Joshua Tree Park "Hidden Valley" 4 - panoramio.jpg
David Balmer · CC BY 3.0

Pretzel Rock & Playhouse Rock via Quail Springs Historic Trail is a 3.8-mile out-and-back near Panorama Heights, CA. The route passes Pretzel Rock before reaching Playhouse Rock at the turnaround, 1.9 miles in. It is mostly level, with 219 ft of elevation gain. It scores 85/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi4,062 – 4,213 ft4.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Hidden Valley Trail 34.01222, -116.16803
Nearest town Panorama Heights, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Pretzel Rock & Playhouse Rock via Quail Springs Historic Trail

3.8 mi · ▲ 219 ft · 1 hr 23 min

Elevation 4,062–4,213 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: Hidden Valley Trail · 34.01222, -116.16803

Weather Aug 4: Clear, high 98°F / low 74° · precip 1% · wind 9 mph · sunrise 5:59 AM · sunset 7:44 PM

Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 150 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  3. 50 ftPass Pretzel Rock.
  4. 1.3 miBear right, heading NE.
  5. 0.3 miBear left, heading NE.
  6. 250 ftTurn right onto Quail Springs Historic Trail, heading N.
  7. 0.2 miTurn right, heading SE.
  8. 450 ftPass Playhouse Rock.
  9. 50 ftBear right onto Dairy Queen Right Approach, heading SE.
  10. 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  11. 50 ftReach Pretzel Rock, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  12. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  13. 50 ftBear left, heading E.
  14. 450 ftTurn left, heading S.
  15. 500 ftContinue straight onto Quail Springs Historic Trail, heading S.
  16. 450 ftTurn left, heading N.
  17. 250 ftBear right, heading N.
  18. 0.3 miBear left, heading NW.
  19. 1.3 miTurn left, heading SE.
  20. 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

4% dirt2% paved94% unspecified

Weather

ClearTemperature 98°F74°
Feels like79°Precip1%Wind9 mphUV9Humidity13%
Hourly temperature
100°70°
Sunrise 5:59 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:44 PM
Wed 96°69°
Thu 97°76°
Fri 98°80°
Sat 99°81°
Sun 95°79°
Mon 94°75°

Good to know

  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

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