Hidden in the rugged foothills of the northern Coachella Valley—east of Desert Hot Springs and just north of Sky Valley Resort, off Dillon Road—is Tim’s Ladder Trail.
This is not your average desert hike. This challenging, unmarked route climbs steeply into the backcountry of Joshua Tree National Park. With more than 2,000 feet of elevation gain in less than 3 miles, the trail offers raw desert adventure for those who dare to take on the challenge. The reward: sweeping 360-degree scenic views from the high ridges.
You’ll overlook the Little San Bernardino Mountains to the north. In the distance to the southeast is the Salton Sea, with the Santa Rosa Mountains and Toro Peak to the south, Mount San Jacinto to the southwest, and San Gorgonio Mountain (Old Greyback, the highest peak in Southern California) to the northwest. If you look far in the distance to the west, between the peaks of San Jacinto and San Gorgonio, you may spot the Morongo Casino Resort tower in Cabazon. You’ll have breathtaking views of the entire desert floor beneath you while looking down into Sky Valley Resort, which was founded and built by Tim Manthei—the man behind Tim’s Ladder Trail—and his family.
I was fortunate enough to connect with Tim Manthei (not on the trail, unfortunately), and during our conversation, I learned that the story of this hidden yet iconic trail has been shaped over more than five decades.
Manthei said he came out to the desert from Huntington Beach in 1970 and started building Sky Valley Resort. At that time, he also started carving out what is now Tim’s Ladder Trail—but not intentionally, at least not at first.
“I just started hiking up there, and kept hiking, and eventually a trail started to form,” Manthei said. “Then different people started working on the trail with some tools, and it just evolved over the years.”
He gave the most credit to Din Kossova, a Sky Valley local. Kossova built the “now legal” monument just more than a mile from the start. You can’t miss it! It’s a tall rock tower featuring a flag at the top. There’s an interesting (heroic and somewhat sad) story behind the monument, which was built twice by Kossova in honor of President Woodrow Wilson, who fought for Albanian independence.
Along the trail, you’ll find steep climbs; rocky, sandy terrain with loose footing; high winds; and no shade. Hiking during the summer is dangerous due to extreme heat, and flash floods are a risk in the canyon areas. Be mindful of weather that can change suddenly! Manthei recalled one particular storm from memory as if it were yesterday: “On Sept 10, 1976, we had 4.5 inches of rain in 1.5 hours, and the wash rose 5 feet deep that day. It was crazy!”
A couple of my hiking buddies—Tex and Jennifer—joined me recently to make the climb. It’s grueling! You can compare this trail to the Museum Trail in Palm Springs. They are both hard climbs, but this one is longer and steeper. The trail is marked by white dots on rocks, much like the Museum Trail—and those dots are the only trail markers you will find. There are a few cairns, along with some rock art along the way, but every signpost we encountered was broken; even the metal flag post at the monument was broken in half. The destructive winds along this trail are not to be taken lightly.
Once you climb about three-quarters of the way up the trail, looking northwest, you can first see Old Greyback. After the monument, it’s only about a half-mile to the boundary of Joshua Tree National Park, so we continued on—because that’s how we roll!—but that meant more climbing. We peaked out at 2,581 feet, near a witness post, where we were looking at a gradual descent into a canyon wash from the back side of the ridge. I was able to get cell service in that particular spot, and I saw on the map that the wash would bring us out just west of the ridge where we started our climb.
At that point, we thought taking the wash out would be a no-brainer versus the climb we had just endured. We reached the wash, and we were so happy to be trudging through soft sand on flat ground—but that didn’t last long before we came to our first drop, which was just the first of many 8-to-12-foot drops. We scrambled and slid our way across and down each one. It was insane—and there were no ladders! It turns out we were no longer on Tim’s Ladder Trail. Finally, after an hour or so of scrambling through the rocky canyons, it leveled again, and we found our way out to Dillon Road, about a mile or so west of Sky Valley Resort.
The Hiking Guy has an excellent guide mapped out for this trail. I highly recommend studying this guide and printing it out to take with you. I wish I had done that!
Tim’s Ladder Trail is more than just a difficult desert hike; it’s a living piece of Sky Valley history, shaped by one man’s curiosity, persistence and love for the mountains. Now 56 years after he arrived here, Tim is still climbing. He and his wife, Pamela, go out once or twice a week to climb the trail. They often go down the ridge to the west and make a loop instead of going out and back. It’s a bit longer to do the loop; it goes down into the back canyon where there is actually a ladder that must be used to get out. My hiking buddies and I will definitely be taking this route next time.
If you’re ready for a strenuous climb, panoramic views and a taste of desert solitude, this hidden gem awaits. Just remember to respect the land—pack in; pack out; and leave no trace.
A few quick tips for success:
- Start early to beat the heat.
- Download a GPX file or print the trail guide from the Hiking Guy (see above); the trail is unmarked.
- Check weather carefully, and do not start this hike if rain or high wind is in the forecast.
- Avoid this trail during the summer months.
- Bring trekking poles and 2-3 liters of water.
- Wear sturdy boots.
- Bring a first-aid kit and all desert hiking essentials (www.desertmountains.org/hiking.)
Upcoming Events
• Friends of the Desert Mountains’ Wildflower 5k takes place at 8 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 28. The trail run will be moved this year from the Randall Henderson Trail to Cap Homme/Ralph Adams Park, at 72500 Thrush Road, in Palm Desert. More information will be available as details are finalized and registration opens. Check the Friends’ website at www.desertmountains.org.
• Friends of the Desert Mountains’ Coachella Valley Wildflower Festival, presented by the city of Palm Desert, returns from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, March 7, at Civic Center Park, at 43900 San Pablo Ave. The free, family-friendly event features native plants, a youth art contest, arts and crafts, food trucks and environmental education for all. Learn more at www.desertmountains.org/cvwf.