Sylvania Mountains Wilderness

Sylvania

What is it? The hood gives it away.

Huge ring at Sylvania BM

The wilderness is in the California portion of the range but there's plenty of good hiking in the rest. Pigeon Spring has the best water but needs filtering. A shady camp is less than a mile south of the spring that small RVs can use. USGS topos show most of the roads. I used the one for Sylvania Mtns high point that I downloaded to my phone from the peakbagger app. Dyer has gas and groceries. Post 2020.

• SYLVANIA BENCHMARK el 8160 is the high point of the Sylvania Mountains. Jeeps easily make to el 7600 in the north canyon. Drive to mp ES 11.2 on Nv 266. Turn south onto a good road and go 1.8 mile to a main fork. Go right on easy 4wd for 1.3 miles then get on a bypass road on the left bank. Don't get tricked by a 3 way fork just before.  Keep going up canyon for another mile and a half to the end of the road reading N37 23060, W117 41759 el 7600. There is a tiny turnaround here. Hike on up the canyon for half a mile to the reg at 22626, 41875, which I couldn't find in 2020. 45 minutes, 600 gain. For a tour of rock rings, don't go up the canyon creekbed. Instead, go up the east rim to a good ring at 22760, 41629 then another at 22699, 41693. Some more are higher up and one is a few feet before the BM. Then 100 feet NW of the BM is the biggest I've ever seen. More are on down the west ridge with a big one engulfed by trees at 22811, 41963. Posted 2014, 2020.
• PEAK 7989 sits on the south rim of Sylvania Canyon. I followed a string of Indian rock rings along the rim to make a loop. Take highway 266 to mp ES 10.2 and follow a good road a bit over 4 miles to a saddle el 7700 at the head of the canyon. I walked the rim skirting along the right side of little peaks and found two rings at N37 23709, W117 42648 el 7750. I went on to another one at 23547, 42905 then just beyond that and up a little on a flat is another. I went on to the peak and the forest there is the best. I threw this peak in for peak addicts who read this blog but the view turned out to be outstanding. I dropped NW off the peak for less than a fifth mile to a ring on the ridge center. Just ahead is the state line marker but it's a boring cairn, so it's best to skip it and drop to a ring at 23202, 43316  then to one just before a saddle at 23366, 43496. I went into the saddle then left up the ridge for 300 feet to a ring then a few past that is the mine road shown on the map that leads down to Sylvania. I then had a mile back to the start. This is a 3 or 4 hour hike made easier with a shuttle. The first half mile along peak 7922 has light brush. Posted 2020.
• ALUM CREEK is interesting. You'll think you're in Utah. The roads going down the rims of it are not driveable. The east rim road isn't even walkable but the west rim road is easy to walk. Turn off highway 266 at mp ES   and drive a bit over 5 miles on the roads shown on the topo to the saddle above Poison Spring. 2wd trucks could make it but parts of the road can get plowed up by morons driving it wet. From the saddle, take an easy 4wd road to the west rim road. 4 wheelers can go a tenth mile down it and cycles can go another tenth then it's hikers and helicopters beyond there. It goes down to the spring like the map shows. It's a wide open creekbed with an intermittent stream that drys up by the time it reaches the road coming in from the mouth. That road is a goner too. I went down to the Cottonwood Canyon fork and came back up that then used the east rim road for the final leg. That's when I found out it has slid out. Cottonwood is dull and brushy anyway. Forget it. It would be a 3 hour hike down the west rim road to the spring and back up the same way. It's worth it to look at the bizarre yellow color. UNCLE SAM CREEK LOOP - it's easy to go down that canyon then out the west rim road. I parked at  the saddle next to Uncle Sam Spring then walked a faint road down into that canyon. After about 800 feet, the road turns sharp to the right. A clean gully goes down there to the floor of the canyon and then it's a cakewalk down to Alum Creek. At el 6600 there was a small stream coming out of a main fork on my left. It tasted normal but didn't last a tenth mile. I went on down to Alum then up to the road like the topo shows and up to the rim. I rim walked back and saw some rock rings but wood cutters have ruined that area. That took 3 hours with 1300 easy gain. I'll be back for this one.                                  Posted May, 2020.
• MALKMUS PEAK el 7571 is what I call the one on the west rim of Uncle Sam Creek. Turn off highway 266 at mp 11.2 and follow the roads on the topo to the saddle el 7100+ next to Uncle Sam Spring. Then go up the ridge to the summit. A rock ring is on the way up at N37 21583, W117 39043. The ridge to peak 7449 has  some rings but not very good. The next ridge west has several, the best one is at 21281, 39208. I wandered down the NW ridge and found one on the rim at 21535, 39365  and another a little more down the rim. I descended a canyon back to the road. Nice forest. Posted 2020.
• WHITE CLIFF CANYON has an unspoiled stream in the upper reaches. Turn off highway 266 at mp 11.2 and follow the roads on the topo as if you're going to Uncle Sam Spring.  At a T just before the spring, turn west and stay on the main road to the mouth of the canyon el 5250. It's 10 miles or so of dirt road total and 4wd wasn't needed that day. A third mile up canyon is a minor fall with a bypass trail on the left. Then it's clear sailing to the upper canyon. A mega flood cut a trench in the creekbed and that has to be crossed several times but the banks are easy. At N37 22311, W117 42908 el 6300 I dropped to the creekbed and stayed in the rest of the way. The stream shows up around the 6800 level. I was able to easily go on up to the end of easy travel at the 7440 level just below the spring shown on the topo. That took 5 and a half hours and the only strenuous gain was 100 feet or so at the fall. Very light brush is on the banks. I wore shorts and got minor scratches. The canyon is in pristine condition aside from some ancient cow chips in the middle portion. I doubt grazing ever comes back. It has a good Joshua Tree forest. Willow Spring had a trickle. ONE WAY VERSION - there is a way into the upper canyon from above. Either drive into the north canyon of Sylvania BM or for a shorter shuttle, use the 4wd road on the west side of Cucomungo Spring then hike into the saddle west of peak 7583. The map should be green on the canyon leading into the saddle because it's a nice forest.  Keep going to the east rim of the canyon where the topo shows an "S". I went down the ridge there with a reading of 23187, 42140 el 7700. Soon the ridge split into two ridges, I stayed on the left one and followed it all the way down. A spotty deer trail runs down it. It's like descending a sand dune. The water was flowing just upstream from where this ridge bottoms out. Here's how to walk downstream and use the banks and avoid the trenches and I would use long pants on the banks. Stay in the creekbed until 22560, 42785 and get on the right bank. That lasts over a quarter mile to a left bend and you're forced back in.  Soon it's easy to get back on the right bank then when forced into the creekbed stay in it to 22103, 42985 and get on the left bank. That fades out then it's over to the right then back to the creekbed and stay in to 21800, 43033. Get on the right bank there then back left at 21369, 43260. At an air mile from the mouth, stay tight along the creekbed to 20979, 43476 to get on the right bank. There's no more trickery until the fall. Get on the bypass trail at 20651, 43611 then it's a third mile to the vehicle you spotted there at the mouth along Willow Creek. These tedious coordinates can be avoided by just staying in the creekbed, but that's even more tedious. This version comes in under 5 hours. It's the best hike on this page and even better if a side trip to Sylvania BM is taken. The one rock ring I saw is at 23034, 42013 el 7700. Posted May, 2020.  
• SOUTHWEST CANYONS - the next main canyon to the west of White Cliff Canyon is easy and a loop can be done down the next one to the west but that one has one rappel. I came in from Oasis for 13 miles on the graded Eureka Valley Rd. I started up canyon at N37 20526, W117 45938 el 4750 and stayed in the main creekbed to a tricky fork at 21957, 44963 el 5550. I went left there then over the saddle on the SE side of peak 6420 but that's brutal. It's better to stay in the main creekbed to a chokestone at 22375, 45487 el 6000. It's 8 feet high and I stopped there but could get up it with a hook and etrier and then pray there are no more obstacles to get into the next canyon. Once in the next canyon, I had a few minor drops that I could easily step down then came the big one of 40 or 50 feet at 21451, 46269 el 5300. Boulders 20 back from the lip make for a good anchor. I tried going over the south rim but no go. I didn't have rappelling gear so I had to retrace back out. Posted 2020.
• WILLOW WASH has a lot of good color. I made a loop down the next canyon east. I parked at the wilderness boundary on the Eureka Valley Rd at N37 21512, W117 47757 el 5250. Don't try to drive closer. Nobody wants to look at eyesore tire tracks. I went up the main canyon to a fork at 22591, 47404 el 5650. I took a side trip up the left fork for half an air mile to where it opens up el 6100. I came back then went up the right fork. It has a couple of minor class 3 falls then I climbed up to the rim at 22615, 46898 el 6250. A shallow canyon is on the other side. I strolled up that to a fork at 22576, 46690 el 6350 that took me over the rim el 6550 south of peak 6904 then into the next canyon. I had an easy stroll down that until a 10 foot, class 3 fall at el 5550 in a deep gorge. That wasn't hard then no more issues back to the start. That took 3 hours, 45 minutes with about 300 feet of strenuous gain. If you only have time for one easy hike in the area then this is it. Posted 2020. 
• SYLVANIA RIM LOOP - go 4 miles up the Sylvania road to a closed road. Walk it a mile into a main wash and stay in that to the end at a ring reading 23586, 44839 el 7350. Next one is at 23363, 44907 then circle low in washes and go to the saddle on the rim at 23120, 45033 el 7400.  Nothing until a ring at 23079, 45302 then one 100 feet downstream on the left bank.  A possible one is at 22983, 45448 then one at 22986, 45590. Peak 7462 has the best at 23078, 45716  then one at 23068, 45962 then 23089, 46028 and second best at 23091, 46104. Walk the ridge on down to the last at 23283, 46706 then down to the wash and exit up a gully at 23849, 47994 and walk hi ground to the rim of the starting wash at 24181, 48043. 5 hours, nothing steep, all in shorts. Thin forest. A shuttle could work. And the ridge down thru peak 6904 looked easy for a one way. Posted 2020.

Avawatz Mountains Wilderness

The Indian trail to Sheep Creek Spring

Washing machine up from Sheep Creek Spring

 Mine up from Sheep Creek Spring

Peak 5777

• 

  A note left at the mine up from Sheep Creek Spring

  
  

• 
  The western portion of the range is on the Fort Irwin base but that's been "don't ask, don't tell" forever. Highway 127 runs along the east side and has a decent VZ signal. The graded but sandy Harry Wade road runs along the north side. RVs can camp at Silurian Lake. Baker and Shoshone have the nearest gas. Posted 2020. The Hilary storm in 2023 chewed up the roads and I'm not counting on any to get bladed. Updated 2024.
• AVAWATZ PEAK TRAVERSE - the most scenic hike of this peak is to start at Sheep Spring and go over the peak then down the east canyon just north of Old Mormon Spring and on to the highway. The east canyon has some class 3 drops and I scooted down those on my butt. The road to the spring is no challenge for jeeps but slow going for the first mile and a half from the Harry Wade road. The standard hikers route from the spring goes up canyon to the end at a saddle. A maze of forks just before the saddle is best handled by staying right when in doubt. It's a simple matter on up to the summit. From there I headed NE to a saddle at N35 30849, W116 19640 and went thru then down canyon all the way to the flats. Along the way is rock house ruins at 30357, 18107 then comes the biggest of several class 3 drops. I went left at the lip then down and on to a spring at 30604, 17208. It had a tiny flow and a lot of moss. I have seen it dry. Just below that is a drop and I went down the right side then down to at 31464, 14952 on the right bank. It's easy walking on the right bank for the last half mile to that waypoint. I went on to 31432, 14535 and soon hit a road. I followed that and left it at 31579, 14096 and walked down pavement to faint tracks at 31633, 13402 and then walked those to the end of pavement and to the highway near mp 20 where I had my other cycle parked. The next day I walked the Indian trail at mp 29.2 back to Sheep Spring to retrieve the cycle I parked there. That took nearly 10 hours and 18 miles. The gain is 4700 but the first 3300 is the easy canyon. A jeep and ebike is all it takes. Stash the bike at mp 20 then have a basecamp at mp 29.2. I put a track on peakbagger and also one for the Indian trail. Posted 2025
• AVAWATZ PEAK el 6155 is the high point of the range and the only reason anybody goes in there. The road from the east up to a repeater had been repaired as of April 9, 2020 but a mega flood on April 13 may have wiped it out. Take highway 127 to mp SBD 19.1 and follow an easy 4wd road for 4 miles to the mouth of a canyon. Getting close to the repeater depends on vehicle and flood damage. I wouldn't take anything wider than a jeep and it better have a locker. From the repeater, walk the road for 8 tenths mile to a little ridge at N35 29942, W116 17748. Climb a couple hundred feet up this to the main ridge then go left to pick up the trail into the saddle. Cross the saddle and go up the ridge where a good use trail awaits then go right to the summit at 30755, 19899. 5 hrs, 2500 gain. There's camping room at the repeater. Mormon Spring had vegetation but no water. There are rock ruins in the draw below the repeater. Use the road that stays on the left in the draw. In 2008 I could ride down to tailings at the first ruins. In the main canyon at the bottom of the road and to the right is another ruin. This was the primary route used by the Sierra Club when the road was passable. Update - in 2023 the Hilary storm wiped out all the roads. Forget this route unless repairs are made. 
• AVAWATZ PEAK BACKPACKERS ROUTE - a 5 mile Indian trail connects Salt Creek to Sheep Creep Spring that works for hikers with only 2wd. Take highway 127 to a short dirt road at mp SBD 29.2. Get on the trail at N35 37488, W116 17353. Walk it to 37348, 17673 then 37184, 18032 then 37096, 18293. It starts bending left on smooth ground and fades then resumes at 36771, 18893 and on to a fork at 36562, 19443. Keep going to 36373, 20072 then it goes up a wash to high ground at 36205, 20533, but forget that and use a better but very faint trail on high ground at 36383, 20251. It will merge with the other and go on to the road that goes to the spring. This trail was a lot of work for the Indians. They moved a lot of rocks. A million cairns set up by paleface help on this route. It's rocky to be sure, but no deep gullies. I have never seen that spring dry up. The next spring is up canyon at 32987, 21728 el 3350. Miners built a pipeline to it but only sheep use it now. Posted 2020.
• IRWIN PEAK el 5700 sits on the west rim of Sheep Creek Spring canyon. It says Irwin right on the topo? It's hard to find a peak in this range that doesn't have a higher one right next to it, but for this one it's a mile and a half to a higher peak. Take highway 127 to mp SBD 29.7 and turn on the Harry Wade road. Go 2 miles on that then go left on road #233. Follow that road for 4 miles to the spring at the mouth el 1700. Walk the left bank to get around a thicket then stroll on up the main wash to el 4000 and pick a route up. I left the wash at el 4250 (1300 meter line) and went up a ridge at N35 31561, W116 21355 el 4550. It goes parabolic then bends left to the rim el 5400. Then it's a stroll to the summit area at 31591, 22030 with a weather station. I kept going on the rim to 31747, 22145 el 5500 then up around the left side of a bump. Then I could look down to my right and see a saddle el 4850 next to peak 1522. I dropped down and crossed it then walked a sheep trail along the north side of that peak to 32446, 22075 el 4750 where sheep go straight down the ridge. Upon approaching a saddle where the ridge bottoms out, I dropped to the right to the main wash I came up and retraced back to the start. That took 7 and a half hours with 4000 gain, 3000 of it is easy. An upper spring in the canyon at 32987, 21728 el 3350 had a small flow for a tenth mile. Posted 2020.
• PEAK 838 meters sits between the mouth of Anvil Canyon and Sheep Creek Spring canyon. I made a good loop. I parked at the mouth of Sheep Creek Spring canyon and walked on up the road to the spring then on up canyon to the first main fork. I went left and entered a nice gorge with one tricky fall. It's 8 feet high and nearly class 4 but I didn't find it risky. Sheep likely have a trail bypassing the gorge on the south rim but that's boring. I went on toward the main saddle and used a trail at N35 34573, W116 20630 el 2550 to get into the saddle. The peak is a tenth mile away at 34601, 20482 el 2749. I then went down the drainage from the saddle to Anvil Canyon and went down to a sheep trail at 34670, 19892 el 1850 that got me on the left rim. It soon splits, I stayed left then it split again into 3 ridges. I stayed in the middle reading 35004, 19848 then soon I had a major canyon on my left. I stayed on the rim of that canyon all the way to the flats then followed a trail of stinky burro shit back to the start. That took nearly 4 hours with about 2500 gain but hardly any is steep. A shorter hike would be to return from the peak on the sheep route that skirts the gorge. Posted 2021.
• ANVIL CANYON WEST RIM - I made a loop by walking up Sheep Creek Spring canyon then walked the rim back. I started out the same as for Irwin Peak but took a left fork at N35 32620, W116 21612 el 3700. I call that fork Half-A-Gorge because it has cliffs on only one side. It's a steady wash up it with no falls. At 32276, 20741 el 4750, I went left up a side gully and bended left to the rim el 5050, just north of peak 1593 meters. Then I strolled down the rim to 34320, 21102 el 3350 where I went straight down a ridge to the very tip where it meets the wash I walked up and then had a short walk back to the start. That took 7 hours with 3500 gain but only 300 could be called steep. Mostly easy terrain. Posted 2020.
• SOUTH CANYON is the major canyon two miles south of Old Mormon Spring. It's the best canyon in the range. A loop can be done going up canyon from the spring then over into South Canyon on a faint mine road then back along the base. Take highway 127 to mp SBD 19.1 and turn on easy 4wd road #D101. Go 4 and a half miles and park where the road dips into the main wash el 2000. Walk up the road to a left fork at N35 30194, W116 16471. Go up that for nearly half an air mile to a main fork and go left to the main saddle el 4250 separating the two canyons. Drop down the other side to the main creekbed of South Canyon. A quarter mile upstream at  29023, 16940 is a small stream at a narrows. The miners had a road to the spring on the route I walked but it's mostly a goner. It's an easy walk downstream in the canyon. Several falls up to 20 feet high all have class 2 bypasses. At the mouth, a party of hikers could walk 4 miles directly to the highway and only the driver would have to walk the 4 miles along the base back to the start. I was the driver so I had to walk the base. I went down to 28702, 13919 el 1850 then headed for a point in view. At the point, I stayed on the right bank of a wash to get to 29417, 13377 el 1500 then headed for high ground at 30389, 13615 el 1250. I walked up that to the next point and stayed left of two knolls there then up a wash and then to the right side of a knoll at 30761, 14539 el 1750. At that knoll I cut across a wash and followed high ground back to the start. That took me 6 hours with about 3000 gain, never very steep. 2 out of the 6 hours was spent walking the base but I didn't have to cross many deep gullies. Posted 2020. I repeated the hike in 2021 but at the end I walked directly to my RV at the south end of Silurian Lake. Upon exiting South Canyon, I went to high ground at 28539, 14154 el 1950 and went that faded I cut over to more high ground at 28984, 13324 then to a wash at 29335, 12671. I strolled a third mile down that then I could drift left down to the lake. There's good pavement on that route. That whole hike took 5 and a half hours but the next day I rode my folding bike a mile up road D101 then walked the rest to retrieve my motorcycle. Spreading the hike over 2 days is preferable and I have all the time in the world anyway.
• ANVIL CANYON - I made a loop hike by going up the next major canyon to the east, which I call Ladder Canyon, and crossed into Anvil near peak 1416. Take highway 127 to mp SBD 29.7 and turn on the Harry Wade road. Go .7 mile on that then go left on road #238. That road is rocky for the first mile then smooths out for 3 miles to the end of the legal road at the mouth of Anvil el 1550. I wallked along along the base to N35 34248, W116 18039 el 1800 where I could drop down the vertical bank of Ladder Canyon. I strolled up the creekbed to a 30 foot fall at the 800 meter line, 2600 feet. A 10 foot ladder was there but I couldn't make the math work even if I trusted it. I went up a steep gully on the left to bypass the fall. I had to cut steps in the dirt near the top. A 30 foot line would be useful to help others up. Then I dropped 100 feet back to the creekbed and strolled on up .7 air mile to a tricky fork el 3400. I stayed left for .4 air mile to another fork el 3750 then went right to 32007, 19529 el 4200, just past a mesquite clump. There I went right up a side canyon to the saddle el 4500 that connects to Anvil and that canyon has no obstacles or anvils. At 33890, 20341 el 2400 I was able to walk the right bank for a third mile or so. That took nearly 6 hours with about 3000 gain, but only 300 could be called steep. The 30 foot fall is the only issue on the whole loop. I wouldn't do this loop in reverse. Posted 2020.
• ANVIL PEAK el 4911 is what I call the one at the head of Anvil Canyon. I made a loop on the north ridges. I parked at the mouth of the canyon and walked along the base to N35 34817, W116 18901 el 1600 where I got on the high ground and walked a short way to the rim of a wash at 34656, 18932. I goofed here by going up the wash, but should have got on the far bank and stayed on the high ground. That would have put me on the next ridge west of point 591. Instead, I went up the next one west of that and had steep rubble. I got to Little Anvil at 32828, 19162 el 4662 then crossed a saddle to Anvil Peak at 32443, 19386. Then I followed a sheep trail down the main NW ridge to 33151, 20016 el 3350 where I could see the last bit down and strolled on out the canyon. 6 hours, 23 minutes with about 4000 gain. Posted 2020.
• Peak 5777 is prominent from Salt Creek. A loop can be done up the easy south canyon to a saddle west of the peak then down the east ridge. Take highway 127 to mp SBD 19.1 and take a 4wd road to a canyon but just before entering the canyon come back on a north fork for a third mile park in the wash el 1950 below Old Mormon Spring. But as of 2021 that last third mile was closed, but there is an option to try a sheep trail starting at the spring and running along the base to the south canyon at N35 31286, W116 15497 el 2050. Go up canyon passing a spring at 30599,17218 at the top of an easy class 3 fall. Then comes another minor fall. Sheep go up on the right and back in at the lip. Go on to a basin where a right fork at 30409,18275 el 4400 has another spring. Both were running in March in a dry year. Go up this fork and into the saddle 31151, 18760 el 5200 straight ahead then go right to the summit at 31587,18047 after crossing a saddle nearly 200 ft deep. The register had 2 entries in the last 20+ years. Next, go down the east ridge then take another ridge at 31439,17521 el 5000 down to the creekbed, dropping into a gully on the left as you near the bottom. Or stay on the east ridge all the way down. It's rocky as hell until point 1344 then eases up. I went on down to point 921 but might be better to stay on the next ridge west of that point. 7 hours, 4000 gain both ways. The canyon is easy walking nearly all the way to the ridge at 5200 then it steepens but not bad. The 3 minor falls make for steeper grades but those don't add up to 200 feet. Some mine trash is in the basin. I did this before 2012. In March 2021, there was no water. ALTERNATE - the north ridge looks smooth. I would try to get on it next to point 843 reading 33167, 18390 el 2400. It took me 90 minutes of easy walking to get there when I did the Anvil loop. Posted 2020.
• SALT SPRING HILLS HIGH POINT el 1775 - this is next to highway 127. Park at mp SBD 27 and walk the rocky flats to the east ridge at N35 35934, W116 15941 el 850. Go up the ridge to the reg at 35946, 16579. A good descent route is the canyon on the north side of the east ridge. 2 hours, nearly 1000 noticeable gain. MINE TRAILS - these trails are north of the high point. Park near a point at mp 27.8. Walk the west side of the point where rocks are thinner. The first trail is useless. It ends at a boring dig. Keep going to the other trail at 36670, 16399 el 800. It goes along the left bank then over to the right bank and then at 36512, 16370 it goes parabolic to 36454, 16385 and on to the main saddle el 1400. It goes level out of that then drops to a 40 foot tunnel at 36234, 16410 el 1250. They built the trail for that? It's easy to drop down the canyon and walk back along the base. 2 hours, 700 noticeable gain. I saw cleared circles in the area, likely Indian. One is at 36799, 16175 and several are a quarter mile NW in a low saddle of dark rock. Posted 2020, 2024
• SALT CREEK INDIAN TRAIL LOOP - two trails that connect Salt Creek to Sheep Creek Spring can be used to make a 2 hour loop.  Take highway 127 to a short dirt road at mp SBD 29.2. Get on the trail at N35 37488, W116 17353. Walk it to 37348, 17673 then 37184, 18032 then 37096, 18293. It starts bending left on smooth ground and fades then resumes at 36771, 18893 where the best part starts. Keep going .57 air mile to a fork at 36562, 19443 then turn left to head back. Go on to 36787, 18691 then 36860, 18495 then 36920, 18339 then 36974, 18182 then 37007, 18091 then 37152, 17699. Stay on it another fifth mile to smooth ground then head back to the start. Some of these coordinates may not be needed if cairns are up. Easy but rocky. Posted 2020.

2020 Flowers at Flattop and Warm Springs

The saddle at the Flattop

The brittlebush are busting out at Flattop Mtn near Needles and the southern Warm Springs Wilderness.

Stepladder Mountains Wilderness, Chemehuevi

Two main roads come in from US 95. The PG&E road departs at mp 45.6. It's the best. Another road with more sand comes in from mp 37.5 and goes 11 miles along power lines to meet the PG&E road and then on another 16 miles to I-40. These are easy 4wd and might get graded again. Posted 2020.

• STEPLADDER MOUNTAINS HIGH POINT el 2900 -  a tedious road comes in from the NE. Take US 95 to mp 45.6 and turn on the PG& E and go about 9 miles to a faint road at N34 40706, W114 47469. Go south on that for half a dozen miles to the wilderness boundary. There are a million shallow ruts crossing the road the whole 6 miles, like inverted speed bumps. A 5 mph cruise control is needed here. Walk the flats for a couple miles to a valley at 35157, 50481 el 1800. It's an easy walk up the valley to the peak. A 1964 date is on a left boulder along the way and right after that is the Black Knight wagon reading 35278, 51476. At the peak, get on the NE ridge at 35346, 52300 el 2500. A hiker trail can be seen there and it goes straight up the ridge to ledges that zigzag up to the reg at 35258, 52370. The ledges are wide as a car. No stepladder needed. 4 and a half hours for the whole hike,  800 feet of gain from the base. I was expecting to be hiking on tire tracks, but that wasn't the case. Posted 2016. CONICAL BENCHMARK el 2683 is at the south end of the range. Start at the same parking spot and walk to an Indian trail at 34635, 50238. It comes out of the Mopah Range to ?. Keep going to high ground at 34329, 50687 and up that for a tenth mile to another Indian trail. Go on to the east canyon at 33738, 51347 el 1900 then up that to the south saddle el 2550. Then it's a short walk to the BM at 33774, 51788. 4 hours, 45 minutes and only 800 noticeable gain. It would be a dozen miles to do both peaks as a loop. Posted 2020.
• PEAK 849 (meters) is a huge plateau that dominates the northern wilderness. Take US 95 to mp 45.6 and turn on the PG& E road and go about 17 miles to road #237 at N34 41069, W114 54962. Go SE on that for .7 mile to a fork near a crag and go right. Keep going SW for a couple of miles then walk to the obvious easy north ridge and on to the summit cairn at 37789, 53857 el 2785. I wandered along the summit plateau then saw a good flower show in the SW canyon. I descended at 37216, 54538 el 2400 and walked down to the flats and circled back to the start. The peak is a 2 hour hike roundtrip with 800 noticeable gain, but the loop I made took 5 hours. BIG CHIEF BENCHMARK el 2936 is on the north side of the PG&E road. I parked at a wash reading 40988, 49734 el 2350 and walked up it to avoid cholla. The summit is at 41499, 49828. CHIEF BENCHMARK el 2539 is on the south side of the PG&E road at 40695, 52417. I didn't visit that one. Posted 2020.
• TRAMPAS PEAK el 2987 is what I call the peak at the head of Trampas Wash in the Chemehuevi Mountains. I made a loop up the closed Blue Boy Mine road then down the NW canyon. I parked along US 95 near mp 45 and walked to the mine road as shown on the topo. I followed it up a wash to el 2000 where boulders block vehicular travel. The miners walked from there for a quarter mile thru a narrows then used a trail on the right bank. That fades then the next trail is on the left bank at N34 39038, W114 35099 el 2200. It soon crosses to the right bank then dips into the creekbed a short way then resumes on the right bank then fades again. I stayed in the main wash and followed the topo to get on the NE ridge el 2550 of peak 2828. Then I had a sheep trail to follow on the high ridge running south to survey junk on the summit at 37797, 34954. I then retraced to the north saddle el 2800 and dropped down the canyon to my left. Soon I came to falls so I moved left to 37900, 35083 el 2650 to bypass then had an easy wash back to the mine road. 5 hours and maybe 500 noticeable gain, easy terrain. I rarely visit this range anymore. It's dull and overrun by burros, but this hike ain't half bad. Posted 2020.
• ROCKY 2 BENCHMARK el 3551 seems to be the second highest in the Chemehuevi Mountains yet I can find no info on the internet. A class 2 route goes up the south canyon. Take the Lake Havasu highway to mp 10.4 then go north on a high clearance road that is mtn bikeable and in a mile you come to the wilderness boundary. Go left a tenth mile and park el 1100. Walk to a wash at N34 29319, W114 30871 then another at 29943, 31134. Get on the right bank at 30274, 31291 and it seems to end in a fifth mile but you can keep going a lot more. Stay on the low ground to 31191, 31353 then 31640, 31384 then a trail at 31895, 31181. It goes along the base for a quarter mile to the huge south canyon el 1500. Go up and get on the left bank at 32132, 31181. When that ends, step up to the next level and when that ends cut over to the far right bank. Go up to the east rim of a fork at 32408, 31550 el 1850. Go up the rim for a distance of 200 feet then merge into the canyon. Go up bank to bank and be on the right bank at 32766, 31473 el 2750. Soon comes a fork so stay left to el 3250 then move right for 60 feet to 32895, 31554 where it's obvious how to angle up below the summit ridge to a saddle at 32944, 31515 el 3500. The summit is 200 feet east with the pole still standing. I could find no reg or BM disc. 8 hours with about 2000 noticeable gain. They don't call it Rocky for nothing. The ascent canyon has some bedrock and a lot of bank walking to ameliorate that. Posted 2021.

  

  Rocky 2 BM

  
  

Kofa Indian Trails

Any hikers interested in a guided tour of these trails can find me on Facebook as Nevada Bob.

OLD PALM CANYON TRAIL - this one connects Horse Tank to the Signal Peak area. A good route is to start at Palm Canyon and walk around to the south and pick up the trail then swing west to a second vehicle. Take US 95 to the Palm Canyon Rd near mp 85. Go .8 mile on that to a 4-way at gas road #44. Go south on that for 1.9 mile to a secret road at N33 21336, W114 12465. Take that for nearly 2 miles to Kofa boundary and leave a vehicle or bike there reading 20609, 10967. Cars might make it. Then drive to the end of the Palm Canyon Rd and walk south a tenth mile across a wash to get on a spotty trail running along the base. Follow it around to Old Palm Canyon where faint petroglyph panels are at the mouth. Then go on another tenth mile into a rock field and on to the Indian trail at 20083, 05440. Walk it south to 19850, 05711 then to 19517, 06060 where tire tracks start showing up. It goes on south a mile or so to a stage road where there are choices. I went on to the trail again at 18799, 06792 and stayed on it for 200 feet then started bending right to a low saddle at 18792, 07606. I went thru that and used a game trail on the right bank then at 19100, 08005 I got on the left bank and that lasted a while. I went on to 19820, 09041 then my bike at the boundary. That took 4 hours with no strenuous gain. This is my favorite because it's so easy with good scenery. One good side trip would be a stroll up into Hidden Canyon. Posted 2020. NON SHUTTLE VERSION - a loop can be done starting from the end of the Palm Canyon Rd. Walk the route above as far as the stage road which is obvious. Walk that then leave it at 20047, 08153  and on to 20848, 07625 then 21213, 07209 then a faint road at 21342, 07001 goes back to the start. That took 4 hours, 10 minutes. Good pavement. Posted 2021.

SQUAW TANK TRAIL - I speculate this one runs south from the tank into King Valley and it's no picnic. I started at the end of the easy 4wd road in Kofa Queen Canyon next to the mine el 3150. Jeeps keep going so I just followed their tracks on up the closed road for nearly a mile where it tops out el 3300 then down into a canyon. I went up the canyon and got on the left bank at N33 21043, W114 02077 el 3400. There I turned  south up a fork and dropped a little to use game trails running on the banks. After half an air mile I went left thru a saddle el 3500 on the left bank and started skirting around the east side of  Squaw Peak. I went thru a saddle at 20377, 01671 el 3450 to get into a wash and went up that to a saddle at 20055, 01998 el 3550. I stayed on the right bank for the last quarter mile into that saddle. Then I went down the canyon on the other side but only for 100 feet or so then moved to the left rim. That soon got smooth with a main sheep trail on it. The target drainage to drop to the main creekbed is at 19781, 02301 el 2900 and sheep get in it somehow, but I got lazy and went down at 19877, 02180 el 3150. I hit bottom OK then went downstream a fifth mile and bypassed minor falls on the right side. At that spot I could see a low saddle connecting into the target drainage, so I went thru on a main sheep trail then down that to some potholes with water. One minor fall is there so I passed it on the right and stayed in the creekbed on down to the flats. At 19746, 02745 el 2500 I got on the left bank and walked 400 feet then cut over to the right bank. Not long after that the creekbed gets smooth and it took me all way out to 19323, 03869 el 2200 where I could see the Indian trail for the first time. I went on to 18926, 04244 then 18758, 04356 then at 18449, 04533 I dropped to a wash. I got up on the left bank of that at 18151, 04593 but should have gone up sooner. Then I had no particular route all the way to pavement again at 16844, 04894. I stayed on it to 16448, 04961 then at 16080, 05030 I could barely see the trail. From there, I just headed for the King Valley Rd where I stashed a mtn bike about a mile east of post 60, but it might work better to have it more to the east. That took me 7 hours with maybe 200 feet of strenuous gain and nothing harder than class 2. I wore shorts OK but the canyon has an occasional bush or such to deal with. There are 2 or 3 miles of pristine pavement on the flats. The next canyon south is blocked by a 40 foot fall at el 2600. The following day I parked on the Palm Canyon Rd and walked back for 3 hours to retrieve my cycle. At the end of that road, there is a spotty trail running along the base to Kofa Queen Canyon. Posted 2020.

• KING VALLEY TRAIL - one 13 mile segment of this trail is handy for hikers who are spending a weekend in the area of Polaris Mtn or Kofa Butte. It starts a half mile south of Kofa Deep Well and runs west thru the Hidden Valley Hills. Take US 95 to mp 81.4 and go east on a crude but easy road for 2.5 miles to the end at the refuge boundary. Leave one 4wd there then drive to mp 76 and turn on a graded road and proceed into the refuge. Stay left at forks on the graded road to the trail at N33 12885, W114 00459 el 1250. It's about 17 miles in from US 95 and though graded it has soft spots that might stop 2wds. The trail heads for a feature I call the Shark's Tooth. It takes a lot of waypoints to walk the trail, but just keep heading for the Tooth. I entered those waypoints as I walked and so only had to enter 3 or 4 digits and it didn't slow me down. Here's the order - 13126, 00835 to 13496, 01443 to 13732, 01832 to 14084, 02479 to 14336, 02873 to 14945, 03934 to 15260, 04565 to 15346, 04709 to 15529, 05014 to 15964, 05555 to 16318, 06141 to 16570, 06668 to 17031, 07646. Then comes a choice of two saddles to cross over. The trail seems to go over the highest one at the south base of the Tooth, but I went over a lower one to the south at 17195, 08361 el 1750 using a deer trail. Go down to the other side and walk the flats to the trail again at 17867, 09686 then shortly to your 4wd at 18595, 10969. That took me 5 hours, 7 minutes with hardly any noticeable gain. The first half of the trail runs across the grain, but there's no gully deep enough to require any extra effort. There's a lot of good looking pavement here. The sat image shows the trail near Mohave Tanks at N33 21845, W114 24355. I traced it SE from the tanks for 40 miles to N33 09685, W113 55145. If they were going to the Gila River, that's another 25 miles. There's no water along the way now. Posted 2018.
• MCPHERSON PASS TRAIL - a fragmented trail goes from the pass to Chuchwalla Tank and on to Black Tank. I walked it about 4 miles then looped back on the flats to the south. I parked at the pass then walked SW on faint tracks for 250 feet and found the trail. It soon faded but I went on to high ground at N33 07572, W114 10429. I walked that a short way to a double saddle then found the trail again at the south end. It goes down a canyon to a fall where I stepped up onto the right rim at 07828, 10908 to bypass it. From there I could see Chuckwalla Tank in the main drainage. I dropped down a steep trail and hit bottom then went over one more little rise then dropped into the main creekbed. I soon got back up on the right bank and went over to the tank. Burros have taken it over. They may have been removed because I only saw their calling cards the whole day. 100 feet down from the tank is a trail on the left bank. I walked that to a saddle at 07906, 11401 then across a valley to the trail again on the left bank at 08237, 11829. I was using the right bank for the last quarter mile to the trail. It goes up to a saddle at 08419, 12071 el 1960 then down the other side on the left bank. It fades at the wash and here I stayed in the wash around to pavement at 09130, 13547 then on to another faint Indian trail at 08798, 13618. I walked SE on that following along the base. Plenty of pristine pavement is along here but burros are trying to change that. At 07520, 12768 I started bending left on pavement to a fork in a canyon at 07576, 12064. I followed a burro trail up the right fork back to the tank and out. It's a 6 hour hike with about 500 strenuous gain. The quality of the hike will depend on how big a mess the burros make, if they're still in there. I don't go to Kofa to look at burro shit. I get plenty of that along the river. Posted 2020.
• HORSE TANKS has a trail connecting to Little White Tanks. It's too far for day trippers, but a shorter loop can be made. Leave US 95 just north of mp 76 then drive the graded road to post 42 just inside the refuge. Turn right on easy 4wd and go 2.7 miles to a camp area near Horse Tanks. Walk east on a closed road to N33 12680, W114 11761. Keep going a few more feet and the trail forks left. Follow it to 12383, 11031 where it starts up into a pass. Go thru the pass then the trail runs down the left side of the drainage. When some gullies get in the way the trail drops to the wash and goes back and forth on the banks. At 11994, 10023 the trail gets on the right bank and stays there but gets fuzzy. Get on it again at 11705, 09437 then 11619, 09302 then at 11408, 08991 it forks. Stay left and it goes on to 11219, 08514 where it crosses the road coming south from post 60. If you're doing the loop, you have to choose your own spot to get off the trail and head north to the next canyon at 11954, 09047. I got off at the fork and went up the canyon. It was pleasant walking on pavement near the far left edge of the wide canyon. Aim for a low saddle at 12909, 10007 and it's a just a matter of walking bank to bank for the last half mile to it. Go thru then veer left on a sheep trail. That soon fizzles so drop down across a wash to another trail at 13075, 10227. Follow that along the left side of a drainage and thru a saddle then down to the flats. Now walk the flats back to the start. It took me 4 hours with an easy grade. Lots of nice pavement.  Posted 2015.
• TWIN SPIRES CANYON - this is an easy hike with good formations. Take US 95 to mp 92.7 and turn on a good dirt road. Drive to the refuge entrance then keep going another 3 miles to post 22. Turn right on a high clearance road and go about 2.7 miles to a camp area el 1900. Walk south a tenth mile to an Indian trail along a gully. Follow it around the point to a minor canyon with small tanks. Keep going around the next point into Twin Spires Canyon and go up to the spires. One idea is to circle the spires then return to the start. It's a 2 or 3 hour hike with no strenuous gain. Cars might get to post 22 then mtn bike the rest. Posted 2020.
• LIVINGSTON BENCHMARK TRAILS - a good loop can be done using a trail along the west side of the BM. Turn off US 95 near mp 95 and go east into the refuge then stay right at main forks and park near a trail which is at N33 30722, W114 04646. Walk on to a rock circle at 30271, 05161. Past that less than 100 feet is another trail. Walk it to 30099, 05136 then 29851, 04991  then 29746, 04903 then 29640, 04789 on a right bank. Cut over to a glyph on the left bank at 29537, 04687 and keep going to 29442, 04512. I  stayed on the trail another .6 mile to a low pass south of the BM. I went over it to get back, but could have gone around it. 3 hours, 400 noticeable gain. Posted 2021.






The Indians had to pass thru this rugged canyon to get at Squaw Tank. Only sheep are in there now.






I drew  dashed lines to show the general route of trails.