Joshua Tree morning.jpg
cappellacci · CC BY 2.0

Lucky Boy Vista–Elton Mine, 3 sights is a 15.5-mile out-and-back near Pinto Wye, CA. The route passes Elton Mine before reaching Lucky Boy Vista at the turnaround, 7.8 miles in. It climbs 765 ft. It scores 90/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi3,901 – 4,534 ft15.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 33.98953, -116.02291
Nearest town Pinto Wye, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Lucky Boy Vista–Elton Mine, 3 sights

15.5 mi · ▲ 765 ft · 5 hr 33 min

Elevation 3,902–4,534 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: 33.98953, -116.02291

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:32 AM · sunset 6:45 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 300 ftTurn left, heading S.
  3. 50 ftBear right, heading S.
  4. 50 ftSharp left onto California Riding and Hiking Trail, heading S.
  5. 4.2 miTurn right onto Geology Tour Road, heading W.
  6. 2.3 miTurn right onto Lucky Boy Vista Loop, heading N.
  7. 1.1 miPass Elton Mine.
  8. 150 ftReach Lucky Boy Vista, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  9. 1.1 miTurn left onto Desert Queen Mine Road, heading W.
  10. 2.3 miTurn left onto California Riding and Hiking Trail, heading S.
  11. 4.2 miSharp right, heading N.
  12. 50 ftBear left, heading N.
  13. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  14. 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

30% sand70% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:32 AMSunset 6:45 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 6.7 mi in (~183 min). Leave by 3:22 PM for the 6:45 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:47 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

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