Covington Crest Viewpoint & Covington Crest Trail via California Riding and Hiking Trail
9.5 mi · ▲ 856 ft · 3 hr 36 min
Covington Crest Viewpoint & Covington Crest Trail via California Riding and Hiking Trail is a 9.5-mile out-and-back near Joshua Tree, CA. The route reaches Covington Crest Viewpoint at the turnaround, 4.8 miles in. It climbs 856 ft. It scores 98/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Covington Crest Viewpoint & Covington Crest Trail via California Riding and Hiking Trail
9.5 mi · ▲ 856 ft · 3 hr 36 min
Elevation 4,819–5,477 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 34.03048, -116.34939
Weather Sep 20: Overcast, high 76°F / low 61° · precip 0% · wind 10 mph · sunrise 6:33 AM · sunset 6:46 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
- 1 miBear right onto California Riding and Hiking Trail, heading SE.
- 2.2 miTurn right onto Covington Crest Trail, heading E.
- 1.6 miReach Covington Crest Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1.5 miTurn left onto California Riding and Hiking Trail, heading N.
- 2.2 miBear left, heading W.
- 1 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.7 mi in (~120 min). Leave by 4:26 PM for the 6:46 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:17 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- California Riding and Hiking Trail 11.7 mi · ▲ 1,370 ft
- California Riding and Hiking Trail 11.7 mi · ▲ 1,370 ft
- Quail Mountain & x-country route via California Riding and Hiking Trail 15.3 mi · ▲ 2,609 ft
- Covington Flats Crossover Road via California Riding and Hiking Trail 7.2 mi · ▲ 886 ft
- California Riding and Hiking Trail 6.4 mi · ▲ 749 ft
- Eureka Peak–Bigfoot Trail, 4 sights 6.5 mi · ▲ 1,528 ft
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Hikes near Joshua Tree, California