With my wife needing to be at the location early for the retreat we were attending, I had the chance to spend some time hiking. Just to the east of the camp where the retreat was being held was Mill Peak. There weren’t any direct trails from the camp, so I drove over to the trailhead along Keller Peak road. I grabbed my gear and set off along the Exploration Trail. If I had time, I could follow this trail all the way to Keller Peak.
I cruised along the trail, crossing over a not-so-dry Dry Creek. The day felt like a perfect autumn day, rather than the end of January. I eventually left the Exploration Trail and began the final push to the summit. OnX showed two trails from this junction that later rejoined. I chose the one that followed the ravine. Now near the summit, I could see San Bernardino snow-capped off to the southeast, and Keller Peak almost directly due east.
Some trip reports said the summit was overgrown with buckthorn, but it appears that trail crews had come through and cleared a perfect path to the granite summit. I scrambled to the top and enjoyed the views. The inland empire was spread out to the southwest. I signed the register before having my lunch.
After scrambling down from the summit, I headed back down. Instead of using the trail that followed the ravine, I opted for the other route. This route had a pretty steep section and required a little care to descend. Back at the car, I checked in with my wife to see if I was needed, and was told that everything was under control. The hike was 3.4 miles long, and I spent 1:33 on the trail, including lunch. The hike had a nice 702 feet of gain, but with the summit at 6,657 feet, you will feel it some.
I am an avid peak bagger, sometimes backpacker, and former sea kayaker living in San Diego. I am the co-author of Urban Trails: San Diego, coming in Spring 2026!
In 2019, I became the third person to complete the San Diego 100 Peak Challenge. Not stopping with that accomplishment, I set my sights on the harder San Diego Sierra Club 100 Peak list, which I completed in 2021. In addition, I have conquered several Six-Pack of Peaks challenges (SoCal, San Diego, Central Coast, and both the Arizona-Winter and Arizona-Summer).
I am looking forward to exploring new summits and new adventures across the southwest.