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Cactus to Clouds

Riverside · Managed by Mount San Jacinto State Park (California State Parks) · Region: San Jacinto Mountains
Difficulty 99/100 · Extremepoint to point#cactus-to-clouds#extreme#vertical-gain#desert-to-alpine
Distance
21 mi
Total gain
10,000 ft
Net gain
10,000 ft
Net loss
10,000 ft
Days
2–3
Permit
Required
Campfires
Campfires prohibited

Overview

Cactus to Clouds is the biggest vertical climb in the contiguous United States by trail: 21 miles and over 10,000 feet from the Palm Springs desert floor to the 10,834-foot summit of San Jacinto Peak — with no water until Long Valley. It is a serious, expert-only route in the best conditions.

Highlights

  • More than 10,000 feet of vertical gain — the most of any US trail
  • Desert, chaparral, forest, and alpine zones in a single climb
  • The tram offers the civilized way down
  • Winter and spring ascents with crampons are a different, deeper challenge

How hard is Cactus to Clouds?

CaliPeaks rates this route 99/100 (Extreme). The score weights five factors: climbing counts for 45% — 10,000 ft puts this trip at 83% of the reference climb; distance 20% at 21 miles; maximum altitude 15% at 4,291 ft; route technicality 10% (established trail throughout); and trip length 10% at 3 days. A score under 20 suits first-time backpackers; 60+ means serious endurance. See how we score difficulty for the full method.

Logistics

  • Trailhead: Skyline Route trailhead (Palm Springs) · parking: Palm Springs trailhead near the Museum Trail / Tramway Road area
  • Water: None until Long Valley — the route's defining hazard. Carry a full supply or cache ahead.
  • Resupply: None below Long Valley; the tram station above has a cafe in season.
  • Shuttle: End at Long Valley and ride the tram down, or descend to Idyllwild.
  • Stove required: yes — no fires possible on this route

Permits

  • Agency: Mount San Jacinto State Park (California State Parks)
  • Reserve or apply on parks.ca.gov
  • Quota: Day-use wilderness permits are free; overnight camping in the wilderness costs $5 per person.
  • Reservation window: Permits issued at ranger stations; wilderness sites are not reservable in advance.

Campfires & stove regulations

Campfires prohibited. Campfires are prohibited in the state wilderness. Only portable stoves with an on/off switch are permitted. Current fire restrictions. Rules change with conditions — always confirm with the managing agency before your trip.

Best time to go

Best months: November, December, January, February, March.

Snow: Snow and ice persist on the upper route into spring; traction devices strongly recommended in shoulder seasons.

Heat: The desert lower section is dangerous in summer — this is a cool-season route.

Bugs: Minimal.

Weather forecast

Know before you go

  • No water anywhere until Long Valley — the route's defining danger
  • Summer heat on the lower slopes is lethal; hike only in the cool season
  • Plan the descent: tram down, or continue to Idyllwild
  • Altitude, wind, and ice on the upper route in winter

Sources & citations

Data compiled 2026 from public agency and reference sources. All descriptive text on this page is original; verify current conditions with the managing agency before your trip.

  1. SRTM90 elevation data (sampled). OpenTopoData (SRTM, NASA/USGS-derived open data) via Photon geocoding (OpenStreetMap). https://www.opentopodata.org/. Accessed 2026-09-10. Elevation sampled at geocoded coordinates; location from OpenStreetMap data (ODbL).
  2. Hiking Trails — Mount San Jacinto State Park. California State Parks. https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=30375. Accessed 2026-09-07. License: Public domain (US government work). Skyline Route description — over 10,000 feet of ascent in 21 miles from Palm Springs with no water until Long Valley; part of the Cactus to Clouds route.
  3. Mount San Jacinto State Park. California State Parks. https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=636. Accessed 2026-09-07. License: Public domain (US government work). Wilderness camping permits, campfire prohibition and stove rule, and winter traction guidance.
  4. San Jacinto Peak. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Jacinto_Peak. Accessed 2026-09-07. License: CC BY-SA 4.0. Summit elevation (10,834 ft) and prominence context.