Hiking Pumpkin Rock on Halloween

Love pumpkins? Love Halloween ? Love hiking ? Why not combine it all and go on a hike to a Pumpkin Rock in Norco.

Instead of treating your kids to methamphetamine laced candy lets hike the Pumpkin Rock!

Alight we all love to dress up for Halloween and do insane stuff! Probably some of the memorable life events has happened to each and everyone on that day. Now that we have little ones we’d like to continue the unjustified tradition of wearing scary, weird sometimes inappropriate costumes and do crazy stuff. Seriously, why having a child and enjoying a cultural appropriation day should be any different than doing it without kids?

Many parents will be taking their kids trick or treating. Children will be collecting super delicious processed sugar treats, sending a few kids to a dentist a few month following the binge.  How about an alternative to candy fest frenzy? Let’s go on a hike to Pumpkin Rock in Norco, Ca! A super fun ultra short hike with an awesome destination at the top of a mountain.

Kids at the Pumpkin Head Rock

Surprisingly we saw tons of parents and kids past weekend going up to the rock in what seemed an annual tradition for many. Some were dressed up in costumes of choice, some were geared up in a typical hiking getup. However it seemed that all were ecstatic about an opportunity of taking a selfy with a huge pumping colored orange rock!

The giant head at the top of the mountain clearly represents Tim Burton’s Jack Skellington. Just with a different paint skim – orange, traditional of Halloween pumpkin decoration. Our little dude ended up calling him “Nyam Nyam” – after a giant head character in one of his cartoons. He also tried to feed him, and of course being a dad I promised to feed Misha himself if he’ll misbehave.

The giant pumpkin head in Norco reminded me of Moai Eastern Island statues of Rapa Nui culture. Who know perhaps the remaining Jack Skellington’s body is underneath the sand waiting for October 31st to spring out and start collecting all the little children who misbehave. Well, at least that what I’ve told my little son. He was very unimpressed, and only added “Nyam Nyam,” while pointing at the giant rock.

Here’s some more info I found on Cris Hazzard’s website regarding the paint-job history of the rock.

Before it was painted as Pumpkin Rock it was called “elephant butt rock” because the unpainted boulder was big, gray, with a hairline crack down the middle. And over the years it’s been painted many things, including a Christmas ornament and a 76 gas station ball. The pumpkin rock version has been around since the mid-1990s. Two locals repaint the rock after it gets covered in grafitti. Some hikers have also been known to go out, buy paint, and give it a touch up. Who originally painted the pumpkin? I don’t know, but if you do, drop me a line.

Parking at the trail head.

The destination is pretty popular & nice people at Google made a pin on their map which you can easily search for and easily find. There is plenty of parking on the side street Crestview Dr. which immediately adjacent to the hike’s trailhead.

Also you can find parking at the George Ingalls Equestrian Event Center.

Besides the giant rock

Overall it was an easy going, although quiet steep hike. There are several trails leading to the Pumpking rock for you to choose from. You can also venture out to other rock formation nearby at the top of the crest.

We wanted to check out the George Ingalls Equestrian Event Center – although it can be a bit crowded for little kids especially during the big event.

Pikes Peak Park

Instead we went to see the Pikes Peak Park featuring cool “Barn Style” playground.  Also there was a whole area of like at least 10 parallel horseshoe toss pins – probably for older kids. The whole area is very Western themed. In fact City of Norco (abbreviated Northern Corona) is also known as the Horse town USA where sidewalks are replaced with horse trails. We’ll definitely going to be back, perhaps for a horse ride once we’re a bit older.