This rarely traveled trail is close to Joshua Tree's northern entrance.
PHOTO BY STEVEN BILLER
Few visitors who enter Joshua Tree National Park at the north entrance in Twentynine Palms stop at the first trailhead — Contact Mine — located a half mile from the toll booth. Curious hikers can find more than 100 abandoned mine sites in the park. This moderately challenging, 3.7-mile, out-and-back trek starts on solid ground, leads into a sandy wash, and then gradually ascends 662 feet into a canyon. The easy-to-follow trail leads to an old mine shaft, some rusted equipment, and remnants of a rail track.
Each month, we spotlight a local trail. See the rest here.