Hidden Palms Viewpoint–McCallum Pond, 7 sights is a 15.5-mile out-and-back near Willis Palms, CA. The route passes McCallum Pond before reaching Hidden Palms Viewpoint at the turnaround, 7.8 miles in. It climbs 1,969 ft. It scores 69/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Hidden Palms Viewpoint–McCallum Pond, 7 sights
15.5 mi · ▲ 1,969 ft · 6 hr 9 min
Elevation 240–1,298 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: Shadow Mountain Lane · 33.82625, -116.34476
Weather Aug 4: sunrise 6:00 AM · sunset 7:44 PM
- Start on Tchoupitoulas Lane, heading N.
- 0.6 miTurn left onto Amite Lane, heading S.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading E.
- 1 miTurn left, heading N.
- 0.4 miTurn left onto Willis Palms Loop, heading N.
- 1.4 miSharp right onto Herman's Hike, heading SE.
- 2 miContinue straight onto Moon Country Trail, heading E.
- 0.7 miPass McCallum Pond.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 0.4 miBear right onto McCallum Trail, heading SE.
- 150 ftSharp right, heading SE.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SE.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Indian Palms Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Pushwalla Palms / Hidden Palms Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear left onto Pushwalla Palms Trail, heading S.
- 350 ftReach Hidden Palms Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 400 ftBear right onto Pushwalla Palms / Hidden Palms Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Indian Palms Trail, heading S.
- 100 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 150 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 450 ftContinue straight onto McCallum Trail, heading NW.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 200 ftBear left, heading NW.
- 0.4 miTurn left onto Moon Country Trail, heading NW.
- 0.8 miContinue straight onto Herman's Hike, heading W.
- 1.9 miSharp left onto Willis Palms Loop, heading SE.
- 1.4 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading S.
- 1 miTurn right onto Amite Lane, heading W.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Tchoupitoulas Lane, heading N.
- 0.5 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.5 mi in (~139 min). Leave by 5:05 PM for the 7:44 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:51 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
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