Distance: 5.3 miles round trip on trail and use trail
Summit Elevation: 2217' (Jurupa), 1913' (Peak 1913)
Prominence: 1167' (Jurupa), 613' (Peak 1913)
Elevation Gain: 2057'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 1.64
Round trip time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Recommended water: 48 oz.
Parking/Fees: Free at Martin Tudor Regional Park
Difficulty: Easy
Mt. Jurupa is north of Riverside and south of Fontana off highway 60. It is one of the many small, but fun urban mountains in the area. There was plenty of parking at the Martin Tudor park and plenty of amenities including restrooms, tables, and play structures. The Jurupa Hills north trail starts northwest of the parking area around a fence. I took a shortcut through the fence to reach the trail. One of the steepest sections is right near the start up wide rutted dirt. A few places were rocky along the way and it is a nice cardio workout. It is also a graffiti art gallery. In general, I despise graffiti in a natural setting, but the city has obviously lost the battle in the park. And I must admit, a lot of the art and murals are high quality and took a lot of effort. Amid the spray painted initials and gang related stuff were images of Pink Floyd, Hunter S. Thompson, Skulls, Donald Duck, and more. After getting over being offended, I started to enjoy the art. I reached the wide, flat top of Mt. Jurupa in a little over 30 minutes and talked with some mountain bikers. Great 360 views greeted me on an unusually clear day. All the major ranges were in clear view. Airplanes flew by regularly on approach to LAX. I walked around the summit but didn't find a benchmark. After a short break, I started down. I tried to picture a route up the second highest peak in the Jurupa Mountains, Peak 1913, just on the other side of Sierra Avenue. I could see a clear road near the top, and a possible use trail on the west side. I didn't see any crosswalks in either direction or any way to get across the busy street other than running across. When I got back to the car, I replaced the bottle of water I drank then headed to the south side of the park to look for a way to Peak 1913. Round trip stats for Jurupa alone were 2.5 miles and 1130' gain.
Start
Follow the white rabbit
The Wall and Dark Side of the Moon
Hunter S. Thompson
San Gabriel Mountains from Jurupa, and a plane on the way to LAX
Santa Ana Mountains
Looking down on Peak 1913
At the south end of the park, I continued on a dirt road hoping to find an overpass that might allow me under the road. Not far past the turnaround, I spotted a large round steel culvert going under the road. Bingo! It was decorated with graffiti but the way was clear. I had to jump over some muddy water at the far end but was energized after finding this secret passage. A trail continued outside the concrete walls of the community nestled against Peak 1913. Around the next corner was the use trail I needed. The dirt was soft from rain a few days before. Like Jurupa, the first section was the steepest. The trail connected with a dirt road for the second hill, then I was on the saddle between Peak 1913 and a lookout point. First things first, I followed the road to the summit and got a great look at Jurupa and the other local hills. No benchmark, no register. Then, I descended back to the saddle and headed out to the lookout point. There was a large class 1 boulder there and more great views. I only lingered for photos before heading back down the use trail, through the culvert, and back to the park. I collected some plastic bottles and other assorted garbage on the way back, but honestly, it didn't make much of a dent in the litter. I was the only person on Peak 1913.
Passage under the road
Peak 1913 from the top of the first hill
Mt. Jurupa from Peak 1913
Lookout point
Oak Quarry Golf Club
Doggy grave
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