Just a few hundred feet off the Pacific Crest Trail in Mount Laguna stands Foster Point, a fantastic vantage point from which to take in views of the nearby Anza-Borrego desert and many of the area’s prominent peaks. To aid you in identifying these peaks, there is a rustic direction finder that was installed by the Sierra Club. Foster Point is an easy side-trip if you happen to be hiking this stretch of the PCT, but it also makes a fun hike all on its own if you’re looking for something easy with a big payoff.
We had just spent the night camping nearby and were looking for a short, early morning hike to absorb a little more nature before heading home. We found the small turnout across from the Horse Heaven Group Campground and parked. The trail began at a gap in the fence.
We made our way up a gentle uphill slope surrounded by pines.
The trail, an old jeep track, curved gently around a hill on our left.
Around .4 mile we came to a “T” junction where we met the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). We turned left onto the PCT.
There was lots of evidence of fire damage in this area courtesy of the 2013 Chariot Fire. Dead, charred trees still stood around us, and the majority of the vegetation we saw was ceanothus.
As we continued on, gaining some elevation, thick growing manzanita began to dominate the landscape.
The low-growing shrubs meant we had some expansive views, uninterrupted by trees.
At .57 miles we found the turn-off for Foster Point on the right and took it.
We made our way up the rocky trail through the thick brush, and quickly found ourselves at Foster Point.
There was a neat direction finder mounted on a stone pedestal that helped identify nearby peaks, and fantastic views of Anza-Borrego Desert below us. We also had a nice view of Garnet Peak on our left.
To our right we could see the antennae that marked Monument Peak.
It was a very cold and windy morning though, so we didn’t linger long. We snapped some pictures and then made our way back to the car.
Directions:
From I-8 east take the Sunrise Highway exit and turn left onto Sunrise Highway (S1). Follow Sunrise Highway for approximately 12.2 miles. Note the entrance to Horse Heaven Campground on your left, park in the small dirt turnout on the right side of the highway across from the campground entrance. map
| Total Distance: | 1.3 miles |
| Difficulty: | Easy |
| Total Ascent: | 188 feet |
| Dog Friendly?: | Leashed dogs allowed |
| Bike Friendly?: | Bikes not allowed on PCT |
| Facilities: | None |
| Fees/Permits: | None |
For more information, visit:
View route or download GPX from CalTopo
