I have seen many hikes going to the top of Mt. Rubidoux, but have never actually done it myself. After a yoga class, I decided to give it a shot. The temperatures have already hit the low 80's so it was not going to be a cool hike, but at about 3 miles round trip and a little over 500 ft elevation gain, this was not something I would shy away from, even on a hot day.
I parked on a street nearby the trail head and started my ascent. The trail is easy to hike, it is paved all the way to the top. Even with my regular sneakers, I did not have any issues. There were lots of people, a really heavily trafficked trail, even in the middle of a hot day. It seems like locals come here to exercise regularly running or just walking.
The views of the city were a bit obstructed by worse than average air quality, but you could still see the mountains in the distance. For some reason, Riverside reminded me of Fresno...
The park itself is very well maintained. In addition to being clean, it has multiple seating areas overlooking the city on all sides of the mountain. The infrastructure is definitely well-thought out and family-friendly. There were a few interesting spots that I took note of. One is the Peace tower dedicated to Frank Miller, one of the founders of the Huntington Park Association and a guy who donated the property to Riverside in 1955.
Another spot is the peak of the mountain that is decorated with a large white cross. As I found out from one of the fellow bloggers, the Easter Sunrise Service takes place here yearly. There were several people there, so I did not want to take a picture of it. I am sure you can find it everywhere else online!
I also spotted a cool bridge and could not help but appreciate the wooden structure of it that has held up so well through the years.
Overall, it was a good walk. I probably would not do it in the middle of the day like this time, and maybe even wait until the end of the summer for the weather to cool down. I have also become quite sensitive to air pollution after living in Fresno, so the best time to go there is after a good rain.
As I left the park and headed to buy groceries, I found some news on my phone saying that there was a brush fire less than an hour after my departure. I guess the wildfire season is starting :(
I parked on a street nearby the trail head and started my ascent. The trail is easy to hike, it is paved all the way to the top. Even with my regular sneakers, I did not have any issues. There were lots of people, a really heavily trafficked trail, even in the middle of a hot day. It seems like locals come here to exercise regularly running or just walking.
The views of the city were a bit obstructed by worse than average air quality, but you could still see the mountains in the distance. For some reason, Riverside reminded me of Fresno...
Another spot is the peak of the mountain that is decorated with a large white cross. As I found out from one of the fellow bloggers, the Easter Sunrise Service takes place here yearly. There were several people there, so I did not want to take a picture of it. I am sure you can find it everywhere else online!
I also spotted a cool bridge and could not help but appreciate the wooden structure of it that has held up so well through the years.
Overall, it was a good walk. I probably would not do it in the middle of the day like this time, and maybe even wait until the end of the summer for the weather to cool down. I have also become quite sensitive to air pollution after living in Fresno, so the best time to go there is after a good rain.
As I left the park and headed to buy groceries, I found some news on my phone saying that there was a brush fire less than an hour after my departure. I guess the wildfire season is starting :(
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