Picnic at Pumpkin Rock

Halloween Hike to Pumpkin Rock in Norco

“‘This is Halloween, this is Halloween,’ pumpkins scream in the dead of night,” intones a chorus of disembodied voices in Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, whose protagonist is Jack Skellington the Pumpkin King. Now that the Pumpkin King has reached iconic status as the emblem of Creepy Season, it’s only fitting that he crowns a mountaintop.

Thanks to a team of local artists, you can visit this legendary being high in the hills of Norco, overlooking the Jurupa Valley. The hike is short and fairly easy, roughly two miles round-trip starting from the George Engalls Equestrian Center. The trailhead isn’t marked; the only indicator you’ll see is a mostly faded trail sign near where Sixth Street meets the equestrian center.

Of course, the better clue is the giant smiling pumpkin staring down at you from above! From the trailhead, follow the path until you see a trail split off to the left, leading up the hill (if you reach the horse sculptures, you’ve gone too far, though they do make a fun detour!). Take that side trail up the mountain until you come face to face with the Pumpkin King himself! It’s a steep trek, and the gravel is loose, but it’s worth the effort.

Once upon a time, Pumpkin Rock was called Elephant Rock, and over the years it has been repainted many times—once as a giant Union 76 ball! So while it might be a Jack Skellington–inspired jack-o’-lantern right now, who knows what it may become in the future? Something to ponder as you picnic at its base, enjoying amazing views of the Jurupa Valley far below. You can almost hear voices…This is Halloween, this is Halloween, Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!

Take the I-15 to Norco, exit at Sixth St., and head east. You can either turn right on Crestview Dr. and park in the George Engalls Equestrian Center, or take Sixth St. until it ends and park on the residential street. Be sure to obey all posted parking signs. Dog-friendly!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Serene Las Gallinas

    A serene stroll alongside marshland, passing ponds and grasses frilled in seasonal wildflowers, with Mount Tam a beacon in the background … how nice. As part of the esteemed Bay Trail, San Rafael’s Las Gallinas Valley Birding Loop and Wildlife Ponds comprises about 3.5 miles of wide-open trail.

    View
  2. Paint Brushy

    This time of year you’ll have good reason to head for the hills—the electric-green rolling hills of Brushy Peak Regional Preserve in Livermore. This 4.5-mile loop hike is like stepping into a plein air painting.

    View
  3. Sponsored

    2025 POST Wildflower Walks

    Get flower empowered! POST’s complimentary 2025 Wildflower Walks guide blooms with the best places to see a variety of florals across the Peninsula and South Bay this spring.

    View
  4. All right, Almaden!

    Take a trip through time on this 5-mile loop in Almaden Quicksilver County Park. Explore the ruins of an old cinnabar mine and enjoy the first hints of wildflower season.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Sponsored

    Weekend in Reno Tahoe

    Weekend plans? Reno Tahoe! Just a few hours by car or a short flight away, Reno Tahoe springs to the moment with great ways to combine adventure and relaxation in its beautiful mountains-meets-desert setting.

    View
  2. Hiker walking along the North Bluff Trail on Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands National Park

    Purely Wild

    Channel Islands National Park lives up to its nickname as “North America’s Galapagos.” This less-traveled national park is an undeveloped and isolated series of five dramatic and distinct islands reached by boat. Hike the largest of the islands, Santa Cruz.

    View
  3. Woman hiking the South Kaibab Trail in the Grand Canyon

    Truly Grand Day Hike

    One of the best spring day hikes in the Grand Canyon? See layer upon layer of the park’s grandeur—including the river—on this 3-mile (one-way) journey to Skeleton Point via the South Kaibab Trail.

    View
  4. A woman stands amid an array of yellow and purple flowers at Descanso Gardens in Los Angeles

    Petal Paradise

    Tulips, lilacs, and daffodils—flower power is in full bloom at Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge. Sprawling across 150 acres surrounded by mountains, the gardens are putting on their best show right now.

    View