Joshua Tree NP - Cutting Edge - 3.jpg
Jarek Tuszyński · CC BY-SA 3.0

Surprise Tank via California Riding and Hiking Trail is an 11.5-mile out-and-back near Pinto Wye, CA. The route reaches Surprise Tank at the turnaround, 5.7 miles in. It climbs 600 ft. It scores 90/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi4,315 – 4,547 ft11.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: 34? 33.98292, -116.15571
Nearest town Pinto Wye, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Surprise Tank via California Riding and Hiking Trail

11.5 mi · ▲ 600 ft · 4 hr 8 min

Elevation 4,314–4,547 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: 34? · 33.98292, -116.15571

Weather Sep 5: Overcast, high 84°F / low 62° · precip 4% · wind 9 mph · sunrise 6:21 AM · sunset 7:08 PM

Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Equistrian/Cycle Camping Only, heading NE.
  2. 200 ftTurn right onto Ryan Mountain Campground Road, heading SW.
  3. 50 ftContinue straight onto equstrian trailer parking?, heading S.
  4. 50 ftTurn left onto Ryan Mountain Campground Road, heading SE.
  5. 400 ftBear left, heading SE.
  6. 50 ftContinue straight onto California Riding and Hiking Trail, heading SE.
  7. 1.9 miBear right, heading SE.
  8. 0.2 miBear right, heading S.
  9. 3.2 miSharp right, heading NE.
  10. 0.4 miReach Surprise Tank, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  11. 3.6 miBear right, heading NW.
  12. 0.2 miBear right, heading NW.
  13. 1.9 miBear right onto Ryan Mountain Campground Road, heading W.
  14. 400 ftTurn right onto equstrian trailer parking?, heading W.
  15. 50 ftContinue straight onto Ryan Mountain Campground Road, heading W.
  16. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  17. 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

1% dirt99% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 84°F62°
Precip4%Wind9 mphUV8Humidity24%
Hourly temperature
85°60°
Sunrise 6:21 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM9 PMSunset 7:08 PM
Sun 72°68° 34%
Mon 86°64°
Tue 89°70°
Wed 90°74°
Thu 90°76° 16%
Fri 86°72°

Good to know

  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from 34? Trailhead