Meadow Loop 16 miles 5+ hours depending on speed and lunch stop time. Trail has beautiful vistas, meadows, forests with ferns, azaleas in June and early July. Elevation goes from 5875 at cabin to 8500 at intersection to Tahquitz Peak. Saddle Junction is at 8100 feet.

Permit is required: Go to Forest Service Ranger Station in town. Go down to Fern Valley where Creek House Restaurant is, turn left on Pinecrest. Ranger Station is on the right just before Hwy 243 (stop sign). Permits for Devil�s Slide Trail are limited to a certain number each day. If you haven�t been able to get one ahead of time, go down a bit before 8:00 a.m. on the day you wish to go and get one from the ranger. May order ahead by

Ride up the road, staying on left side until around the bend by the water tanks, past the next drive, before crossing over to the right side. Just past the fence by the next large water tank take �trail� down off to the right. About 50 yards you�ll come to a trail to the right (Ernie Maxwell Scenic Trail), turn up hill to the road again, going up and to the right at the loop portion in Humber Park to the trail head.

* Go up Devil�s Slide Trail (2.5 miles) to the Saddle Junction.

* From the Saddle, take trail marked to Willow.

* Go .5 mile and take first trail �Skunk Cabbage� to the right.

* Go .6 mile and at next trail intersection you could take a shorter loop by going right which takes you back to the Saddle and back down Devil�s Slide.

* Otherwise continue on (signs to Tahquitz Peak) .8 mile to Tahquitz Valley (meadow with stream running through). Wonderful rocks just past stream crossing for a lunch stop. DO NOT GRAZE horses in the meadow.

* Continue past intersection with Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) south. You�ll now be on PCT north. Go to intersection with trail to Tahquitz Peak.

* Nice views if you go just a bit up the trail toward the Peak (see the knob top of Lily Rock). Option to continue up to Tahquitz Peak (.4 mile). Shear drop offs, dramatic views.

* Turn north on PCT 1.4 miles back to the Saddle.

* Back down Devil�s Slide to Humber Park.

* Recommend walking horses back down left side of road (slippery) and be certain to cross over to the right before the blind turn around the water tank.

Water for horses: Some seasonal streams cross Devil�s Slide depending on rainfall. Almost always (only once in last 30 years dry), water in a �bowl� Jolly Spring. Water in Tahquitz Valley stream almost always. Willows crossing is a reliable source for water if other areas are dry and worth the extra trip if horses need water.