Surprise Tank–Desert Queen Mine Road, 3 sights is a 7.1-mile out-and-back near Pinto Wye, CA. The route reaches Surprise Tank at the turnaround, 3.6 miles in. It is mostly level, with 187 ft of elevation gain, and mostly sand. It scores 88/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi4,393 – 4,505 ft7.2 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Desert Queen Mine Trail 34.02347, -116.07782
Nearest town Pinto Wye, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Surprise Tank–Desert Queen Mine Road, 3 sights
7.1 mi · ▲ 187 ft · 2 hr 28 min
Elevation 4,395–4,505 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: Desert Queen Mine Trail · 34.02347, -116.07782
Weather Sep 4: sunrise 6:21 AM · sunset 7:08 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Queen Valley Road, heading SW.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Desert Queen Mine Road, heading SW.
- 2.8 miTurn right onto California Riding and Hiking Trail, heading SW.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading S.
- 0.4 miReach Surprise Tank, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.8 miTurn left onto Geology Tour Road, heading N.
- 2.8 miContinue straight onto Queen Valley Road, heading NE.
- 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
77% sand1% dirt22% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:21 AMSunset 7:08 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.3 mi in (~6 min). Leave by 6:41 PM for the 7:08 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:29 PM — 4 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Desert Queen Mine Trail Trailhead
- Lucky Boy Vista–Elton Mine, 3 sights 3.5 mi · ▲ 168 ft
- Pine City Trail 3.9 mi · ▲ 136 ft
- Desert Queen Mine Road–O'Dell Road, 4 sights 6.9 mi · ▲ 160 ft
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Hikes near Pinto Wye, California