Home Sweet Mountain Home

Score solitude on a little-used trail in two scenic canyons on the lower flanks of the San Bernardino Mountains south of Angelus Oaks. The 3-mile (round-trip) hike on Mountain Home Flats Trail has a remote vibe, with invigorating bouts of navigational acumen and challenging terrain. Up for it? Start with a nice stroll through a grove of canyon oaks, and a handful of short, steep climbs. A few colossal cedars and their smaller offspring decorate the slope, along with pine and spruce trees. Scramble over some fallen trees and past a section of loose tread before dropping to the creekbed. Cross to the north side, following the boulder-strewn creek to a split at a wedge-shaped ridge. Look for a rock cairn and follow the south fork uphill, hopscotching enormous Coulter pine cones, the largest of any pine. Another cairn marks the way to an oak grove, and just past the grove the trail turns hard right, up a series of steep switchbacks to a monster-size pine at the top of the ridge above Mountain Home Creek. The spongy ground is a great place for a refueling break. The view of this deep canyon is excellent from here, but there is the option to follow the trail east, where it clings to the base of a high cliff wall. (Be very careful here, as the trail is washing out and loose; if in doubt, don't bother, especially if weather is a concern or there's been rain.) Halfway along the cliff you are treated to a beauteous vista of the entire canyon and, on a clear day, way down to the distant valleys. Soak up the solitude and head back over the ridge to return the way you came.

From Redlands, follow CA-38 for 12 miles to the giant hairpin curve at the turnoff to Forest Falls. Continue 3.4 miles to the bridge crossing Glen Martin Creek. Look for mile marker 38 SBD 18.44. There is a small gravel turnout at the south end of the bridge with room for just one car. A larger turnout is 0.25 mile north. (From the northern turnout, walk safely along the highway to the south side of the bridge.) The trail starts here and heads east into the canyon. Glen Martin Creek is dry much of the year, so bring water. Bugs like it here; bring repellant. Dog friendly!