CRHT: Keys View Road to Upper Covington Flat - 22.5 Miles Round-Trip

Joshua Tree National Park's California Riding and Hiking Trail (CRHT) stretches 37 miles from the Park's North Entrance Station in 29 Palms to the Black Rock Campground in Yucca Valley. This multi-faceted trail spans Colorado Desert transition zones in the east, archetypal Joshua Tree flats in the middle and upper-Mojave and pinyon-juniper eco-regions in the west.

Trail Section Map | Full CRHT Map | Photo Gallery

6 Park roads touch the CRHT, providing visitors with numerous access points and day hike options. One point is the Juniper Flats Parking Area on Keys View Road, centrally located in the transition zone between Lost Horse Valley and Juniper Flats.

The 11.25 mile section between Juniper Flats (east) and Upper Covington Flat (west) is the CRHT's longest segment, rising gradually through miles of Joshua Tree flats into rugged canyon country and high plateaus on the edge of the Little San Bernadino Mountains where Joshua Trees grow in dense concentrations.

The following description travels west from Keys View Road to Upper Covington Flat:

The CRHT begins in a broad, sparse flat framed by foothills and distant mountains. The trail rises gently past Mile Marker 19 (.68 miles : 4,367') to a ridge and drops through another open expanse. It moves easily to Mile Marker 20 and the first of two connections with the Stubbe Springs Loop Trail (1.72 miles : 4,520').

Grades steepen through dense and diverse vegetation with emerging views of Mt San Gorgonio (11,499'). Travel eases through 2.5 miles with panoramas across Juniper Flats to Quail Mountain (5,813'), Joshua Tree's tallest peak.

It trends up to Mile Marker 21 (2.65 miles : 4,755'), crests (2.8 miles) and drops through another flat to Mile Marker 22 and the second Stubbe Springs Loop Trail split (3.65 miles : 4,728'). Mt San Jacinto (10,834') comes into view not long after.

The trail weaves through heavy brush to Mile Marker 23 (4.6 miles : 4,775') and gradually edges south, up and away from the flat. In 4.8 miles the trail begins an undulating climb to a rim over a large and desolate basin (5.25 miles : 4,795').

Crossing the basin is in sharp contrast - terrestrially and ecologically - from the previous 5 miles. The trail drops from the rim on a variously faint and twisting path.

You'll pass Mile Marker 24 (5.55 miles : 4,585') on a bouncing descent to Mile Marker 25 (6.55 miles : 4,175') on the basin floor. The trail crosses a sparingly marked wash and climbs immediately back up the rugged north wall. Stay alert as much of this segment is overgrown and indistinguishable.

Travel moderates and curls SW into a slot leading (west) out of the encasement. The trail rides above a wash, passes Mile Marker 26 (7.55 miles : 4,578') and soon merges with the wash (7.65 miles : 4,612') - anticipate this point. An anonymous set of cairns lead you left across the wash to a clearer path on the other side.

Another demanding push up the spine of a thin, divisive ridge leads above two washes (the one you just crossed is now on your right). The ridge levels and seamlessly joins the upper edge of a vast, eerie valley recently emptied by fire (8.2 miles).

The trail bends north to a burned trail marker (8.55 miles : 4,995' - see Worth Noting below), then back towards the rutted-out center of this vacant expanse. It continues easily down-valley to Mile Marker 27 (9.0 miles : 4,855').

Steps away from Mile Marker 28 (9.6 miles : 4,705') is the split for Upper and Lower Covington Flat. Bear left towards upper Covington Flat.

The trail heads west across successive washes and begins a steep, shifting climb up a diversely vegetated hillside to views of the fire-scarred valley below.

The trail levels at 10.75 miles on the edge of Upper Covington Flats with welcoming views of Mt San Jacinto. The final half mile moves easily through a dense, mature Joshua Tree forest to the parking area and Backcountry Board at Upper Covington Flat (11.25 miles : 4,817').