Hiking Mount Rubidoux, Riverside, CA

Today was another travel day.  After moving to three different sites at Rancho Jurupa Regional Park in Riverside, our two weeks in the Cottonwood campground were up and it was time to move on.  We headed back to Bakersfield as planned.  We’ll here for eight nights, then move on to Pismo Coast Village for a couple of months.

We are staying at Bakersfield RV Resort on Wible Road again.  I know that many other RVers stay at Orange Grove RV Park in Bakersfield, but we like this resort and its location. 

While we were in Riverside, we bought a bag of oranges at a stand near an orange grove.  The oranges are delicious, and while we didn’t pick them ourselves and they weren’t free, we only paid $5 for the ten-pound bag.

Dave and I both liked visiting Riverside and we both liked the RV park, so I think we’ll come back another winter for a week or two.  Near the park was Mount Rubidoux and on the north side of the mountain there is a bike path that follows the Santa Ana River. 

View of downtown Riverside from the path up Mount Rubidoux.

This bike path will eventually go all the way from Huntington Beach to the San Bernardino National Forest.  We only rode our bicycles on a small portion of the path.  We were impressed because we’ve been on “bike paths” that stop at every intersection and stop light.  Once we were on the Santa Ana path, we didn’t need to stop at all.  All the roads and freeways were overpasses above the paved bike path.  This was pure joy for even amateur bikers like Dave and me! 

Since I can’t take pictures while I am zipping along on my bike, I’ll share some pictures of the hike we made up Mount Rubidoux.  The hike offers the choice of a longer, steadier climb or a shorter but steeper trip.  The trail itself is an old road that has been locked and gated and made accessible only to pedestrians and bicyclists.  Hikers can enjoy a quick and steep 1.25-mile outing to the summit or follow the more gradual 2.25-mile ascent to the top.

The paved path up the mountain.

Along the path we saw this castle-like building which was a tribute to dogs and peace.  I didn’t quite get that connection.

Easter sunrises services are held at the cross at the top of Mount Rubidoux.  This area is owned by a private conservancy, so there’s no problem with the cross remaining at the top of Mount Rubidoux!

View from the cross back down the mountain.

What a great hike! We did it twice, but the first time we didn’t know where the road was, so we hiked up a dirt trail along the side of the mountain  We didn’t make it to the summit that day!