Mastodon Peak Trail
Mastodon Peak, at 3,440 feet, stands sentinel over Cottonwood Spring Oasis and portions of the Lost Palms Oasis Trail.
Plan Around Mastodon Peak Trail
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Use this detail page to confirm that the stop is worth it, then carry that decision into a trip draft while the park context is still fresh.
Mastodon Peak Trail Details
Mastodon Peak, at 3,440 feet, stands sentinel over Cottonwood Spring Oasis and portions of the Lost Palms Oasis Trail. The 2.4-mile loop trail is in an ecological transition zone between the Sonoran Desert to the east and higher, wetter Mojave Desert to the west. As such, hikers will observe plants from both ecosystems, such as fan palms, mesquite and desert willow. Interpretive signs discuss the ecology at the oasis and the lives of the Cahuilla Native American tribe, which once lived here. The peak itself was named by early miners for supposedly resembling a mastodon head, and after beginning in the oasis, hikers will enter a maze of canyons and washes, where creosote, juniper, ocotillo and numerous species of cacti are abundant. Mastodon Peak Trail itself splits north on a moderately steep climb to the summit. Views stretch from the Eagle Mountains to the northeast, to the Salton Sea in the south and the Cottonwood Mountains to the west. The Mastodon Peak Trail begins with the trailhead to Lost Palms Oasis trail in Cottonwood Campground.
Difficulty
Moderate
Distance
2.4 miles
Estimated time
Region
N/A
Nearby Parks Around Mastodon Peak Trail
Compare nearby parks around Mastodon Peak Trail when deciding whether to expand the route after this stop.
Nearby Points of Interest Around Mastodon Peak Trail
Use nearby POIs to quickly expand your options beyond Mastodon Peak Trail while the map context is still fresh.
0.1 mi away
Cottonwood Spring Nature Trail
The Cottonwood Spring Oasis, seven miles from the southern entrance to the park, was used for centuries by the Cahuilla Native Americans.
0.1 mi away
Lost Palms Oasis
The hike to Lost Palms Oasis begins at a smaller oasis, Cottonwood Springs, right at the trailhead.
0.1 mi away
Lost Palms Oasis Trail
The hike to Lost Palms Oasis begins at a smaller oasis, Cottonwood Springs, right at the trailhead.
0.2 mi away
Cottonwood Spring Oasis
Seven miles from the southern entrance of the park, Cottonwood Spring Oasis offers plentiful day-use activities as well as nearby camping.
0.6 mi away
Cottonwood Picnic Area
The shady Cottonwood Spring picnic area is located at the Cottonwood Spring Campground.
