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Hiking Morgan Trail

January 2, 2010 By Jeff Hester 5 Comments

Morgan Trail vista

Trail Details
Distance: 9.6 miles
Elev. gain: 1,804 feet
Duration: 3 hours, 55 minutes (with a long lunch break)
Difficulty: Moderate
Dogs are allowed
Best time to hike: October through May (too hot during the summer)
The Morgan Trail to Killen Road is a beautiful out-and-back hike through oak-lined valleys, crossing a usually-dry creek bed and rewarding you at the mid-way point with terrific views over Lake Elsinore and out to Mts. San Jacinto, San Gorgonio and Baldy. I hiked this with the Hiking OC meetup to clear my head after too much fun on New Years Eve.

The hike is mostly uphill to the turnaround point, but not too steep.

morgan-trail-post

Trailhead

A parking lot directly across from the Candy Store on Ortega Highway (map). A National Forest Adventure Pass is required. The day pass can be purchased at the Candy Store.

Post Hike Considerations

The Candy Store sells sandwiches, chocolate dipped strawberries and homemade fudge, among other things. Or if you want to reward yourself with a well-earned cerveza, you can head a little further up Ortega Highway to a biker bar called Hell’s Kitchen. It’s not as rough as it sounds, and you can get a burger and a beer.  The condiments are served in a casket!

Morgan Trail Map and Elevation Profile

© OpenStreetMap contributors
Download

Morgan Trail Photo Gallery

Morgan Trail vista
Joan Leads Six Guys
morgan-trail-post
morgan-trail

Download to view 3D in Google Earth

Related

Filed Under: Trail Guides Tagged With: 8-10 miles, dog-friendly, moderate, scenic, wilderness

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Jeff H

About Jeff Hester

I'm an avid hiker and backpacker. My wife Joan and I are on the trails every weekend. I started SoCal Hiker to share my passion for outdoor adventure.

Comments

  1. Krystal Dog Trainer says

    May 1, 2012 at 10:20 am

    I have lived in Lake Elsinore my whole life and never knew about this trail. Going to check it out! Thank you for the post.

    Reply
  2. C Hansen says

    December 28, 2016 at 7:15 pm

    Just to clarify, The West trailhead is on the same side of the road as the candy store at the bear Canyon Trail, then the Morgan Trail spurs off after 1 mile.

    If you hike to the east trail head, you will go through several types of vegetation , chaparral, then Oaks, had a great time. I would not advise it however in the middle of summer.

    Reply
  3. whitney says

    April 7, 2017 at 7:20 am

    this site is amazing, thank you for all your work on this! love the dogs allowed sorting feature! Trying this hike tomorrow morning

    Reply
  4. Jenn says

    May 30, 2019 at 1:47 pm

    Hi I just recently hiked the Morgan Trail and was wondering if anyone knows which plant/shrub I was smelling. The whole time I could smell the fragrance and it just blew me away. I thought it was juniper I was smelling, but I don’t think it is. The leaves look like Tarragon, but i’m not sure. There is one bud at the top of every stalk. Maybe it flowers I don’t know, but I was just there on Memorial Day weekend. I live on the East Coast and would love to know. Thank you!

    Reply

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About Jeff Hester

I created SoCal Hiker while preparing to thru-hike the John Muir Trail. My goal? Create guides for the best hiking trails throughout Southern California--and occasionally beyond. I personally hike each trail to create these guides, sharing practical advice on gear and outdoor skills. Read more...

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