Cylindropuntia chuckwallensis 18.jpg
Alexander Wentworth · CC BY 4.0

Cottonwood Spring–Cottonwood Spring Nature Trail, 4 sights is a 2.8-mile out-and-back near Chiriaco Summit, CA. The route reaches Cottonwood Spring. It climbs 420 ft, with sections as steep as 18% grade. It scores 69/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi2,959 – 3,340 ft · steepest grade: 18%3.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Cottonwood Spring Nature Trail 33.74530, -115.81168
Nearest town Chiriaco Summit, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Cottonwood Spring–Cottonwood Spring Nature Trail, 4 sights

2.8 mi · ▲ 420 ft · 1 hr 9 min

Elevation 2,961–3,341 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: Cottonwood Spring Nature Trail · 33.74530, -115.81168

Weather Aug 4: sunrise 5:58 AM · sunset 7:42 PM

Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Cottonwood Spring Nature Trail, heading SE.
  2. 0.3 miTurn left onto Mastodon Mine Loop Trail, heading NE.
  3. 1.2 miBear right onto Lost Palms Oasis Trail, heading W.
  4. 50 ftContinue straight onto Mastodon Mine Loop Trail, heading W.
  5. 0.7 miPass Cottonwood Spring.
  6. 50 ftBear left onto Cottonwood Oasis Road, heading W.
  7. 50 ftContinue straight onto Cottonwood Spring Nature Trail, heading W.
  8. 50 ftContinue straight onto Cottonwood Oasis Road, heading W.
  9. 50 ftContinue straight onto Cottonwood Spring Nature Trail, heading NW.
  10. 0.6 miArrive back at the trailhead.

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

Trail surface

2% paved98% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 5:58 AMSunset 7:42 PM

Good to know

  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

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