Mt San Jacinto Natural History Association

03/29/2019

Good News!! The PS Tramway will be opening back up for public operations on Monday, April 1st. First tram car up at 10:00 am!! 🙂🙂

03/11/2019

KESQ News Channel 3

No photos have been posted of the blessed scenery on the mountain with all of the snow accumulation received in the recent storms.

However, due to the rains received on February 14th, the tram has been closed. There was damage to both the road and the valley tram building. See the enclosed video to see some of the flash flooding flows received at the valley tram station.

The expected tram opening is posted as April 1st.

#WATCH - This is why the Palm Springs Tram is closed until at least April 1.

Full video, gallery, & details: https://bit.ly/2J10cPh

02/05/2019

Photos taken on February 4th, 2019 during a snowstorm.

01/14/2019

Horizon as seen from on top of Mt. San Jacinto

Taken at the San Jacinto peak on Sunday, Jauanry 13th.

01/14/2019

On Sunday, I got to venture into the backcountry and take some splendid photos on our way to the peak after yesterday's snow adventure.

01/10/2019

The mountains really need this snow along with those that are in the forecast for the weekend of Jan. 12th!!

Happy Sunday, Just received 9" inches of fresh snow in Long Valley. Snow shoes are required and as of this posting none of the trails are broken.

12/27/2018

Hiked on the trail for a portion of the hike, then went off trail for yet another spectacular view of the Coachella Valley with the Salton Sea in the background.

12/27/2018

Mt. San Jacinto State Park & Wilderness

Well, our dreams of a white Christmas are coming true. So far about 2" inches have fallen and it's still coming down. Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas from the staff at Mt. San Jacinto State Park.

12/23/2018

I went off trail to get these photo from the east side of Yale peak. December 16th, 2018.

12/10/2018

Dec. 7, 2018 Snow after the storm

12/03/2018

Photo taken by Shani Pynn of RMRU at Wellmans Divide on December 2nd.

10/15/2018

On Saturday morning, I was met with a splendid sunrise and the smell of smoke. Pleasantries of the cooler weather. It was later discovered that the smoke I smelled was not from the CCC camp, but from a tree, near Notch 2 of the Desert View trail, that was hit by lightening and was still smoldering.

State park staff man the fire and area prior to the Forestry firefighters showed up to extinguish the fire. On Sunday, two helicopter water drops were made over the smoldering tree.

10/14/2018

The "Trace Trail" that lead to the campsites off of the main hiking trail are starting to get a face lift. New Trace Trail signs with Yellow reflector are being installed. The first three were installed this last Saturday. The sign are numbered R1 through R9 for Round Valley and eventually T1 through T9 at the Tamerack Campground area. The yellow reflector was added to assist campers at night and aid in differentiating the sign as a trace trial sign compared to a normal Trail sign post.

10/14/2018

New “Trace Trail” sign post

10/07/2018

On Sunday, the Park's newest Ranger and three Park Aids went back on the trail to remove the remaining seven trail blockages. Hooray, the 7 Pines Trail is fully open and passable within the State Park.

10/07/2018

Whitewater Preserve

Wildlife Wednesday!

Throughout the fall season, we will be featuring new Wildlife Wednesday posts every week to help you get familiar with the residents of our preserve. If you have any great photos of animals taken at Whitewater Preserve, email them to us at: [email protected] for a chance to have your photo featured on our page!

The Western Tiger Swallowtail can be found all along Western North America. They can be easily identified by their boldly marked yellow and black wings. They may also have a touch of either red or blue coloring on their hind wings. They prefer habitats that occur around moisture such as woodlands or canyons with streams or rivers running through them. As caterpillars, they have green, humpbacked bodies with large, yellow, black-ringed eye spots that can contain a blue or white pupil-like pattern. Caterpillars can be found feeding on various tree species such as the alders, willows, cottonwoods, and sycamores found here in our canyon.

10/07/2018

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

Reporter Kai Beech from KESQ stopped by yesterday to do a story on the Tramway's re-opening.

10/07/2018

Riverside County Sheriff's Aviation Unit

Today we trained with the Mt. San Jacinto State Park & Wilderness Rangers and Park Aids, along with the Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit. As always it was a great time training with the various teams we work with during search and rescue missions throughout Riverside County.

10/07/2018

Whitewater Preserve

We will be hosting our second annual end of summer cleanup! Please join us to once again help beautify our river and park area. This is an all ages event, we will meet at the Whitewater Preserve ranger station, and then break into smaller groups to divide and conquer. We will provide gloves, bags, and trash grabbers for all volunteers. Please bring sunscreen, a hat, and plenty of water. Thank you for helping us keep our Preserve clean for all our visitors, both people and wildlife alike!

Call us at (760)325-7222 to make a reservation!
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12
9 AM - 11 AM

09/24/2018

A seven member team made up of Park Aids and Volunteers hike up the 7-pines trail on Saturday, September 22nd to clear the trail of safety hazards and trees crossing the trail. There were 39-places the trail was being blocked. The two teams cleared 31 of the trail blockages from the State Park boundary to the Deer Springs trail junction.

Park Aids: Sam King and Geraldo

Volunteers: Sandy and Royce Jones, Sam Aguilar, Richard and Chris.

The group started hiking on the trail around 9:00 a.m. and returned back to the trial head around 6:30 p.m.

02/06/2018

Earlier in January 2018, the mountain was blessed with yet a second small winter storm that brought snow to the mountain. However, by the weekend, the snow melted in areas exposed to the sun and leaving hard packed isc on the trodden trails. At this time, the Low trail from just before Squeeze rock to Wellmens Divide is still an icy hike.

11/24/2017

Royce

Royce

Willow Creek Trail is officially open!!!

California State Parks and the United States Forest Service (USFS) are happy to announce the reopening of the Willow Creek Trail located within the San Bernardino National Forest and Mount San Jacinto State Park. The Willow Creek Trail was closed due to damage caused by the Mountain Fire in July of 2013. The Willow Creek Trail is a main trail that connects the town of Idyllwild to Long Valley within Mount San Jacinto State Park. This trail is popular amongst hikers who want to “through hike” from Idyllwild to the Palm Spring Aerial Tramway or vice versa. With the dedication and hard work of both Parks and Forest Service staff and volunteers, the trail has been cleared and is now safe to travel upon.

Hikers traveling on any trail within the Mount San Jacinto State Park and Wilderness must have a day use or overnight hiking permit in their possession at all times. Day use permits are free and can be picked up at the Long Valley Ranger Station and Idyllwild/Stone Creek Campgrounds. California State Parks also accepts day use hiking permits issued by the USFS. California State Parks overnight hiking permits cost $5.00 per person and can be obtained at the Idyllwild Campground office up to 2 months in advance. If there is availability at the wilderness campsites, overnight camping permits can be purchased at both Idyllwild Campground office and the Long Valley Ranger Station. All camping within the State Wilderness must be done within one of the 4 campgrounds. Campfires are NEVER allowed in the wilderness.

California State Parks and the United States Forest Service would like to remind hikers to have proper hiking equipment, appropriate clothing for conditions, a well thought out plan, and to stay on the trail. And please remember to pack out all of your trash.

09/17/2017

At the Mt. San Jacinto State Park in Idyllwild, the Natural History Sponsored a picnic/BBQ to thank its volunteers. Stacy Jones​, past Park Aid with the MSJSP, climbed an oak tree to place the anchor rope and pulley used for the day's activities, where MSJSP Wilderness Patrollers raised and lowed volunteers and guests in a stokes litter. this was a great day for practicing the set up of a "Z-line", using a mini-rack for lower the load, along with a belay safety line.

08/25/2017

Mt. San Jacinto State Park & Wilderness

Trail/Weather Conditions for August, 18 – 22, 2017

We need your HELP, State Parks Volunteers just brought down about 60 lbs. of trash from the peak shelter (see picture below). Trash found, old broken tents, tarps, empty fuel containers, loose toilet paper, clothing, empty bottles, & a half full box of wine. First, please pack out your trash! Second, if you see loose trash, please pick it up or at least 1 piece but more is better. Let’s keep Mt. San Jacinto Beautiful! Thank You

All trails (except, Willow Creek heading towards Saddle Junction/Fire damage) is open. Crews from the Conservation Corps will be working throughout the park performing trail maintenance. The Round Valley water spigot is flowing. Please have the proper clothing/gear/water for the mountain environment. Stop by the Ranger Station for your free day hike permit & map. For additional hiking information call 760-327-0222 and for any additional camping/permit questions call our Idyllwild office at 951-659-2607.

Note: Current weather conditions are subject to change. Temperatures will be approximately about 10 degrees cooler towards the peak. Sunset is around 7:30pm.

Friday - Sunny, with a high near 71. Southeast wind around 5 mph. Friday Night - Mostly clear, with a low around 58. East wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Saturday - Sunny, with a high near 70. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon. Saturday Night - Mostly clear, with a low around 59. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.

Sunday - Sunny, with a high near 68. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon. Sunday Night - Mostly clear, with a low around 56.

Monday - Sunny, with a high near 67. Monday Night - Clear, with a low around 55.

Tuesday - Sunny, with a high near 74. Tuesday Night - Mostly clear, with a low around 56.

With over 340 miles of coastline, 970 miles of lake and river frontage, 15,000 campsites and 4,500 miles of trails, the California State Park System provides wonderful recreational, educational, and inspirational opportunities for over 67 million visitors a year.

08/25/2017

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

The Great American Solar Eclipse is under way here at the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway!! #eclipse #sun #palmspringsaerialtramway #mtsanjacintostatepark 🌞🌖🌘🌑🌒🌔

08/25/2017

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

The sun is at maximum coverage right now here at the Tram!! #palmspringsaerialtramway #mtsanjacintostatepark #sun #eclipse #solareclipse

08/25/2017

A great trip to the peak.

Howdy FB Folks,

August 19-20, ends our series of Getting in Touch with Nature. This past weekend we had 19 brave participants that hiked off trail with California State Park Ranger/Volunteers to spend the night on top of Mt. San Jacinto Peak. Our State Park Wilderness Patroller Carl would occasionally stop and give highlights of the mountain. After a brief stop at Miller Peak we arrived just in time to see the sun set at Mt. San Jacinto Peak. Later that night our very own Park Interpreter Allison Barnes did an astronomy lesson with the telescope that was hiked up. Several folks did wake up early to watch the sun rise from the peak. We want to thank all the Wonderful MSJ Participants that have made this series of Getting in Touch with Nature so special.

08/03/2017

Spetacular photos while traveling the trails in the State Park.

05/22/2017

Mount San Jacinto Natural History Association (NHA) California State Park

For more information and/or send your reservation e-mail request to attend the free program, please send to: [email protected] or the NHA's website www.http://msjnha.org.

The Mount San Jacinto Natural History Association (NHA) is a non-profit corporation whose mission is to: Promote the educational and interpretive activities of California State Parks.

05/22/2017

Saturday was the first of the Summer Series "Getting to Touch with Nature" It was a hike to Hidden Lake. We had 17 folks that showed up for the event. While we were at Hidden Lake, Carl, Craig, Teresa, Royce, and Sandy did segments on the Ten Essentials. We left LVRS around 0845 hrs. and got back around 1330 hrs. No injuries reported just a couple folks might be sore tomorrow from the hike. The response from the group was very positive.

Check out all the activities going on this Summer!

03/13/2017

Scenery from hike done on Sunday, March 12th, 2017

03/05/2017

Photos taken on March 5th, 2017

02/16/2017

Mt San Jacinto Natural History Association

Photos shot during a patrol of the trails (Round Valley Loop) on February 11, 2017.

02/16/2017

Photos shot during a patrol of the trails (Round Valley Loop) on February 11, 2017.

02/15/2017

Mt. San Jacinto State Park & Wilderness

Sun coming up over the Salton Sea. Photo Credit - State Park Wilderness Patroller Carl Maple

02/15/2017

Mt. San Jacinto State Park & Wilderness

Trail/Weather Conditions for February 3, - 7, 2017

Most frequently asked question called into the Ranger Station this week. Is there still snow on the mountain? Answer: “YES”

All trails (except, Willow Creek heading towards Saddle Junction/Fire damage) are open. Due to recent avalanche and several rescues on Mt. Baldy, with warmer sunny weather predicted this weekend we are asking our visitors to be extra aware while hiking on your favorite trails. Use extra caution; especially on the transverses and high mountain sides here avalanches could easily happen. Long Valley has approximately 3-4’ feet of snow and upwards of 4’ to 10’ feet of snow towards the Peak (trail conditions, currently changing). Do not follow someone else’s foot prints as that may put you off- trail. Micro Spikes, Crampons are a must on all trails and snowshoes if heading up to the higher elevations. Please have the proper clothing/gear/water for the mountain environment. Stop by the Ranger Station for your free day hike permit & map. For additional hiking information call 760-327-0222 and for any additional camping/permit questions call our Idyllwild office at 951-659-2607.

Note: Current weather conditions are subject to change. Temperatures will be approximately about 10-15 degrees colder towards the peak. Sunset is around 5:30pm.

Friday - A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 47. West wind around 20 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph.
Friday Night - A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 34. West wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph.

Saturday - Sunny, with a high near 47. West wind 5 to 10 mph. Saturday Night - Mostly clear, with a low around 31. West wind 5 to 10 mph.

Sunday - Mostly sunny, with a high near 51. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Sunday Night - A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly after 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 32. Breezy.

Monday - Rain likely, mainly after 10am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 41. Windy. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Monday Night - A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 32. Windy.

Tuesday - A chance of showers, mainly before 4pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 47. Tuesday Night - A slight chance of showers before 10pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 37.

02/15/2017

More excellent photos of Nature as seen in the Mt. San Jacinto State Park.

Trail/Weather Conditions for February 10, - 14, 2017

All trails (except, Willow Creek heading towards Saddle Junction/Fire damage) are open. Use extra caution; especially on the transverses and high mountain sides here avalanches could easily happen. Long Valley has approximately 2-3’ feet of soft snow and upwards of 3 to 7’ feet of snow towards the Peak (trail conditions, currently changing). Do not follow someone else’s foot prints as that may put you off- trail. Micro Spikes, Crampons are a must on all trails and snowshoes if heading up to the higher elevations. Please have the proper clothing/gear/water for the mountain environment. Stop by the Ranger Station for your free day hike permit & map. For additional hiking information call 760-327-0222 and for any additional camping/permit questions call our Idyllwild office at 951-659-2607.

Note: Current weather conditions are subject to change. Temperatures will be approximately about 10-15 degrees colder towards the peak. Sunset is around 5:30pm.

Friday - Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 55. Windy, with a west wind around 30 mph, with gusts as high as 45 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Tonight - Rain likely before 10pm, then showers likely, mainly between 10pm and 4am. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 35. Windy, with a west wind 40 to 45 mph, with gusts as high as 70 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Saturday - A chance of rain and snow showers before 10am, then a chance of snow showers. Some thunder is also possible. Partly sunny, with a high near 41. Breezy, with a southwest wind 15 to 25 mph becoming northwest 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. Saturday Night - A 30 percent chance of snow showers, mainly before 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 26. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.

Sunday - A 20 percent chance of snow showers. Some thunder is also possible. Mostly sunny, with a high near 41. North wind around 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Sunday Night -Mostly clear, with a low around 32.

Monday - Sunny, with a high near 50. Monday Night - Mostly clear, with a low around 35.

Tuesday - Sunny, with a high near 53. Tuesday Night - Partly cloudy, with a low around 35.