Garnet Peak
Laguna Mountains (Cleveland NF), Sunrise Hwy · near Mount Laguna / Pine Valley · San Diego
Hiking
At a glance
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Route type
- out-and-back
- Distance
- 4.4 miles
- Elevation gain
- 650 ft
- Time needed
- day
- Best season
- Fall–spring · Clear winter mornings for the sharpest desert views; cooler at 5,800 ft in summer
Permits and booking
- Permit required
- No
- How the permit works
- A Cleveland NF Adventure Pass is required to park at Penny Pines ($5/day or $30/year; Interagency pass also valid).
- How hard the permit is to get
- 1 of 5
What is here
- Features
- Dramatic 4,000-ft drop-off to the desert floor · Pacific Crest Trail · Premier sunrise viewpoint · Wind-sculpted rim
Worth knowing
- Dogs
- Allowed
- Good for a first timer
- No
Hiking detail
- Intl tip
- For sunrise, the rim is fiercely exposed to wind and cold — bring layers, gloves, and a headlamp for the pre-dawn approach. Stay back from the crumbling, unfenced lip.
The guide
A short walk along the Pacific Crest Trail leads to a rocky rim where the Laguna Mountains fall away 4,000 feet straight down t…
In the Guidebook
Everything above is yours for free. The written guide to Garnet Peak — what it is actually like, and what we would tell a friend before they went — comes with the Guidebook.
Getting there
- Coordinates
- 32.9059, -116.4575