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Moon Country Viewpoint–McCallum Pond, 3 sights is a 10.3-mile out-and-back in Indio Hills Palms Park near Pushawalla Palms, CA. The route passes McCallum Pond before reaching Moon Country Viewpoint at the turnaround, 5.1 miles in. It climbs 708 ft. It scores 69/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi535 – 1,102 ft10.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 33.84573, -116.26200
Nearest town Pushawalla Palms, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Moon Country Viewpoint–McCallum Pond, 3 sights

10.3 mi · ▲ 708 ft · 3 hr 47 min

Elevation 535–1,104 ft

Out & Back · Indio Hills Palms Park

Trailhead: 33.84573, -116.26200

Weather Aug 4: Clear, high 111°F / low 85° · precip 1% · wind 11 mph · sunrise 6:00 AM · sunset 7:44 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
  2. 350 ftBear left, heading S.
  3. 2.2 miTurn right onto Pushwalla Palms Trail, heading SW.
  4. 1.4 miBear right onto Pushwalla Palms / Hidden Palms Trail, heading NW.
  5. 50 ftTurn right onto Indian Palms Trail, heading NW.
  6. 100 ftBear left, heading W.
  7. 0.2 miTurn left, heading N.
  8. 150 ftBear right, heading NW.
  9. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  10. 450 ftContinue straight onto McCallum Trail, heading NW.
  11. 0.4 miTurn right, heading N.
  12. 200 ftBear left, heading NW.
  13. 0.3 miPass McCallum Pond.
  14. 150 ftContinue straight onto Moon Country Trail, heading W.
  15. 0.2 miSharp left, heading N.
  16. 50 ftReach Moon Country Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  17. 0.6 miBear right onto McCallum Trail, heading S.
  18. 150 ftSharp right, heading S.
  19. 0.5 miTurn left, heading S.
  20. 50 ftBear left, heading S.
  21. 150 ftTurn right, heading S.
  22. 0.2 miBear right onto Indian Palms Trail, heading NE.
  23. 50 ftTurn left onto Pushwalla Palms / Hidden Palms Trail, heading E.
  24. 50 ftBear left onto Pushwalla Palms Trail, heading SE.
  25. 1.4 miTurn left, heading E.
  26. 2.2 miBear right, heading SE.
  27. 100 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

59% sand29% dirt12% unspecified

Weather

ClearTemperature 111°F85°
Feels like91°Precip1%Wind11 mphUV9Humidity37%
Hourly temperature
115°85°
Sunrise 6:00 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:44 PM
Wed 105°83°
Thu 107°83°
Fri 111°85°
Sat 112°85°
Sun 107°85°
Mon 106°84°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.4 mi in (~59 min). Leave by 6:25 PM for the 7:44 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:07 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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