'Tis the Season for Hiking the PCT Lowlands

One of the greatest hiking trails in the world, the Pacific Crest Trail, passes within 10 miles of Banning as hikers go from Mexico to Canada.

The stretch of the PCT just north of Interstate 10 comes as a shock to through-hikers after they have spent their last few days at 8,000 feet along Fuller Ridge, zigzagging down switchbacks to Snow Creek Road and then under the expressway.  The low point of the California PCT, the Bureau of Land Management property north of I-10 tends to be 20-40 degrees warmer than the mountains, which is tough to take with a 50 lb. backpack.  As a result, many through-hikers drop out during this stretch.

In winter, when nobody is hiking Fuller Ridge without snowshoes and crampons, the lowlands of the PCT are a pleasant hike past the creaking windmills north of the interstate.  A walk of 25 miles will take you near the old trout farm along the Whitewater River, but the dog and I usually settle for a couple hours of out and back.

The Pacific Crest Trail Association wants you to have a permit to hike along the trail, but that’s to keep track of through-hikers on the treacherous stretches.  Nobody minds if you do a bit of day hiking.  On a couple dozen hikes, I’ve never been hassled.  Heck, I’m amazed if I see anybody else;  this is not a heavily used trail. 

And you don’t need an Adventure Pass to park on BLM property; there is a parking lot at the end of Cottonwood Road, about a half-mile after it goes from paved to dirt.  If you don’t like driving dirt, simply park at the end of Cottonwood’s pavement;  you’ll see the trail as you follow the dirt road on foot.  To reach Cottonwood, exit I-10 at Haugen-Lehman Road east of Cabazon and go north.

The beginning of the hike is past an old gold mine off to the north on private property.  One crosses a seasonal creek, quite beautiful in spring or after a storm, and begins to climb a steady grade towards the trailers that serve as headquarters for the windmill maintenance brigade.  The PCT crosses their service road a couple times, and you can stop for drinking water there, too—a recent innovation.  It’s the only water along this stretch of the PCT until you hit the Whitewater River.

At the trailers, the trail turns north from northeast and the grade increases slightly as one enters Gold Canyon and begins to leave the windmills behind.  The final climb to the crest of the canyon is a pretty steep grade, and you’ll know that you’ve been hiking by then.  It’s followed by a descent onto a meadow that is a pleasant place to rest if the feral range cattle aren’t out.  These longhorns are not that domestic and should be skirted at a very respectful distance.  They can do enormous damage, and the meadow is totally remote and usually out of cell phone coverage.

Because the trail is remote, inform someone that you plan to hike, even if it’s just a day hike.  I also recommend packing the Sierra Club’s 10 Essentials.

The dog and I usually take close to two hours to get to the meadow and slightly less on the return, which is gloriously downhill (remember, however, the old mountaineer’s slogan:  “You get tired going up; you get hurt coming down”).  This little hike might get you a bit more fatigued than you think it will. 

December is a good time of year to walk it, as it gets pretty warm by April when the through-hikers use it.  It’s downright unbearable from Memorial Day to early November, as you're on the cusp of the desert.  The PCT lowlands are not the most scenic hike aside from some nice views of Mt. San Jacinto and the windmills.  But this trail tends to be nicely sheltered from the winter winds that turn those windmills (not always, however), your dog is welcome and it’s a serene winter hike very close to home.