Joshua Tree NP - Cutting Edge - 3.jpg
Jarek Tuszyński · CC BY-SA 3.0

Surprise Tank via California Riding and Hiking Trail is an 11.5-mile out-and-back near Pinto Wye, CA. The route reaches Surprise Tank at the turnaround, 5.7 miles in. It climbs 600 ft. It scores 90/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi4,315 – 4,547 ft11.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: 34? 33.98292, -116.15571
Nearest town Pinto Wye, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Surprise Tank via California Riding and Hiking Trail

11.5 mi · ▲ 600 ft · 4 hr 8 min

Elevation 4,314–4,547 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: 34? · 33.98292, -116.15571

Weather Aug 4: Clear, high 97°F / low 74° · precip 1% · wind 10 mph · sunrise 5:59 AM · sunset 7:44 PM

Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Equistrian/Cycle Camping Only, heading NE.
  2. 200 ftTurn right onto Ryan Mountain Campground Road, heading SW.
  3. 50 ftContinue straight onto equstrian trailer parking?, heading S.
  4. 50 ftTurn left onto Ryan Mountain Campground Road, heading SE.
  5. 400 ftBear left, heading SE.
  6. 50 ftContinue straight onto California Riding and Hiking Trail, heading SE.
  7. 1.9 miBear right, heading SE.
  8. 0.2 miBear right, heading S.
  9. 3.2 miSharp right, heading NE.
  10. 0.4 miReach Surprise Tank, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  11. 3.6 miBear right, heading NW.
  12. 0.2 miBear right, heading NW.
  13. 1.9 miBear right onto Ryan Mountain Campground Road, heading W.
  14. 400 ftTurn right onto equstrian trailer parking?, heading W.
  15. 50 ftContinue straight onto Ryan Mountain Campground Road, heading W.
  16. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  17. 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

1% dirt99% unspecified

Weather

ClearTemperature 97°F74°
Feels like80°Precip1%Wind10 mphUV9Humidity27%
Hourly temperature
100°70°
Sunrise 5:59 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:44 PM
Wed 94°69°
Thu 97°76°
Fri 98°80°
Sat 99°81°
Sun 95°78°
Mon 93°75°

Good to know

  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from 34? Trailhead