California Riding and Hiking Trail

The California Hiking and Riding Trail stretches for 35 miles in Joshua Tree, passing through pinyon/juniper forests, Joshua tree forests and creosote-covered lowlands. Traveling from west to east, there are five distinct legs to the trail, as defined by the park roads that bisect it. From Black Rock Campground to Upper Covington Flat, it's a little over seven miles. Here the trail climbs to 4,185 feet, passing through washes and across a bajada, and eventually up a narrow canyon. At 5.7 miles in, hikers hit the trail's highest point at 5,155 feet before beginning to head downhill into a thick Joshua tree forest. The section between Upper Covington Flat and Keys View Road is a little over 11 miles long. It weaves through high plateaus and rugged canyons, and into wide Joshua Tree flats near Keys View Road. From Keys View Road to Geology Tour Road, hikers traverse around 6.5 miles, beginning in Joshua Tree forests and navigating a pass between Ryan Mountain and Lost Horse Mountain. Here the CRHT crosses Keys View Road toward Ryan Campground and turns southwest. The landscape here is a transitional zone into the lower Mojave Desert, dotted with creosote, yucca, cholla and monzongranite rock piles. From Geology Tour Road to Twin Tanks on Pinto Basin Road, hikers travel 4.5 miles through Mojave Desert scrub vegetation in a desolate corner of Queen Valley.   Finally, from Twin Tanks to the Northern Entrance Station, hikers travel a bit over 7 miles to complete the trail. Creosote predominates in this landscape, while various cholla and other cacti appear along the way. Hikers can access the trail at Black Rock Campground, Upper Covington Flats, Ryan Campground, Twin Tanks parking, and just south of the north entrance. Plan on two to three days to hike the entire length of the trail, but shorter hikes of 4, 6.7, or 11 miles are also possible. Hikers who plan to be out overnight must register at a backcountry registration board.