The Deer Springs trail climbs a vertical mile in about eight trail miles and is not to be missed. The average grade on this trail is not too steep and trees provide shade most of the way. The trailhead is along Hwy. 243 about 1/2 mile north of the ranger station in Idyllwild. The trail starts in the Transition Zone of oaks and giant Manzanita, with views of famous Lily Rock (Taquitz rock climbing) across the valley. Look for deer and quail in this life zone. The trail then works gradually upward through a mixed Sugar Pine and Jeffery Pine
forest. You'll pass lush
cienegas, house sized
boulders and open meadows of musky fragrant
Chinquapin before rising into an open sub-alpine Lodgepole forest. Near the summit wind stunted Lodgepoles and tundra-like plants dominate in a sparsely vegetated
sub-alpine area. While this hike is easily doable in a day, an overnight stay at
Little Round Valley would make this a nice overnighter. Water is abundant early in the summer but be sure to check with rangers for specifics. Thunderstorms are also common, especially in late summer.