Tag Archives: San Bernadino Mountains

San Bernardino County, San Bernardino National Forest, Waterfalls

Heart Rock Trail

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SAN BERNARDINO NATIONAL FOREST

CRESTLINE

Activity: Day Hike, Chasing Waterfalls

1.5 miles, 272′ elevation gain, 1 hour duration, rated Moderate

Date: 6-30-23

My son Alec and I ventured to the mountains for some Over Landing in our Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro in the San Bernardino National Forest. We kicked things off by checking out this spectacular natural wonder in what the city of Crestline calls the “Valley of the Enchantment”.

Enchanting it was indeed. The short hike a little more than a mile long rambles along Seeley Creek and through a delightful wooded area. We sort of stumbled upon the waterfall known as Seeley Falls or sometimes referred to as Heart Rock Falls. It is a little confusing as there are trails intersecting with each other and for the most part, unmarked.

We found an inviting collecting pool just downstream from the falls, big slabs of rocks have collected the water forming the refreshing little pool. We explored around this spot but getting to the falls from here would not be easy, therefore we went back up the hill along the creek below. Look for a big hollowed out tree trunk which is around the best spot to view Heart Rock and the 20′ waterfall. Be cautious as this is a rock wall ledge.

Behold! A perfectly shaped heart beside a tranquil waterfall. Quite unique and framed by a gorgeous setting in the woods! We scampered around this spot exploring the rocky pool areas. Afterwards, we made our way along the creek from above through the woods.

Heart Rock and Seeley Falls
Heart Rock

Parking can be found near the closed gate of Seeley Camp, which when we were there was teeming with youngsters enjoying the early Summer warm weather in the camp pool. Heart Rock Trail runs alongside the Camp and Seeley Creek part of it is black top and part of it is dirt.

As Heart Rock Falls, (actually ‘Seeley Falls’), is a seasonal waterfall, Spring and early Summer is the best time to go should one wish to see the falls flowing.

Pursuing Balance Through Adventure
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Heart Rock Trail
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” There is beauty in flowing freely.“

Thanks for joining my Son Alec and I as we were ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’ in the San Bernardino National Forest in search of waterfalls and natural wonders. That perfect heart certainly was fascinating and it was a beautiful spot to enjoy. There is always adventure just around the bend so stick with us. The easiest way to do that is to COMMENT, LIKE, FOLLOW and SHARE. Four Wheeling, hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, sailing, kayaking, SUP, canoeing, spelunking, peak bagging- so many adventures so little time. All of these activities, which add to the Balance that we strive for, are part of my Adventures in nature that make a difference to combat the routine of daily life that can be filled with time frames, deadlines, paperwork, chores, bills, even boredom and just plain responsibility. Sometimes we need to take off that pack with all of it’s pressure and responsibilities and pick up a daypack instead and let Nature and extraordinary outings nurture and heal us.  Nature can do that. If you go up to the Menu above you will discover that PBTA ventures all over this great West of ours enjoying a variety of activities that I hope will provide inspiration for your next expedition. The Menu is categorized mostly by location. Each is a separate website and thus needs to be FOLLOWED independently. Your outing will need Adventure Wear and PBTA has you literally covered please go to SHOP APPAREL and order now. 

Happy Trails-

Roger Jenkins

Pursuing Balance Through Adventure

Peak Bagging, San Bernardino County, San Bernardino National Forest

MORTON RIDGE TRAIL

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SAN BERNARDINO NATIONAL FOREST

Activity: Day Hike, Peak Bagging

5.3 miles, 4640′ elevation, 1,351 elevation gain, 3 hour duration, rated Moderate

Date: 6-16-23

This hike in the San Bernardino National Forest isn’t my favorite type of hike as it is on a service road/fire road leading up to the Fire Lookout. It does afford however, incredible views all along and especially from the top which obviously is the reason that it is a fire lookout.

The fire tower perched high atop Morton Ridge on a peak in the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains has excellent views of the surrounding mountains and canyons all around. Next to Hwy 38 the Fire Lookout overviews the town of Mentone, Redlands, and Yucaipa areas.

Morton Peak Fire Lookout

After making the trek to the top I was met by a couple of the nicest guys you would ever want to meet, Fire Watcher Volunteers Mike and Ben. Mike invited me up to the tower for a tour. He informed me that this Lookout was built in the 1930’s and then later refurbished during the 1960’s. This was my second Fire Lookout tour as I climbed up to Los Pinos Lookout in the Cleveland National Forest a couple years ago. If you love fire lookout towers like I do you will want to checkout that post as well.

I know that we all appreciate what those folks do for our precious natural resources as our forest and mountains are such a treasure. Fire Watcher Mike explained that their job is to look for smoke, to catch it while it is small before they turn into raging large forest fires. That certainly is key as my Off-Road friends and I were 4 Wheeling these mountains and witnessed first hand this summer how quickly smoke turns into a blazing wildfire. We called in a fire we spotted on a nearby mountain and emergency crews took to the air immediately with specially equipped helicopters and fire fighting planes to douse the wildfire before it got out of control.

While the fire lookout is staffed they open up the road so that I could have driven up to the tower in my 4Runner TRD Pro. The road up is a rough steep road, but nothing that a capable rig with high clearance would have any issue with. That of course always depends on any recent weather. I was here to Peak Bag so I hiked up. There is limited parking at the trailhead and an Adventure Parking Pass or other suitable National Forest Pass is needed.

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Morton Peak Lookout
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“Good Vibes on Mountains High” – Roger Jenkins,
‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’

Thanks for joining me ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’ in the San Bernardino National Forest and my journey up to the Morton Peak Fire Lookout for a special tour. Please stay with me by completing the following: COMMENT, LIKE, FOLLOW and SHARE.  The above menu will provide other fabulous areas in the West that will give you plenty of ideas and inspiration for your next adventure.  Each location is actually a separate website and thus needs to be FOLLOWED independently. Outfit yourself with a awesome shirt and hat for your trek. I invite you to checkout my line of Adventure Wear at SHOP APPAREL.  

Happy Trails-

Roger Jenkins

Pursing Balance Through Adventure

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Big Falls Trail

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SAN BERNARDINO NATIONAL FOREST

FOREST FALLS

Activity: Day Hike, Chasing Waterfalls

1 mile, 216′ elevation gain, 30 mins duration, rated Moderate

Date: 6-16-23

Big Falls, nestled in the San Bernardino National Forest, has been claimed as being the tallest waterfall in Southern California with a cumulative 500′ drop. Big Falls is a 5 tiered waterfall that cannot be viewed in it’s entirety from any one spot. The public has access to the first 3 tiers, but after that you would need proper climbing gear and the skills to match it. The top has been closed for years now because of the many search and rescues as well unfortunate recoveries in this location.

The area is spectacular and can be reached off of Highway 38. Take the The Valley of the Falls Road into Forest Falls, CA. You will need an Adventure Pass or other National Forest Pass for parking. There are 2 large parking lots, but on the weekends they do fill up.

This is a short hike but certainly lovely with some splendid Redwood trees and several water crossings. Near the start there is a fast moving stream to ford. If you don’t want to get wet walk downstream and search out a more suitable crossing.

Big Falls was flowing nicely because of the amount of precipitation that we experienced earlier in the year, but unlike many Southern California more seasonal waterfalls this one flows year round.

Big Falls
“Waterfall don’t ever change your ways,
fall with me for a million days,
oh my waterfall.” – Jimi Hendrix 
Pursuing Balance Through Adventure
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BIG FALLS
The only way to view a waterfall is in person
otherwise in motion via a video is next best.
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Thanks for joining me chasing waterfalls while ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’. Waterfalls with the sight of cascading water filling the glistening pools, the sound of plunging water striking the rocks below, the feel of a light breeze on the face, the fresh smell of the earth with a lovely hint of pine, along with taste of spray on the lips can certainly aid the body and soul, aligning all of our senses as we attempt to regain that Balance that is so needed in our all too busy lives. Stay with me as there are always waterfalls to chase and Adventures to challenge just around the bend in the trail. For more crusades in nature please do the following: LIKE, FOLLOW, COMMENT and SHARE.  If you go to the above menu you will see plenty of wonderful spots that PBTA travels to throughout the West. If you go to SHOP APPAREL you will see Adventure Wear, such as that I am wearing in the video, adorned with PBTA logo that also serves as the mantra for the healing you can receive from nature adventures. 

Happy Trails-

Roger Jenkins

Pursuing Balance Through Adventure

Cucamonga Wilderness, Peak Bagging

Icehouse Canyon to Timber Mt

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SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAINS

SAN BERNADINO MOUNTAINS

ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST

CUCAMONGA WILDERNESS

Activity: Day Hike, Peak Bagging

9.5 miles, elevation change 3336’, 7 hour duration, rated Hard

Date: 11-18-20

This is a special area and a special hike. Things you need to know to start with is that you will need to come early. Although the parking area is a good size it will fill up on the weekends, as the Icehouse Canyon Trail is a starting point for numerous hikes. You will need an Adventure Pass for parking. A Wilderness Permit is required and you can get the permit right at the trailhead.

The adventure begins with a mild walk through a shady canyon, the sound of the babbling brook sets the mind at ease. The area is filled with a mixture of oak, conifer, and deciduous trees. As I ambled along the easy path there were a couple cabins and ruins of others lost to either fire or flood in years gone by. The chilly air was fragrant with the scent of fallen decaying leaves that carpeted the forest floor. The surrounding ridge was alight with a golden glow as the morning sun has just reached it upon rising over the mountain. After a couple miles the trek picks up the pace from mild to difficult through switchback trail the remainder of the hike to Icehouse Saddle.

I have a post on my blog ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’ Hiking and Backpacking 101 regarding Layering Your Clothing. This outing was an excellent example. My early hike began in cold temperatures, but by the time I headed up the steep switchbacks I was stripping off outer layers, but as I got higher I was more exposed to the high winds and I needed to layer up once again.

In late November there were portions of the trail covered in snow and ice. Not quite enough to need micro spikes as trekking poles and a little careful footwork would allow you to traverse these spots. If however you were going on to Ontario Peak or Cucamonga Peak, which would take you to more shaded parts of the mountains, they were still covered with snow from an earlier storm.

I had planned to just hike to the Icehouse Saddle, however once there I decided that there wasn’t much of a view at this wide spot that was heavily forested with fir, and I wasn’t quite ready for my adventure to come to an end. The Saddle is where five trails come together and I decided forge on to Timber Mountain.

As I approached the summit of Timber Mountain I had a wonderful panorama of the mountains to including Mt Baldy. I also enjoyed splendid views of the canyon as the wind whipped up through them chapping my lips. A magnificent area and a great hike to be sure. I will be back for some of the other hikes in this area.

“When I saw the mountains the weight lifted and my restless spirt calmed… I knew I was where I belong.”

What a day! It pretty much checked all the boxes as far as ‘Pursing Balance Through Adventure’. The fresh mountain air, stretching the legs, getting the heart pumping, gaining altitude attitude, getting away from it all, natural scenic beauty and panoramic views, the adventure of a hard hike, add a little snow and ice for a little extra something, solo time to reflect, soul soaring to be sure. I certainly feel a little more balance seep into my life after such an outing in nature, but it is not about the destination. It’s not about bagging that Peak and standing atop that summit posing with that sign, but the trek up and down that mountain, and to looking forward to that next adventure. Speaking of next adventure- stick with me there is more to come because it’s what? A journey, a pursuit for additional chances to balance that ledger of the everyday hetic, chaotic, sometimes mundane, work-a-day life with bold experiences in the great outdoors. Stick with me by doing each and everyone of these things: COMMENT, LIKE, FOLLOW and SHARE. You can join the movement, wave the flag, and carry the banner by adorning yourself in ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’ wear. Just go to SHOP APPAREL where you can find the long sleeve high performance shirt and beanie pictured in my summit shot and oh so much more. If you need ideas or inspiration on your own pursuit then go to the menu above where you will find the spots that PBTA travels to seeking that inner peace and to revel in nature. Each location is a separate website and thus needs to be FOLLOWED independently.

Happy Trails-

Roger Jenkins

Pursuing Balance Through Adventure