Hike San Gorgonio Mountain and Bighorn Mountain via Vivian Creek San Bernardino National Forest, CA

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San Gorgonio Mountain and Bighorn Mountain via Vivian Creek GPX Track

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San Gorgonio Mountain, affectionately known as “Old Greyback,” is the highest point in Southern California, an ultra-prominent peak, and a notable objective for many SoCal peakbaggers. While most hikers ascend and descend via the same trail (usually Vivian Creek), my plan was to tag some lesser-known southern neighbors, Bighorn Mountain and Dragons Head, and loop back cross-country to rejoin the Vivian Creek Trail. San Gorgonio Mountain can also be approached from the north via the Dry Fork Trail, forming a nice loop, but having done both routes, I found Vivian Creek to be more varied in scenery and views and is my preference.

I rolled into Forest Falls just after sunrise, armed with a screenshot of my permit. All San Bernardino National Forest trailheads accessing the San Gorgonio Wilderness require advance permits, a surprisingly easy (and free) process through the SGWA website.

The Vivian Creek trailhead is tucked behind a picnic area, and the hike begins along an old road. I walked past several homes, half-expecting someone to offer me coffee. After this nice tame warm-up grade, the route leads across the rocky Mill Creek watercourse to the opposite side, where a sign pointed toward the abruptly steep Vivian Creek Trail.

Dusty switchbacks cut up the slope, rapidly gaining elevation for a mile through shaded forest, with occasional peeks into Mill Creek Canyon. Past the initial chunk of effort, the trail relaxes as it drops into the cool, shaded embrace of Vivian Creek. Here the hike becomes more lush, and trickling water sounds add to the ambiance. I was really enjoying the shaded forest, a sort of unique-feeling contrast to the typical SoCal mountains. I passed Vivian Creek Camp along the way, followed by Halfway Camp (which, by the way, isn’t actually halfway to the summit).

Above Halfway Camp, the trail makes some broad, exposed switchbacks. The scenery opens up, with amazing views south toward Yucaipa Ridge and its jagged minor summits. I passed High Camp Creek, and from there, I started a long series of meandering switchbacks that felt more decorative than functional. They only gained a few hundred feet total, and unsurprisingly, erosion from shortcutting is pretty obvious.

The Vivian Creek Trail then wraps around a ridge and ascends north, where the trees shrink and the ground slowly transitioned to alpine sandy slopes, boulders, and stubby windblown trees. San Gorgonio’s hulking summit finally peeked into view.

The trail grew more faint in the sandy terrain, a confusing spaghetti of footprints. But once I reached the signed junction with the summit spur, following the trail became effortless yet again. San Gorgonio’s summit doesn’t exactly pop since t’s broad and flat, but being the highest person in Southern California (except for those on mushrooms in Joshua Tree), the views in all directions were spectacular today, thanks to the mostly cooperative smog-free skies.

From the summit, I dropped southeast down the sandy slope toward the saddle at the base of Bighorn Mountain. Along the way there are potentially some little rocky obstacles, but it’s really just a straightforward drop down to a dry, flat area labeled on maps as “The Tarn”. Now just below Bighorn Mountain, I made the silly choice to ascend directly up the steep, loose, not-fun-at-all route straight up the scree. In hindsight, I should have ascended using the way I went down via the northwest slope. Once I topped out, the rest was fine, though the summit ridge was slightly brushy, though easily navigated.

From there, I dropped west to locate a social trail that helped guide me toward Dragons Head. This unranked peak’s vibe is different compared to the rest of the day. Its east face is crumbly and exposed, but a social trail led easily along the rim to the top. There’s a dramatic view into Mill Creek Canyon far below.

To return to the Vivian Creek Trail, I descended west through a broad drainage, with some light rock-hopping and occasional route-finding guesswork. A faint social trail even sometimes appeared. Eventually, I reached the bottom of the slope into a gully, then side-hilled out of the gully to meet up with the Creek Trail again, right before it dropped into the shaded forest.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)

Peaks on hike

Elevation

Prominence

San Gorgonio Mountain

11500 ft

8295 rise

Bighorn Mountain

11006 ft

398 rise

Dragons Head

10862 ft

216 rise

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Vivian Creek Trailhead.

Along the initial dirt road walk adjacent to Mill Creek.

Crossing Mill Creek.

Vivian Creek Trail ascends steeply.

Tight switchbacks up the slope.

View down into Mill Creek as I ascend.

Despite the steepness, it's a beautiful section of trail.

Another shot back into Mill Creek before entering the Vivian Creek drainage.

Vivian Creek, quite lush.

Lots of greenery from tress and grasses both.

Higher into Vivian Creek, where the drainage narrows slightly.

Exiting the more lush section and into scrubby SoCal slopes.

Halfway Camp junction.

Yucaipa Ridge seen through the trees.

A few wide switchbacks up the slope.

Views toward Yucaipa Ridge as I approach High Creek Camp.

High Creek Camp.

Past High Creek Camp on annoyingly mellow switchbacks.

Past the meandering switchbacks, the trail then wraps around a ridge and ascends more steeply again.

San Gorgonio Mountain ahead.

View back as I ascend the steeper, sandy trail.

The trail becomes slightly harder to follow through this boulders and sand.

Trail junction, with an easy-to-follow trail yet again to the summit.

A lovely alpine walk to the summit.

View back.

San Gorgonio Mountain ahead.

San Gorgonio Mountain summit, view west.

San Gorgonio Mountain summit, view north.

San Gorgonio Mountain summit, view southeast. Bighorn Mountain seen center. I headed basically directly down toward it.

Bighorn Mountain ahead. The slope was sandy, but overall tame.

The Tarn, located at the saddle of San Gorgonio Mountain and Bighorn Mountain.

I stupidly ascended directly up the north slope of Bighorn Mountain. It would have been more enjoyable to approach from the northwest.

View down toward The Tarn, San Gorgonio Mountain above.

Ridgeline of Bighorn Mountain.

After the peak, I descended west. Dragons Head seen center.

View back toward the more pleasant route up Bighorn Mountain on the northwest side, seen right.

Approaching the base of Dragons Head.

Social trail up the rim.

View back toward Bighorn Mountain and The Tarn.

Summit of Dragons Head.

The slope descent through a broad drainage from Dragons Head, headed toward the Vivian Creek Trail.

View back up at the descent terrain.

Side-hilling to regain the Vivian Creek Trail.

The next few photos are just some memories from 2015 when I did this peak in poor conditions, mostly just for myself. It was quite cold when I did this in 2015. It made me act all silly.

Sock Puppet Glove 1: What were we thinking? Sock Puppet Glove 2: [no answer, frozen to phone]

Yes, I'm as wet as I look.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!