AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
Joshua Tree morning.jpg
cappellacci · CC BY 2.0

California Riding and Hiking Trail

13.1 mi · ▲ 679 ft · 4 hr 42 min

California Riding and Hiking Trail is a 13.1-mile out-and-back near Pinto Wye, CA. It climbs 679 ft. It scores 89/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi3,901 – 4,505 ft13.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Desert Queen Mine Road 34.01803, -116.08245
Nearest town Pinto Wye, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

California Riding and Hiking Trail

13.1 mi · ▲ 679 ft · 4 hr 42 min

Elevation 3,901–4,505 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: Desert Queen Mine Road · 34.01803, -116.08245

Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 98°F / low 82° · precip 0% · wind 14 mph · sunrise 5:58 AM · sunset 7:45 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Desert Queen Mine Road, heading SW.
  2. 2.3 miTurn left onto California Riding and Hiking Trail, heading E.
  3. 4.2 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  4. 4.2 miTurn right onto Geology Tour Road, heading W.
  5. 2.3 miArrive back at the trailhead.

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

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/california-riding-and-hiking-trail-out-back-21-km-6017

Trail surface

35% sand65% unspecified

Weather

ClearTemperature 98°F82°
Feels like84°Precip0%Wind14 mphUV9Humidity16%
Hourly temperature
100°80°
Sunrise 5:58 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:45 PM
Tue 98°78°
Wed 94°71°
Thu 97°77°
Fri 98°80°
Sat 98°80°
Sun 94°77°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 7:25 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 7:45 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 8:12 PM.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Desert Queen Mine Road Trailhead

Hikes near Pinto Wye, California