Wrightwood, California

Wrightwood sits in a pine-covered valley in the eastern San Gabriel Mountains, above the western Mojave Desert. Coming up from the desert, you leave the Joshua trees behind and climb into cooler air and mountain forest. The community lies along Highway 2 at about 6,000 feet in elevation. wwhistory.org Long before there was a town, Serrano people traveled through these mountains, gathering food and moving between the high country and lower elevations with the seasons. In the nineteenth century, the Swarthout family grazed cattle here. Their name stayed with Swarthout Valley.

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Sumner Wright began buying property in the valley in 1906. He raised cattle, planted apple orchards, and expanded his holdings. Wrightwood takes its name from him. During the 1920s, ranch land began turning into residential lots, and cabins brought a different kind of settlement to the valley. People came to spend summers in the mountains, enjoy the snow, or settle down. A few older buildings and surviving apple trees recall the ranching years. wwhistory.org Wrightwood grew into a mountain community with a mix of full-time residents and vacation homes. Shops, restaurants, and local services cluster in the village center. It remains unincorporated, with a population of 4,720 recorded in the 2020 census.

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The surrounding mountains draw visitors throughout the year. Mountain High brings skiers and snowboarders in winter. Nearby Big Pines offers campgrounds, picnic areas, and trails, while Jackson Lake and Mount Baden-Powell give visitors other places to explore. The Pacific Crest Trail follows the high country near town.

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Wrightwood belongs to the mountains, but the Mojave is close by. That change from desert slopes to pine forest is part of what gives the place its character.

We wish to express our thanks and gratitude to the following:

Mountain Hardware

MH Sleds

Grizzly Cafe

G.A. Mercantile