For years, I hiked around the Yucca Valley/Joshua Tree area without venturing into the Pioneertown Mountains Preserve—and now that I have, I feel like I’ve struck gold
Pioneertown Mountains Preserve is owned and managed by The Wildlands Conservancy, California’s largest nonprofit nature preserve system. Descending from tall, piney ridges at 7,800 feet in elevation, among the lower slopes of the San Bernardino Mountains, the preserve covers 25,500 acres of wilderness that spans into the Pioneertown Valley (home of the famous Pappy and Harriet’s, a Western-themed restaurant and music venue). Pioneertown Mountains Preserve has year-round riparian corridors in Pipes Canyon and Little Morongo Canyon and is an important landscape linkage between Joshua Tree National Park, the San Bernardino National Forest, and the Bighorn Mountain Wilderness.
The preserve also carries a story of resilience, as much of the flora has been under long-term recovery from the 2006 Sawtooth Complex Fire—a 70,000-acre fire caused by lightning that destroyed numerous pinyon pines, junipers and Joshua trees, some thousands of years old. Today, the land has rebounded with vibrant vegetation and wildlife.
The Pioneertown Mountains Preserve’s address is 51010 Pipes Canyon Road, in Pioneertown. It’s about an hour drive, maybe less, from the Palm Springs area. Take Highway 62 toward Yucca Valley for about 20 miles or so and turn left onto Pioneertown Road, where you will continue for about 4.5 miles, and veer right just past Pappy and Harriet’s. From there, it’s another three miles to Pipes Canyon Road, where you will turn left onto the smooth dirt road and follow it for about a mile to the parking area. It’s marked; you’ll see the sign.
Admission to the preserve is free, and it’s open daily, year-round, from dawn to dusk. There are shaded areas such as a shelter house with picnic tables, and a nice, shaded deck with benches and a table at the ranger station/visitor center, where you will find clean restrooms and drinking water. There is a lot of signage, with information kiosks and paper trail maps available to take with you on your hikes. Dogs are allowed on these trails, but must be on-leash. It’s a leave-no-trace area, so don’t let your trash hit the ground, and take all garbage with you. Pack in! Pack out!
The preserve is home to a variety of wildlife, including desert bighorn sheep, mule deer, mountain lions, black bears, gray foxes, various bird species and many other mammals and reptiles. If you see wildlife, please keep a distance, and observe quietly. Do not disturb wildlife in any way. Remember, we are in their territory.
There are six marked trails to explore at this preserve, with three main trails that start near the visitor center and upper parking lot.
After being closed for a while, the Indian Loop Trail is now open again; a special thanks to the rangers and volunteers for months of hard work to reroute washed-out sections, and to install rock steps, new trail posts and more, to make this trail safe and enjoyable again. The Indian Loop Trail is a moderate 6.5 miles, or you can turn it into a more difficult 8-mile hike to include Chaparrosa Peak.
That longer hike would involve a total climb of more than 1,400 feet and take up to four hours to complete, according to The Hiking Guy. He suggests starting this loop clockwise at the Chaparrosa Peak Trail, located near the upper overflow parking lot to the left, just above the first parking lot. From here, it’s a little more than three miles one way to the peak. The trail first descends into a wash before the climb begins—and pretty much continues until reaching the peak. Just more than two miles in, you’ll come to the junction of Chaparrosa Peak and the Indian Loop Trail. This is where you will take a left and head south for about three-quarters of a mile to reach the peak; here, the trail becomes more primitive. You’ll continue to go in and out of washes as you climb. After reaching the ridge, Chaparrosa Peak will be right in front of you. As you approach the peak, you’ll see the surrounding peaks of Big Bear in front of you, with Mount San Jacinto to the south. Onyx Peak and Flat Top Mesa will be to the east. On the way down, you’ll take in the intense views of the Sawtooths—you’ll be looking right into them.
Once you reach the junction again, you can go back to the start, or make a left and continue onto the Indian Springs Trail, where you’ll enjoy beautiful views as you go up and down the rolling hills for the next mile or so, before the trail turns east into a steep canyon about five miles in. Then you descend into the steep upper canyon via the rock steps and continue down the narrow canyon until you reach the big wash, where you’ll turn right onto the Pipes Canyon Trail. From there, it’s a nice, sandy trek down Pipes Canyon until you reach the creek (aka Pipes Wash; you’ll cross it several times). This is a wetlands area, with lush vegetation and lots of scrub brush that can be dense at times, but it does provide shade. Be prepared, as it can be wet and muddy throughout this section. Around this point, six miles in, you will see the Olsen Ruins, where a Swedish goat tender John Olson (not Olsen) lived back in the 1920s while he worked the onyx mine. From here, continue down the wash, and as it widens, there will be a small loop to the left, off the main trail, where you can see petroglyphs, before reaching the gate near the visitor center area. You have now completed three amazing hikes in one (Indian Loop, Chaparrosa Peak and Olsen Ruins).
For a shorter and easier hike, just less than 3.5 total miles out and back, you can begin at Pipes Canyon Wash, just below the visitor center, and hike to the Olsen Ruins.
This area is full of interesting history and stunning desert scenery, including beautiful seasonal wildflowers. These trails offer a lot to explore, with unique rock formations throughout; they can be great experiences for hikers of all levels. You can make your hikes as long or as short as you’d like—but remember that the preserve closes at dusk.
Although water is available here, you should always bring your own water—at least two liters. Wear layers, good hiking shoes, sunscreen and a hat; hiking poles can be helpful, too. It can be quite windy at times, and it can get very cool during the winter—and brutally hot during the summer. Be safe, and know the desert hiking essentials; learn more at www.desertmountains.org/hiking.