Pinkham Canyon Road, overland trails, off-road trials, california overland trails, over landing, over land, off-road, off-roading, vehicle supported adventure, Joshua Tree National Park,
GPS- Pinkham Canyon Trail N33  46.75  W115  54.99
Elevation 1,400-3,400 ft.
Season Year round: best Oct.-May
Terrain graded, narrow in sections, loose and sandy in spots
Difficulty Easy to Moderate
Required Vehicle high-clearance 4WD
Time 2 1/2 hours
Length 21.5 miles
Pinkham Canyon Road, overland trails, off-road trials, california overland trails, over landing, over land, off-road, off-roading, vehicle supported adventure, Joshua Tree National Park,
Pinkham Canyon Trail Head
Pinkham Canyon Road, overland trails, off-road trials, california overland trails, over landing, over land, off-road, off-roading, vehicle supported adventure, Joshua Tree National Park,
Heading west on Pinkham Canyon Trail

Directions to Pinkham Canyon Trail: This overland trail begins opposite the Cottonwood Visitor Center on Pinto Basin Road and ends at I-10 Frontage Road exit, 17 miles east of Indio.

BoreasCampers

Site Location and Description:  This is a beautiful and easy off-road trail that crosses through a sloped bajada and winds through Mojave yuccas to a gap in the Cottonwood Mountains.  Monument mountain can be seen to the north and you’ll drive through the Pinckam Canyon Wash.  There is one side trail down Thermal Canyon.  Again, a beautiful trail worthy of exploration.

Pinkham Canyon Road, overland trails, off-road trials, california overland trails, over landing, over land, off-road, off-roading, vehicle supported adventure, Joshua Tree National Park,
Deep in the Pinkham canyon Joshua Tree National Park

History of Pinkham Canyon Trail: This area was inhabited by the Pinto people; some of the earliest inhabitants of the Southwest.  They used it’s river as a food gathering source.  Evidence has been left behind as rock art scattered throughout the area.  The Cahuilla Indias also roamed this region and used it’s water sources. Look for the mortar holes in the rocks.  Long after the Pinto Valley became a dry basin, prospectors arrived.  They named a peak near Cottonwood Spring at the northeastern end of the trail, Mastodon for it’s shape.  They opened a mine, active from 1910-1930 at the base of Mastodon Peak.  Shafts and some ruins remain.  Moorten’s and Winona Mills were also located in this region.   Miners used the water at Cottonwood Spring for their mills and teamsters transporting supplies in the Pinto Mountains also made use of this water source.

Pinkham Canyon Road, overland trails, off-road trials, california overland trails, over landing, over land, off-road, off-roading, vehicle supported adventure, Joshua Tree National Park,
Foliage in Pinkham Canyon

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