The easiest way of commuting to Casino Peak is by catching a local bus direct to Mantalongon (Dalaguete) from Cebu City South Bus Terminal or Carbon Market, travel time is about three hours and fare is around P120. However, the firs trip is around 6AM to 7AM, which is too late if you are aiming for sunrise.
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Added by Shaun O'Neill
Mt. Beacon is a perfect hike for both sunrise and sunset, as well as the New York City skyline on a clear day. There are also tons of options for post hike food and adult beverages.
Mount Beacon is a very popular trail along the Hudson River, and for good reason. It offers a good workout, fantastic views for both sunrise and sunset (and of course the time in between), a recently rebuilt fire tower, and all with incredibly easy access right on the edge of a lively town.
The mountain has a designated parking lot (41.493900, -73.959934) with plenty of space, though on a beautiful summer weekend don't be shocked if you're left parking on the side streets. The trailhead has an information kiosk that gives some of the history of the mountain, including old pictures of the casino and motor house who's ruins you'll be exploring a bit later.
Your journey takes you up a short stretch of gravel trail which leads to a giant metal staircase (which I suggest walking along side of if you have a dog who happens to be terrified of stairs). You then begin the switchbacks which seem to get more daunting with each pass, up the red trail. Loose rocks are plentiful and I suggest sturdy footwear and a little caution as you make your way up, no one wants to roll an ankle before getting to the big payoff at the top. You can definitely make this a family hike and I've seen a great many casual walkers and hikers on this trail, but it can be tiring. Don't feel bad taking breaks as you need them, you won't be the only one huffing and puffing.
The back and forth will eventually get you high enough that the sky opens up above you, and you can turn around to get your first glimpse of Beacon laid out below. Continue up and you'll see the first landmark that lets you know you've made it, the motor house. The brick walls still stand and house the massive rusted gears and motor that used to chug people up and down the mountain. Given all the work you just did to get this far, you'll probably appreciate the view much more than they ever did!
Past the motor house lies the foundation of what used to be the casino, which now acts as a perfect concrete platform to take in the first big views. With Beacon directly below you the view stretches out across the Hudson and well out west towards Pennsylvania. This in its own right is a beautiful place to take in a sunset, and if you stopped here and went back no one would blame you. But you shouldn't, because the best is yet to come.
As you turn around from the look out, you can follow the service road towards the fire tower which you'll be able to see from here. Things get a bit hairy, technically this is a continuation of the red trail which you've been on but since you're following the service roads that are used to maintain the radio towers at the top of the mountain other roads do break off in different directions. As a plus, if you do take one of these side roads to the very top of the mountain and walk around the fenced in building you get to check out the Daughters of the American Revolution memorial which has stood watchful over the valley for over a hundred years. Keep to the well worn path and look out for the occasional red blazes, eventually it stops being a service road and starts being a trail again. The approximate GPS coordinates for the fire tower itself are 41.481384, -73.944646, so when in doubt follow the trail that looks to head that way and you should be good. Follow it through the little field of cairns and keep an eye out for white blazes, which you'll see just before the final push up the mountain to the fire tower. The last stretch takes you up sheer rock, which can be slick if damp, and opens up for a panoramic view in every direction.
The fire tower is sturdy, rebuilt not long ago with the help of local jeep clubs that hauled workers and supplies to the top of the mountain, and provides an unbeatable 360 degree view as far down as New York City on a clear day. It's the perfect spot for a sunrise or sunset, and the trail back and forth is clear enough to do in the dark by headlamp. Enjoy your snacks, take your pictures, soak up the beauty, and head on back the way you came fully understanding why the people coming down the mountain looked so happy while you were suffering on the way up!
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Join the communityReviews
Ross Danis
19 days ago
Steep but worth it
RED TRAIL: The fist 1.5 miles are uphill, rocky and fairly strenuous but from the casino to the fire tower it levels out a bit. We packed lunch and enjoyed the 360 views from the fire tower before heading back down.
5.0
Anne Piotrzkowski
3 months ago
Sunday afternoon
It was a great afternoon. A bit steep but doable & well worth it for the beautiful views.
5.0
Cody Becker
about 3 years ago
Awesome
Casino Peak In Dalaguete
Much much steeper than we thought but enough places to sit and wait a bit while others still have room to pass. Dogs are allowed and we had an awesome time.
5.0
Casino Peak Hike Grand Canyon
Greer Smith
over 3 years ago
Intense
This was harder than I thought it would be but once you get to the first overlook it's totally worth it. Took path to fire tower which is easier but more rocks. Took back paths to reservoir then crossed the dam and followed white to yellow to red blazes - helps avoid the rocky trip down of you just traced your steps back. 6.5 miles in 2 hours and 45 mins. Exhausting but rewarding views and exercise.
5.0
Michael Martineau
Explorer🥇Top Contributor
over 4 years ago
Great Hike
Very nice hike up in Beacon, NY. The hike up is steep and very rocky but it is super simple to follow. You will see a lot of children and dogs on the trails so this hike is very family friendly. The ruins at the first overlook are very cool and the overlook is good. I prefer views that are not overlooking houses or towns so if you head to the left of the old cable car ruins you will find a more forest/river lookout. Definitely try to get to the fire tower. The views from up there are incredible of the Hudson Valley.
4.0
Casino Peak Hike Trail
Leave No Trace
Added by Shaun O'Neill
Mt. Beacon is a perfect hike for both sunrise and sunset, as well as the New York City skyline on a clear day. There are also tons of options for post hike food and adult beverages.
Mount Beacon is a very popular trail along the Hudson River, and for good reason. It offers a good workout, fantastic views for both sunrise and sunset (and of course the time in between), a recently rebuilt fire tower, and all with incredibly easy access right on the edge of a lively town.
The mountain has a designated parking lot (41.493900, -73.959934) with plenty of space, though on a beautiful summer weekend don't be shocked if you're left parking on the side streets. The trailhead has an information kiosk that gives some of the history of the mountain, including old pictures of the casino and motor house who's ruins you'll be exploring a bit later.
Your journey takes you up a short stretch of gravel trail which leads to a giant metal staircase (which I suggest walking along side of if you have a dog who happens to be terrified of stairs). You then begin the switchbacks which seem to get more daunting with each pass, up the red trail. Loose rocks are plentiful and I suggest sturdy footwear and a little caution as you make your way up, no one wants to roll an ankle before getting to the big payoff at the top. You can definitely make this a family hike and I've seen a great many casual walkers and hikers on this trail, but it can be tiring. Don't feel bad taking breaks as you need them, you won't be the only one huffing and puffing.
The back and forth will eventually get you high enough that the sky opens up above you, and you can turn around to get your first glimpse of Beacon laid out below. Continue up and you'll see the first landmark that lets you know you've made it, the motor house. The brick walls still stand and house the massive rusted gears and motor that used to chug people up and down the mountain. Given all the work you just did to get this far, you'll probably appreciate the view much more than they ever did!
Past the motor house lies the foundation of what used to be the casino, which now acts as a perfect concrete platform to take in the first big views. With Beacon directly below you the view stretches out across the Hudson and well out west towards Pennsylvania. This in its own right is a beautiful place to take in a sunset, and if you stopped here and went back no one would blame you. But you shouldn't, because the best is yet to come.
As you turn around from the look out, you can follow the service road towards the fire tower which you'll be able to see from here. Things get a bit hairy, technically this is a continuation of the red trail which you've been on but since you're following the service roads that are used to maintain the radio towers at the top of the mountain other roads do break off in different directions. As a plus, if you do take one of these side roads to the very top of the mountain and walk around the fenced in building you get to check out the Daughters of the American Revolution memorial which has stood watchful over the valley for over a hundred years. Keep to the well worn path and look out for the occasional red blazes, eventually it stops being a service road and starts being a trail again. The approximate GPS coordinates for the fire tower itself are 41.481384, -73.944646, so when in doubt follow the trail that looks to head that way and you should be good. Follow it through the little field of cairns and keep an eye out for white blazes, which you'll see just before the final push up the mountain to the fire tower. The last stretch takes you up sheer rock, which can be slick if damp, and opens up for a panoramic view in every direction.
The fire tower is sturdy, rebuilt not long ago with the help of local jeep clubs that hauled workers and supplies to the top of the mountain, and provides an unbeatable 360 degree view as far down as New York City on a clear day. It's the perfect spot for a sunrise or sunset, and the trail back and forth is clear enough to do in the dark by headlamp. Enjoy your snacks, take your pictures, soak up the beauty, and head on back the way you came fully understanding why the people coming down the mountain looked so happy while you were suffering on the way up!
We're committed to building a better, more inclusive home for the modern outdoors. Go PRO to support our mission and get benefits like gear deals, no ads, and more!
Join the communityReviews
Ross Danis
19 days ago
Steep but worth it
RED TRAIL: The fist 1.5 miles are uphill, rocky and fairly strenuous but from the casino to the fire tower it levels out a bit. We packed lunch and enjoyed the 360 views from the fire tower before heading back down.
5.0
Anne Piotrzkowski
3 months ago
Sunday afternoon
It was a great afternoon. A bit steep but doable & well worth it for the beautiful views.
5.0
Cody Becker
about 3 years ago
Awesome
Casino Peak In Dalaguete
Much much steeper than we thought but enough places to sit and wait a bit while others still have room to pass. Dogs are allowed and we had an awesome time.
5.0
Casino Peak Hike Grand Canyon
Greer Smith
over 3 years ago
Intense
This was harder than I thought it would be but once you get to the first overlook it's totally worth it. Took path to fire tower which is easier but more rocks. Took back paths to reservoir then crossed the dam and followed white to yellow to red blazes - helps avoid the rocky trip down of you just traced your steps back. 6.5 miles in 2 hours and 45 mins. Exhausting but rewarding views and exercise.
5.0
Michael Martineau
Explorer🥇Top Contributor
over 4 years ago
Great Hike
Very nice hike up in Beacon, NY. The hike up is steep and very rocky but it is super simple to follow. You will see a lot of children and dogs on the trails so this hike is very family friendly. The ruins at the first overlook are very cool and the overlook is good. I prefer views that are not overlooking houses or towns so if you head to the left of the old cable car ruins you will find a more forest/river lookout. Definitely try to get to the fire tower. The views from up there are incredible of the Hudson Valley.
4.0
Casino Peak Hike Trail
Leave No Trace
Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!
We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on.
Like so many other trails in the county, Sycuan Peak had been on our 'to-hike' list for some time. But every week it got shunted to the bottom of the list because it always seemed like such a long drive for so short a hike. But after countless sweltering hot days, we finally had a day where temperatures were forecast to be reasonable. We decided if we kept the hike short and went early enough, we could bring one of our monsters along, so the ever amazing Apollo joined us.
So Sycuan Peak it was. We managed to find the rather obscure trail head without too much difficulty, and squeezed our small car into the narrow dirt turnout along the road. There's not a whole lot of space for parking and larger vehicles may have some issues getting all the way off the pavement, so plan accordingly if you decide to do this one. We ducked under the chain draped between two metal posts where signs marking the Preserve's boundary and proclaiming the area off-limits to motorized vehicles hung.
At one point in the past the trail had been a dirt road winding its way up the mountain to where an airplane beacon once stood on the peak. Now, however, it was a beautiful testament to the powers of erosion.
The route was easy enough to follow as there were no junctions or turns to worry about. As we wound our way up the rocky trail, it wasn't long before we started getting some beautiful views of our surroundings.
The clouds were being especially dramatic too.
When not distracted by the fabulous views we were gaining, we noticed some grasshoppers sharing the trail with us.
The road was in increasingly poor condition as we ascended, requiring some attention and the occasional hop from one side of an eroded chasm to the other. It was steep and rocky, and definitely in less better shape than many trails we'd done, but overall wasn't exceptionally difficult.
The hillside around us was covered in dense chaparral. Sycuan Peak, like nearby McGinty Mountain, is home to the rare plant Dehesa beargrass. It grows in clumps of thin, green, ribbon-like leaves and looks somewhat similar to mojave yucca.
To the south we could see the wide crest of Lyon's Peak.
Casino Peak Hike Colorado Springs
To the west was San Miguel Mountain.
To the east was Lawson Valley, and Cuyamaca Peak far in the distance.
As beautiful as the views were, we weren't even at the top yet. So we continued up the red, rocky road.
Soon, we crested a rise and found a wide open area just below the peak. We made our way around the south flank, heading towards the old power pole.
Upon reaching the pole, we had to squeeze through some overgrown brush and scramble over a few boulders to reach the official summit. We found a benchmark in one of the rocks, but no peak register.
We lounged upon the boulders for a few minutes, eating our snacks, watering the dog, and enjoying the views.
Despite the mild forecast however, the day was starting to get considerably warmer than we had anticipated. We decided it was best to return Apollo to the air-conditioned comfort of the car before the day's heat set in, and headed back down the mountain.
View the full photo gallery
Directions:
Take 94 East until it turns into Campo Road. Turn right onto CA-94 E/Campo Road (You'll see TGI Friday's across the street). Continue along Campo Road for approximately 4.5 miles, turn left onto Lyons Valley Road. After approximately 1.6 miles, Lyons Valley Road turns into Skyline Truck Trail. Continue on Skyline Truck Trail for approximately 2.2 miles, and turn left onto Lawson Valley Road. Proceed on Lawson Valley Road for another 2.2 miles. The trail head is at a narrow dirt turn out on the left side of the road, just past mile marker 2.5. Gold country casino. Make sure you park all the way off the road, larger vehicles may have some issues here, so plan accordingly. map
| Total Distance: | 2.15 miles |
| Difficulty: | Moderate |
| Total Ascent: | 743 feet |
| Dog Friendly?: | Leashed dogs allowed |
| Bike Friendly?: | No |
| Facilities: | None |
| Fees/Permits: | None |
Casino Peak Hike Pass
For more information, visit:
CA Department of Fish & Wildlife – Sycuan Peak Ecological Reserve
View route on google maps
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