the
following criteria*:

  * **Easy** – Generally a leisurely walk, but don’t expect the trail to be flat.
  * **Moderate** – A serious hike, but not difficult for those in reasonably good condition.
  * **Strenuous** – Some trail segments require being in very good condition and/or the trail is long and requires stamina.

*Difficulty ratings are based on one-way trips. When assessing how difficult a trail may be for you, consider whether you plan to return on the same trail, thereby doubling your distance, or by using another trail which also adds mileage and difficulty. Be aware that using two moderate trails to complete a loop may result in a strenuous hike.

The best time of year for enjoying lower elevation trails is November through
April; for higher elevation trails, the best time is May through October.

Many trails are open to all forms of non-motorized travel – hiking, horseback
riding, and mountain biking – but not all trails are open to everyone.
Mountain bikers are prohibited in designated wilderness areas, in the Indian
Canyons, on certain trails near Murray Hill, or on any part of the Pacific
Crest Trail. Check with the appropriate agency if you don’t know the rules.

_**Be safe and enjoy!**_

## Dogs at the Monument

Dogs are not allowed on most trails in the National Monument. At lower
elevations, this prohibition is enforced for the protection of endangered
Peninsular bighorn sheep, which react to dogs as they would to coyotes, a
natural predator. In the San Jacinto Mountains, which are usually accessed via
the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway or from the alpine community of Idyllwild,
dogs are prohibited in Mount San Jacinto State Park and Wilderness. Dogs are
also prohibited in the Indian Canyons.

**Dog Friendly Areas:**

One of the limited opportunities for taking your dog on mountain trails in the
Monument is available on the loop connecting Homme Adams and Cahuilla Hills
Parks in the City of Palm Desert. From Homme Adams Park, follow the Homestead
Trail to the Hopalong Cassidy Trail, then south on the “Hoppy” to the cross or
north to the Gabby Hayes which will take you down to Cahuilla Hills Park, or
viceversa. Be aware, however, that dogs are prohibited on segments of the
Hopalong Cassidy Trail that extend south of the cross and north of the Gabby
Hayes Trail. At higher elevations, dogs are allowed on Forest Service trails,
though be sure not to continue with your dog into Mount San Jacinto State Park
and Wilderness or the Indian Canyons.

  
For details about where dogs are allowed and where they are prohibited, please
contact the National Monument Visitor Center at **(760) 862-9984**.

The Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains provide a world-renowned scenic backdrop to the desert communities of the Coachella Valley. The National Monument serves as a model for community based support and creation. This monument reflects the vision of the local jurisdictions that assisted in the designation.

<img alt="A view of San Jacinto Peak from the Indio Hills. The Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument and surrounding hills are steep and inhospitable. Photo by Bob Wick, BLM." height="266" src="/sites/blm.gov/files/programs-nlcs-ca-santarosaandsanjacintomountainsnm-terrain-safety.jpg" width="400"/>

 

<h2>Safety</h2>

Many areas of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument are remote and challenging. You cannot always depend on a signpost or a ranger to get you out of a fix. Bring appropriate equipment so you can be prepared for weather changes and can take care of yourself, if necessary, overnight.

<ul>
	<li>Do not recreate alone. Or leave an activity plan with friends, family, or a ranger that detail where you will be and when you expect to return.</li>
	<li>Have a communication plan. Cellphones do not get signal in all parts on the National Monument; a radio, personal locator beacon, satellite phone, or signaling mirror can be crucial in a time of need.</li>
	<li>Carry and drink as much water as you can. At least one gallon per person per day is recommended. When half of your water is gone, turn around and head back.</li>
	<li>Protect yourself from the sun. Dress in layers, Wear a hat, sunglasses, protective clothing, and sturdy footwear. Use sunscreen. Bring warm layers and a waterproof shell on longer hikes – the weather can change quickly.</li>
	<li>Know your trail. Carry a map and pay attention to the terrain so you can find your way back.</li>
	<li>Beware of dangerous flora and fauna. Watch where you put your hands and feet. Cacti, ocotillo, rattlesnakes, and bees (to name a few) may pose danger to visitors.</li>
	<li>Keep children near you and stay on the trail.</li>
</ul>

<h2>Recreation</h2>

To help you decide which of the many trails to take – especially if you’re a newcomer – we have divided the National Monument into three areas: the<a href="/sites/blm.gov/files/programs-nlcs-ca-santa-rosa-san-jacinto-national-monument-hiking-SanJac.pdf" rel="nofollow"> San Jacinto Mountains</a> west of Palm Canyon divide, the <a href="/sites/blm.gov/files/programs-nlcs-ca-santa-rosa-san-jacinto-national-monument-hiking-NSR.pdf" rel="nofollow">Northern Santa Rosa Mountains </a>between the Palm Canyon divide and Highway 74, and the <a href="/sites/blm.gov/files/programs-nlcs-ca-santa-rosa-san-jacinto-national-monument-hiking-SSR.pdf" rel="nofollow">Southern Santa Rosa Mountains </a>from Highway 74 to the Monument’s border with Anza Borrego Desert State Park. Each area has its own personality. Along with the trail areas listed above, these are some of the more <a href="/sites/blm.gov/files/programs-nlcs-ca-santa-rosa-san-jacinto-national-monument-hiking-Other.pdf" rel="nofollow">popular trails </a>in the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument.

Trails are rated as easy, moderate, or strenuous in accordance with the following criteria*:

<ul>
	<li>Easy – Generally a leisurely walk, but don’t expect the trail to be flat.</li>
	<li>Moderate – A serious hike, but not difficult for those in reasonably good condition.</li>
	<li>Strenuous – Some trail segments require being in very good condition and/or the trail is long and requires stamina.</li>
</ul>

*Difficulty ratings are based on one-way trips. When assessing how difficult a trail may be for you, consider whether you plan to return on the same trail, thereby doubling your distance, or by using another trail which also adds mileage and difficulty. Be aware that using two moderate trails to complete a loop may result in a strenuous hike.

The best time of year for enjoying lower elevation trails is November through April; for higher elevation trails, the best time is May through October.

Many trails are open to all forms of non-motorized travel – hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking – but not all trails are open to everyone. Mountain bikers are prohibited in designated wilderness areas, in the Indian Canyons, on certain trails near Murray Hill, or on any part of the <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/pct/about/?cid=fseprd1157087" rel="nofollow">Pacific Crest Trail</a>. Check with the appropriate agency if you don’t know the rules.

Be safe and enjoy!

<img alt="Hikers yield to mountain bikers along the Art Smith Trail. Rocky hills surround and a California Fan Palm oasis is adjacent to the trail. Photo by Bob Wick, BLM." height="379" src="/sites/blm.gov/files/programs-nlcs-ca-santarosaandsanjacintomountainsnm-recreation.jpg" width="640"/>

 

<h2>Dogs at the Monument</h2>

Dogs are not allowed on most trails in the National Monument. At lower elevations, this prohibition is enforced for the protection of endangered Peninsular bighorn sheep, which react to dogs as they would to coyotes, a natural predator. In the San Jacinto Mountains, which are usually accessed via the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway or from the alpine community of Idyllwild, dogs are prohibited in Mount San Jacinto State Park and Wilderness. Dogs are also prohibited in the Indian Canyons.

 

Dog Friendly Areas:

One of the limited opportunities for taking your dog on mountain trails in the Monument is available on the loop connecting Homme Adams and Cahuilla Hills Parks in the City of Palm Desert. From Homme Adams Park, follow the Homestead Trail to the Hopalong Cassidy Trail, then south on the “Hoppy” to the cross or north to the Gabby Hayes which will take you down to Cahuilla Hills Park, or viceversa. Be aware, however, that dogs are prohibited on segments of the Hopalong Cassidy Trail that extend south of the cross and north of the Gabby Hayes Trail. At higher elevations, dogs are allowed on Forest Service trails, though be sure not to continue with your dog into Mount San Jacinto State Park and Wilderness or the Indian Canyons.

 
For details about where dogs are allowed and where they are prohibited, please contact the National Monument Visitor Center at (760) 862-9984.

Local community celebrates the 15th Anniversary of the designation of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument.

Santa Rosa San Jacinto Mountains National Monument 15th Anniversary

Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mtns. National Monument

Rising abruptly from the desert floor, the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument reaches an elevation of 10,834 feet.

Santa Rosa San Jacinto Mountains National Monument

A runner enjoys the solitude of the trails in the Monument.

Trails in the Monument

A Big Horn Sheep blends in with the rocky landscape.

Big Horn Sheep

Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument

Surronded by the stark beauty of the Santa Rosa Mountains, Lake Cahuilla
(pronounced Kah-wee-ah) is a favorite recreation area in the Coachella Valley.
The park offers individual and group camping, fishing, picnicking, swimmings,
special events and equestrian and hiking trails. RV and tent campers will find
more than 150 spacious sites (46 with hookups) for individual and group
camping. Amenities include showers, a dump station, and picnic/play areas,
complete with barbecues, tables and lawns. Camp for the weekend or enjoy an
extended stay. While swimming is not allowed in the lake, the huge swimming
pool (open April through October), provides a welcome respite from the summer
heat. The pool has lifeguard stations and showers. Expansive lawns, shaded
areas, convenient parking and a picturesque setting make Lake Cahuilla an
ideal setting for special events, ranging from company picnics to concerts to
boat races. A new group area features barbecue grills for group services, bike
racks, restrooms, and for equestrians, corrals, hitching posts and a horse
trough. Whether it's a group event, family picnic or holiday camping trip,
Lake Cahuilla offers some of the best recreation in the desert.

Surronded by the stark beauty of the Santa Rosa Mountains, Lake Cahuilla (pronounced Kah-wee-ah) is a favorite recreation area in the Coachella Valley.  The park offers individual and group camping, fishing, picnicking, swimmings, special events and equestrian and hiking trails. RV and tent campers will find more than 150 spacious sites (46 with hookups) for individual and group camping.  Amenities include showers, a dump station, and picnic/play areas, complete with barbecues, tables and lawns.  Camp for the weekend or enjoy an extended stay. While swimming is not allowed in the lake, the huge swimming pool (open April through October), provides a welcome respite from the summer heat.  The pool has lifeguard stations and showers. Expansive lawns, shaded areas, convenient parking and a picturesque setting make Lake Cahuilla an ideal setting for special events, ranging from company picnics to concerts to boat races.  A new group area features barbecue grills for group services, bike racks, restrooms, and for equestrians, corrals, hitching posts and a horse trough.   Whether it's a group event, family picnic or holiday camping trip, Lake Cahuilla offers some of the best recreation in the desert.

Lake Cahuilla

The 3,709-acre refuge is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in
conjunction with the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge Complex.
The preserve is cooperatively managed by The Nature Conservancy, Bureau of
Land Management, California Department of Parks and Recreation, California
Department of Fish and Game, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Center
for Natural Lands Management. Both the refuge and the preserve protect the
only remaining undeveloped sand dune ecosystem within the Coachella Valley.
This blow-sand habitat is home to one of the most ecologically diverse
communities found in the deserts of North America. Furthermore, many of the
species of plants and animals that the dunes provide a home for are extremely
rare, found only in this particular area. These species have evolved through
time leaving them dependent on this dynamic sand dune habitat.

The 3,709-acre refuge is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in conjunction with the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge Complex. The preserve is cooperatively managed by The Nature Conservancy, Bureau of Land Management, California Department of Parks and Recreation, California Department of Fish and Game, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Center for Natural Lands Management. Both the refuge and the preserve protect the only remaining undeveloped sand dune ecosystem within the Coachella Valley. This blow-sand habitat is home to one of the most ecologically diverse communities found in the deserts of North America. Furthermore, many of the species of plants and animals that the dunes provide a home for are extremely rare, found only in this particular area. These species have evolved through time leaving them dependent on this dynamic sand dune habitat.

Coachella Valley National Wildlife Refuge

For thousands of years, particles of sand from the San Bernardino Mountains
and Indio Hills washed into the Coachella Valley, forming a system of dunes.
Today, these dunes are part of the Coachella Valley Preserve System, a
20,000-acre sanctuary that is home to several species of increasingly rare
wildlife. The Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard depends on this unusual
blowsand desert for survival, and "swims" through the sand to escape predators
or summer heat on the desert surface. Four other unique wildlife species can
also be found here: the Coachella roundtailed ground squirrel, the giant red
velvet mite, the flat-tailed horned lizard and the giant palm-boring beetle.
The Coachella Valley Preserve also contains several palm oases, formed because
San Andreas Fault lines allow water flowing underground to rise to the
surface. The spectacular Thousand Palms Oasis includes a mile-long trail that
winds past pools containing endangered desert pupfish. Native vegetation
includes creosote bush, burrobush, smoke tree and desert lavender, part of
this area's unique habitat for wildlife. The Coachella Valley Preserve is
administered by BLM's Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office and the Center for
Natural Lands Management.

For thousands of years, particles of sand from the San Bernardino Mountains and Indio Hills washed into the Coachella Valley, forming a system of dunes. Today, these dunes are part of the Coachella Valley Preserve System, a 20,000-acre sanctuary that is home to several species of increasingly rare wildlife. The Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard depends on this unusual blowsand desert for survival, and "swims" through the sand to escape predators or summer heat on the desert surface. Four other unique wildlife species can also be found here: the Coachella roundtailed ground squirrel, the giant red velvet mite, the flat-tailed horned lizard and the giant palm-boring beetle. The Coachella Valley Preserve also contains several palm oases, formed because San Andreas Fault lines allow water flowing underground to rise to the surface. The spectacular Thousand Palms Oasis includes a mile-long trail that winds past pools containing endangered desert pupfish. Native vegetation includes creosote bush, burrobush, smoke tree and desert lavender, part of this area's unique habitat for wildlife. The Coachella Valley Preserve is administered by BLM's <a href="https://www.blm.gov/office/palm-springs-south-coast-field-office" rel="nofollow">Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office</a> and the Center for Natural Lands Management.

Coachella Valley Preserve

##

## Overview

The terrain within the Santa Rosa Mountains Wilderness is rugged with
elevations rising dramatically from just above sea level to 7,000 feet. Laced
with deep washes and shallow drainages, the area supports a variety of
riparian streams which flow year-round. Here, desert and mountain environments
blend together to form unique plant habitats, which thrive in riparian oases.
The Santa Rosas are strewn with boulders. The steep canyon walls have been
eroded by springs and streams.

Bear Creek Oasis, Lost Canyon Oasis, Guadelupe Canyon, Devil Canyon and
Rockhouse Canyon are all found within this wilderness. Many of these areas
provide important lambing habitat for bighorn sheep. The Santa Rosa Mountains
support the largest herd of Peninsular bighorn sheep in the United States.
Mule deer can be found throughout the coniferous forests, which grow along the
higher elevations of the range. Great horned owls, prairie falcons and golden
eagles nest and forage throughout the entire wilderness. Reptiles, including
frogs, toads and the desert slender salamander also live in this desert
setting.

## History

The Santa Rosa Mountains have been the homeland of hundreds of generations of
Cahuilla, whose culture has been described and recorded in numerous
publications. Direct evidence links the tribe to this area for at least 3,000
years. Within the Santa Rosas are sacred sites, such as the peak of the Santa
Rosa Mountain and Tahquitz Peak, and landscape features which are of great
importance to Cahuilla history.

Within the mountain range, Cahulla villages were generally located in or near
the mouth of a canyon or in a valley, and in some instances there were both
summer and winter villages with the former being at higher elevations and the
latter closer to the valley floor. A network of trails connect village sites,
campsites, and other areas of importance. Cahuilla lived in the Santa Rosas
until the late 19th century, by which time most Cahuilla had moved to nearby
reservations or the Coachella Valley, and contemporary Cahuilla have strong
feelings and concern for their ancestral homeland.

he Santa Rosas have great heritage value to the Cahuilla and many sites are of
National Register quality. The linked document contains descriptions of some
of the more significant prehistoric and historic sites in the Santa Rosa
Mountains.

<h2> </h2>

<h2>Overview</h2>

The terrain within the Santa Rosa Mountains Wilderness is rugged with elevations rising dramatically from just above sea level to 7,000 feet. Laced with deep washes and shallow drainages, the area supports a variety of riparian streams which flow year-round. Here, desert and mountain environments blend together to form unique plant habitats, which thrive in riparian oases. The Santa Rosas are strewn with boulders. The steep canyon walls have been eroded by springs and streams.

Bear Creek Oasis, Lost Canyon Oasis, Guadelupe Canyon, Devil Canyon and Rockhouse Canyon are all found within this wilderness. Many of these areas provide important lambing habitat for bighorn sheep. The Santa Rosa Mountains support the largest herd of Peninsular bighorn sheep in the United States. Mule deer can be found throughout the coniferous forests, which grow along the higher elevations of the range. Great horned owls, prairie falcons and golden eagles nest and forage throughout the entire wilderness. Reptiles, including frogs, toads and the desert slender salamander also live in this desert setting.

<h2>History</h2>

 <img alt="Martinez Canyon Rockhouse, also called Jack Miller's cabin, in the Santa Rosa Wilderness. One of the sites you can visit in the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Photo by BLM." height="240" src="/sites/blm.gov/files/programs-nlcs-ca-santarosaandsanjacintomountainsnm-history-temp.jpg" width="320"/>The Santa Rosa Mountains have been the homeland of hundreds of generations of Cahuilla, whose culture has been described and recorded in numerous publications. Direct evidence links the tribe to this area for at least 3,000 years. Within the Santa Rosas are sacred sites, such as the peak of the Santa Rosa Mountain and Tahquitz Peak, and landscape features which are of great importance to Cahuilla history.

Within the mountain range, Cahulla villages were generally located in or near the mouth of a canyon or in a valley, and in some instances there were both summer and winter villages with the former being at higher elevations and the latter closer to the valley floor. A network of trails connect village sites, campsites, and other areas of importance. Cahuilla lived in the Santa Rosas until the late 19th century, by which time most Cahuilla had moved to nearby reservations or the Coachella Valley, and contemporary Cahuilla have strong feelings and concern for their ancestral homeland.

he Santa Rosas have great heritage value to the Cahuilla and many sites are of National Register quality. The linked document contains descriptions of some of the more significant<a href="/sites/blm.gov/files/programs-nlcs-ca-santa-rosa-san-jacinto-national-monument-history.pdf" rel="nofollow"> prehistoric and historic sites </a>in the Santa Rosa Mountains.

Palms to Pines Scenic Byway

Directions

Reviews

Nearby Parks

Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument

Lake Cahuilla

Coachella Valley National Wildlife Refuge

Coachella Valley Preserve

Santa Rosa Wilderness

Indio Hills Palms

Mt. San Jacinto SP