The trail named after a long time resident of the quaint mountain town of Idyllwild. He was also the founder of Idyllwilds local rag, the Town Crier. Ernie Maxwell packed horses up to the high country. He started the trail to get the Horses back to the barn along the casey anthony trial base of the mountain instead of making the long trek to town and back up to the barn. Barn sour horses motorized vehicles and pavement do not make for a good mix.

The idea of this trail was then completed by prison workers in 1959. Over time Ernie stopped using it for horses. Although he did enjoy the trail so much that he continued to hike it for many years.

I hiked it for the first time when I was ten,

My first trek on this trail was with my mom and two sisters in 1969. I loved it then. I still love it and even more today. Because of my mom, the beginning of my exploration of the great outdoors and the history of this amazing country was born in me.