Sunset at Joshua Tree National Park.jpg
Michael Kwok · CC BY 2.0

Big Mo–Chongo Boulder, 6 cliffs is a 2.6-mile out-and-back near Smoke Tree, CA. The route passes Chongo Boulder, Big Mo and Echo Cove before reaching Touch and Go Face at the turnaround, 1.3 miles in. It is mostly level, with 55 ft of elevation gain. It scores 68/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi4,210 – 4,282 ft3.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 34.02509, -116.14165
Nearest town Smoke Tree, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Big Mo–Chongo Boulder, 6 cliffs

2.6 mi · ▲ 55 ft · 54 min

Elevation 4,209–4,281 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: 34.02509, -116.14165

Weather Aug 4: Clear, high 98°F / low 78° · precip 0% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 5:58 AM · sunset 7:45 PM

Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading N.
  2. 50 ftTurn right onto Wall Street Mill Trail, heading NW.
  3. 50 ftContinue straight onto Barker Dam Nature, heading NW.
  4. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Barker Dam Trail, heading SW.
  5. 0.6 miBear right, heading W.
  6. 300 ftBear right, heading SW.
  7. 200 ftTurn left, heading W.
  8. 50 ftTurn right onto Keys Ranch Road, heading W.
  9. 0.1 miPass Chongo Boulder.
  10. 400 ftSharp right, heading N.
  11. 150 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  12. 50 ftPass Echo Cove.
  13. 50 ftPass Touch and Go Face.
  14. 50 ftReach Big Mo, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  15. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  16. 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
  17. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  18. 150 ftBear left, heading NW.
  19. 300 ftBear left onto Barker Dam Trail, heading SE.
  20. 0.6 miContinue straight onto Barker Dam Nature, heading E.
  21. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Wall Street Mill Trail, heading E.
  22. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  23. 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail surface

54% dirt1% paved45% unspecified

Weather

ClearTemperature 98°F78°
Feels like80°Precip0%Wind3 mphUV9Humidity14%
Hourly temperature
100°75°
Sunrise 5:58 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:45 PM
Tue 97°74°
Wed 94°67°
Thu 98°78°
Fri 99°80°
Sat 99°81°
Sun 94°78°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.2 mi in (~4 min). Leave by 7:21 PM for the 7:45 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:04 PM — 8 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from this trailhead