Split Rock–Desert Queen Mine Road, 5 sights is a 10.6-mile out-and-back near Pinto Wye, CA. The route reaches Split Rock at the turnaround, 5.3 miles in. It climbs 1,113 ft, with sections as steep as 34% grade. It scores 91/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi4,219 – 4,623 ft · steepest grade: 34%10.7 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: California Riding and Hiking Trail 33.98533, -116.08226
Nearest town Pinto Wye, CA
Directions
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Split Rock–Desert Queen Mine Road, 5 sights
10.6 mi · ▲ 1,113 ft · 4 hr 5 min
Elevation 4,218–4,623 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: California Riding and Hiking Trail · 33.98533, -116.08226
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 97°F / low 79° · precip 0% · wind 8 mph · sunrise 5:58 AM · sunset 7:45 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Geology Tour Road, heading N.
- 2.8 miContinue straight onto Queen Valley Road, heading NE.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Pine City Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Desert Queen Mine Trail, heading NE.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading S.
- 2.1 miContinue straight onto Split Rock Trail, heading SE.
- 0.3 miReach Split Rock, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 2.4 miTurn left onto Desert Queen Mine Trail, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Pine City Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Queen Valley Road, heading W.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Desert Queen Mine Road, heading SW.
- 2.7 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
52% sand9% dirt39% unspecified
Weather
ClearTemperature 97°F79°
Feels like80°Precip0%Wind8 mphUV9Humidity14%
Hourly temperature
100°75°
Sunrise 5:58 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:45 PM
Tue
96°75°
Wed
92°68°
Thu
97°77°
Fri
98°80°
Sat
98°80°
Sun
93°77°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.0 mi in (~50 min). Leave by 6:34 PM for the 7:45 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:51 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from California Riding and Hiking Trail Trailhead
- California Riding and Hiking Trail 6.6 mi · ▲ 218 ft
- California Riding and Hiking Trail 11.1 mi · ▲ 528 ft
- Geology Tour Road 11.3 mi · ▲ 212 ft
- Paac Kü̱vü̱hü̱’k–Surprise Tank Loop, 3 lakes 12.2 mi · ▲ 1,107 ft
- Face Rock–Desert Queen Mine Road, 6 sights 12.9 mi · ▲ 1,333 ft
- Lost Horse Mountain via California Riding and Hiking Trail 14.9 mi · ▲ 1,990 ft
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Hikes near Pinto Wye, California