Martinez Mountain is in the Santa Rosa Mountain Range in Southern California. Other peaks in the Santa Rosas include Asbestos Mountain, Toro Peak, Sheep Mountain, Santa Rosa Mountain, Rabbit Peak, Villager Peak and Rosa Point.

The Santa Rosa Mountains have been the homeland of hundreds of generations of Cahuilla Indians. A network of trails connect Cahuilla village sites, campsites, and other areas of importance. The Santa Rosas have great heritage value to the Cahuilla and many sites are of National Register quality.

Sheep and Martinez Mountain from Highway 74:

Martinez Mountain is typically accessed via the Cactus Spring Trail. The Cactus Spring area is one of the most sacred areas for the Cahuilla who lived in the desert. It contains the site Weh-ghett, the "Place of Ponderosa Pines," an important village, and a lower village called Tev-utt, "The Place of the Pinyon Trees." The area is mapped as Little Pinyon Flat. Both sites contain many bedrock mortar grinding places, smooth rock floors where people used to dance, as well as pictographs and petroglyphs.

View from the summit of Martinez Mountain:

Getting There - Directions to the Trailhead

From Mountain Center (Junction of SR 74 and SR 243): Continue east on SR 74 for 21.5 miles to a paved road (7S06) at a sign "Cactus Spring Trail". This is just across from the entrance to Pinyon Flat Campground. Go southeast (right) 1/4 mile to the (paved) "Sawmill Trailhead" parking lot.

From Palm Desert: Take the Montery Avenue exit of I-10 near Palm Desert. Go south (right)on Monterey. At 6.0 miles, Monterey crosses 111 in Palm Desert and becomes SR 74. Continue straight on SR 74 for 15.8 miles until you reach paved road 7S06. Turn left (southeast) on a paved road (7S06) at a sign "Cactus Spring Trail". This is just across from the entrance to Pinyon Flat Campground. Go south 1/4 mile to the (paved) "Sawmill Trailhead" parking lot.

Red Tape

Martinez Mountain is in the Santa Rosa Wilderness area of the San Bernardino National Forest. A permit is required for overnight use.

For permit information, contact:

San Jacinto Ranger District
54270 Pinecrest
P.O. Box 518
Idyllwild, CA 92549
Voice: (909) 382-2921
Fax: (951) 659-2107

For additional information on the area contact:

Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains
National Monument Visitor Center
51-500 Highway 74
Palm Desert, CA 92260
Telephone: (760) 862-9984
Fax: (760) 862-9460

Bureau of Land Management
Palm Springs South-Coast Field Office
P.O. Box 581260
690 W. Garnet Avenue,
North Palm Springs Ca 92258-1260
(760) 251-4800

Camping

Camping is available at Pinyon Flat Campground, which is located along Highway 74 across the steet from the road to the trailhead for the hike to Martinez Mountain.

Pinyon Flat Campground Statistics:
Number of Sites: 18 Campsites
Elevation: 4,000 Feet
Length of Stay: 14 Days
Maximum RV Size: 15 Feet
Reservation: No
Season: Year-round

Pinyon Flat Campground is located on the edged of the Palm Desert and the Santa Rosa Wilderness; which is populated with Desert Big Horn Sheep. At an elevation of 4000 feet temperatures during the summer season are quite hot.

Hiking Route Information

Distance: Approximately 16 miles roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 3,200 on the way to the summit and 900 on the way back to the trailhead, so about 4,100 feet total elevation gain.

From your parking spot at the Sawmill Trailhead, you will hike on the Cactus Spring Trail, passing the Dolomite Mine Site at about 0.5 mile from the parking area. Continue on for approximately 6 miles after the mine passing Horsethief Canyon and Cactus Springs until you reach a saddle at about 5200 feet. This saddle is about 1 miles westerly from the summit. Leave the trail here and head easterly toward the summit. The highpoint of Martinez is the prominent pinnacle. To Climb the summit block (pinnacle), it is easiest to ascend from the SE side and it is rated easy Class 3.

Map of Entire Route:

Detail Map of route from Catus Spring:

You can also leave the trail earlier and bushwack your way up one of the steeper ridges or gullies, but it isn't much fun (I learned the hard way).

Martinez Mountain can be done as part of a shuttle trip starting at the Sawmill Trailhead (Cactus Spring Trail) and ending in Valerie Jean in the Coachella Valley. This hike would be approximately 38 miles long.

Pictures From a Hike to Martinez Mountain

Pictures from a hike to Martinez Mountain on December 2, 2006