4S21 - Indian Mountain

I did the trail N to S. I will not run that way again on my own. However, it is a really fun trail. My jeep is a JLU with 35s and no lockers but due to the difficulty of the last mile I turned around and went back up the trail to Highway 243 at Pine Cove. It is just easier to run the difficult areas uphill as opposed to downhill so in the future I will run it S to N. FYI, I had no issues. I just chickened out after a few close calls. A spotter would have made it much more tolerable going downhill during that last mile.

Ran this trail from south to north. Rubicon had zero issues. Fun trail to hit while you’re out in the area. My friend would not take his ford ranger up it.

This could be my new favorite trail in Southern California. I ran the trail from the south (up hill) solo in the jeep to see if the vehicles in the small group I lead could do the trail. I wouldn't lead anyone on this trail without 33's and 1 locker for short wheelbases and 35's and 1 locker on longer wheelbases. I don't think I would do this trail north to south in the jeep (2-door) without a spotter.

Did this both ways in a full size truck with open diffs and 33s. Super fun. I should learn how to disconnect the sway bar. Was hard and spooky but worth it. What a rush!

Ran this trail with my 2011 Jeep JKU Sport with 4” lift and 35’s, and my parents in their 2015 Jeep JKU Rubicon with 3” lift and 35’s. Lots of pin-striping in the beginning due to overgrown vegetation, and definitely lots of off camber spots. I didn’t disconnect at all and didn’t have any issues getting stuck without lockers. About 3/4 of the way through we ran into a large group from Hemet Jeep Club, and the lead guy informed me the trail was closed ahead as it had become impassable. As we had already been out for awhile we opted to turn around and head out the way we came in. Definitely need high clearance for this trail, lockers and sway bar disconnect would be preferred, but as I said I didn’t do either and had no issues. Overall a fun trail with gorgeous views throughout.

Ran this trail in a GX460 on 33''s. Ran from south to north and the first half of the trail has a plethora of very off camber and tilted sections. ATRAC or lockers is definitely recommended to get up the trail. For a Jeep I think the 6 rating for this trail is spot on, for something without that much flex I would put it at a 7.5.

Completed this trail for the second time and did a night run this time. Definitely not recommended unless you have completed the trail during the day. Trail is fairly technical but a lot of fun. Recommend to have a disconnecting sway bar. Lockers can help but not needed. High clearance and some flex are key. Take your time.

We did this trail with my Land Cruiser 80 and my buddy's Discovery 1 with open diffs. It is doable without locker but was a real challenge for my friend. We came up from Bee Canyon which was dirty with trash left from gun shooters. However, Indian Mt. is very beautiful and we really enjoyed it.

I did this trail from North to South with a built 1st Gen Tacoma and built Subaru Outback. Both experienced drivers. As everyone said, the last part of the trail is difficult with a lot of 2 and 3 wheeling for both vehicles. Very fun trail but could also be very dangerous.

Ran this trail south to north and it's no joke. Great fun but had a few moments that were pucker worthy. Steep and off-camber definitely a good way to describe the lower section. A locker or some kind of traction control is a must to climb up. Did this with a GX470 on 34s, a 5th gen 4Runner on 33s, and a JK Rubicon on 35s.

Ran it from North to south in 04 grand Cherokee 2 inch lift and 99 4runner 3 inch lift. Most of trail was easy going... Last mile was a lot of driving on three wheels with off camber rutted down hill. The inlaws had come and the mother in law is mad. Awesome trail.

Ran this trail northbound from 5S09 to Hwy 243. Really fun but large ruts and off-camber for the first mile or so will keep you at full attention. Needed to engage rear locker a few times and select lines very carefully. Views are amazing! The last mile or so before Hwy 243 is very overgrown and our TJ got a lot of pin-striping, but hey, we bought it to wheel it not look at it! Came to the trail from Hwy 243 on 5S09 (San Jacinto Ridge) after breakfast in Idyllwild and it was beautiful trail too with lots of water flowing in Stone Creek and North Fork San Jacinto River.

Based on Tom H’s trail review I made a quick run to the southern end of this trail by way of Bee Canyon. I adjusted the rating to a 4-6 so we now see Moderate after the rating, I also edited Waypoints 7 & 8 to reflect the change. Thanks Tom for the push.

Agree with the updated review. We entered on the South end from San Jacinto Ridge and immediately knew we were not on the same 2-2 rating as SJR. It was plenty challenging up the first 300 yards and fun but not for the beginner run. Thanks to all at Trails for providing such great information.

This is a fantastic trail for an intermediate or expert wheeler. It is not recommended for beginners or those in vehicles that are mostly stock unless they avoid the last mile southward from the peak. Meaning, an in-and-out journey from CA-243 to the peak and back will be rugged and fun but continuing downhill the final mile to 5S09 would be dangerous for rookie wheelers and a challenge for all but the most experienced. The reviewer has seriously underrated this trail. And, I disagree very strongly with the reviewer's rating of 4-4 for this trail. Here's why, using the trail rating system here. I am referring strictly to the southern section. The grades are 20-25 degrees in places and even 30 in one short spot. The ruts are as deep as 24-36 inches, meaning bad tire placement on either the way up or way down can mean a rollover. Several of the climbs are not on rock but on sandy soil; after a rain these can be very slippery and contribute to the challenge. Even in dry conditions, the slope is steep enough, and the ruts are common enough, that bad tire placement of even a few inches could lead to a serious rollover if heading downhill. Don't get me wrong, this was an enjoyable challenge for this advanced intermediate wheeler. However, I did this trail for the first time with a fellow with a better equipped jeep who considers himself an expert. Together we felt that the correct rating would be, at minimum, 7 going uphill in dry conditions, and 8 or 9 going downhill. Anything less might tempt rookies in a Rubicon to bite off more than they could chew and lead to some serious vehicle damage or injury. I urge trailsoffroad to have the trail rating revised, or have my review confirmed, as soon as possible.

All trails in the San Jacinto Ranger District are under a fire closure until 08/31/18

Hit this trail again late afternoon yesterday. Clear and cold conditions. Significant roadwork has been done in a lot of the most washed out sections since my prior post. Multiple lines at most fun flexy spots and rock obstacles now. This makes it easier to choose your degree of difficulty. Far fewer off camber spots. Also some brush has been trimmed back. Overall, trail is now easier. However, it still offers lines I think would be entertaining to a variety of drivers and rigs. My favorite trail, of those I have run, iin the Idyllwild area.

Intermediate driver here. Ran trail in both directions, as out and back. That last mile, on the lower section of this trail is super-fun! Deep washouts with much straddling and interesting lines. Stock SWB JK Rubicon flexed out, w/tire in air, in 3 or 4 spots. When going up, briefly used lockers in two spots to avoid tearing up the trail with wheel spin. However, I don't think lockers are needed. Trail is a little brushy, new pinstripes are possible in a couple of places for JK width rigs. Compared to other trails I have run, with 3-4 rating from this site, this one seemed harder. It may be that the past wet spring added to the washouts since last update in February, or maybe I overrate my driving skills. In its current condition, I think this trail would be fun for most drivers with intermediate skill and high clearance 4x4 vehicles. Enjoy! Hi RC, I'm glad you enjoyed the trail! my Highlghts and Waypoints touch on that southern section a bit. I can't seem to get my video or photos to show the trail as I saw it. Thanks for your comments, it helps others.. Dennis