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Mill Creek Visitor Center
Welcome!
The Mill Creek Visitor Center is located on the east side of the Front Country Ranger District, on State Route 38.
The Front Country Ranger District is a scenic mountain backdrop for San Bernardino and other inland empire communities. The steep chaparral-covered slopes descend into shaded canyons which support important riparian habitat. With large urban communities surrounding its borders, the Front Country District is a haven for city dwellers seeking a respite from the heat. Visitors flock to the cool canyons to relax in the streams, frequently exceeding the capacity of developed facilities. Mount San Gorgonio, the highest peak in southern California, is located here.
Address:
34701 Mill Creek RoadMentone, CA 92359
Services available by phone Friday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Mill Creek Visitor Center provides the following services:
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San Gorgonio Wilderness Permits - permits are subject to quota - call ahead to inquire on availability
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Forest Adventure Passes (Annual passes are not available at this location)
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Forest Maps and gifts
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Bear-resistant Canister Sales and Rentals
Forest Falls
Nestled in Mill Creek Canyon at the base of “Big Falls” waterfall, the community of Forest Falls presents a picturesque setting. The cool water and towering pines make it a frequent destination for summertime visitors. Easily reached by city dwellers during the winter months, it is the most popular destination on the Forest for winter snow play.
Mount San Gorgonio
At 11,502 feet, Mt. San Gorgonio is the highest peak in Southern California. It is located within the San Gorgonio Wilderness, one of the most heavily used wilderness areas in the country. Also located within the Wilderness is San Bernardino Peak, the starting point for the San Bernardino Base Meridian, from which all of southern California was surveyed in the 19th century.
Sand to Snow National Monument
The 154,000-acre monument extends from Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands on the Sonoran desert floor bordering Joshua Tree National Park, up to over 10,000 feet in the San Gorgonio Wilderness on the San Bernardino National Forest.
Click here for a PDF Map or our interactive map!
The striking diversity of lands within this monument is breathtaking – they are filled with the stories of ancient peoples, soaring mountain peaks, critical wildlife corridors and rich biological diversity. They also offer a wide variety of recreation opportunities for urban populations living close to the shadows of these majestic mountain peaks – the San Gorgonio Mountain region serves as an important recreational hub for 24 million people living within a two-hour drive of the area.
The Sand to Snow National Monument is co-managed by the U.S. Forest Service (71,000 acres on the San Bernardino National Forest) and the Bureau of Land Management (83,000 acres of the California Desert District). Within the monument boundary, both agencies manage approximately 101,000 acres as Wilderness.
Interested in volunteering?
Volunteers provide information and interpretation to visitors, develop publications, lead nature walks, present evening programs, construct displays, repair and build trails, patrol the San Gorgonio Wilderness, and operate the Barton Flats Visitor Center. Volunteers attend a day-long training workshop every year in May. SGWA sells maps and other publications and has published a book on the San Gorgonio Wilderness.
Contact:
San Gorgonio Wilderness Association
c/o Mill Creek Visitor Center
34701 Mill Creek RoadMentone, CA 92359
