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FeedHappy Trails - Whitewater Canyon/ Pacific Crest Trail Ridge Loop
Phillip Ferranti
Directions
Drive west on I-10. After passing the Hwy. 62 off-ramp to Joshua Tree National Park, take the next exit at Whitewater. At the stop sign, turn right, then after a few hundred yards turn left onto Whitewater Canyon Rd. Drive approximately five miles until you reach the main parking lot.
Length: 4 miles
Hiking Time: 2 hours
Elevation Gain: 300-400 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Season: October to May
Information: Whitewater Preserve, 1-760-325-7222
This hike treats you to canyon and mountain vistas of the Whitewater River basin and surrounding hills and mountains. The best time to check it out is March and April for both flowers and green mountain vegetation. Cameras are a must!
Begin at the north section of the parking lot. Follow the trail into the Whitewater River basin and cross over to the west bank. Continue a quarter-mile, and you’ll connect to the Pacific Crest Trail on the left. Turn left and go through the gate. The trail climbs up gentle switchbacks, offering ever-expanding vistas of the surrounding mountains and river valley. At the top, the trail branches. Take the left branch toward the east, nearing the cliff edge above the visitor’s center. Eventually, you reach a spur leading to the actual edge of the cliff. Follow it to look down at the visitor’s center and the beautiful ponds to the south. Return to the main trail and continue south, enjoying the magnificent vistas in every direction. After a while, the trail drops down at the southern tip of the ridge and bottoms at Whitewater Canyon Road. Return to the parking lot via the road you drove in on, a 0.5-mile trek. Or return to the visitor’s center via the marked trail just past the bridge.
Adapted with permission from Philip Ferranti’s book, 140 Great Hikes in and Near Palm Springs (Big Earth Publishing). www.philipferranti.com
