Bear Creek Oasis Trail Guide

In This Guide	Video and Turn-by-Turn Directions for the Bear Creek Oasis Trail How to Get to the Bear Creek Oasis Trail in La Quinta, CA Insider Tips and Recommendations for the Hike
Total Distance (?)	9 miles (14.5 km)
Hike Time	4-5 Hours (Total)
Difficulty (?)	Hard
Total Ascent (?)	2,540 feet (774m)
Highest Elevation	2,350 feet (716m)
Fees & Permits	Free
Dogs Allowed	No
Alerts & Closures (?)	Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument
Park Phone	760-862-9984

The Bear Creek Oasis Trail hike in La Quinta, CA is just spectacular; there’s no other way to slice and dice it. The first mile is flat and easy as you follow the Bear Creek wash up into the Santa Rosa foothills. And then you start climbing, winding your way up like a bighorn along the ridges and switchbacks, eventually getting to a point where you can see for miles: San Jacinto, San Gorgonio, the Coachella Valley, and the Salton Sea. But wait, there’s more! Toward the end, you wind down into a canyon nestled in the desert mountains to find a beautiful hidden fan palm oasis. It a tough one, but the payoffs are incredible.

How to Get to the Bear Creek Oasis Trail

So the maps and the trailheads for this hike can be confusing. Two trailheads are close to the start of the hike. I prefer to use the farthest one since it gets you closer to the main trail, and you spend less time in the general use/dog walker area. Other guides start you from the first trailhead. And then there’s a “Bear Creek Trail,” which is paved and not the “Bear Creek Oasis Trail,” so heads up.

Use this trailhead address:
54990 Avenida Madero, La Quinta, CA 92253

Bear Creek Oasis Parking Detail — As you drive toward the trailhead address, go past the first parking area and continue down to the end of the street, before it turns right.

Bear Creek Oasis Trail Directions 1 — There’s a decent-sized parking area.

Bear Creek Oasis Trail Directions 2 — This is not the trail you want.

Bear Creek Oasis Trail Directions 3 — There are water and shade at the paved trailhead from the last image.

Bear Creek Oasis Trail Directions 4 — There’s also a nice trail map at the parking area. La Quinta does a really good job of making it easy for hikers. I wish more places followed their lead.

Cove Oasis Trails Start — This is the trailhead that you want to start at from the parking lot. No pavement for you today!

There are no bathrooms at the parking lot.

Gear for the Hike

This is a proper desert backcountry hike, so plan accordingly. And don’t do this in the summer or on warmer days. The landscape is harsh and there is no shade.

You’re going to need proper hiking footwear here.
Trekking poles will help with the loose soil and climbing.
Bring at least 2L of water.
The hike is all exposed and you’ll need sun protection.

Altra Lone Peak 5
For most people, the Altra Lone Peak is a solid choice that will leave your feet feeling great at the end of any hike. The feel is cushy and light, and if it had a car equivalent, this would be a Cadillac or Mercedes Sedan. The grip is great and they’re reasonably durable for this type of trail runner, which I think is better in most conditions than a hiking boot, and here’s why. The downside of this shoe is that it won’t last as long as something like the Moab 2 (see alternate footwear choices at the bottom of my gear page). I’ve been using mine for many miles and my feet always feel great. Watch my video explaining why they are a great shoe here.
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Latest Price on Women’s Shoe – REI | Amazon
Latest Price on Men’s Shoe – REI | Amazon

Stay Safe Out of Cell Phone Range
If you’re not familiar with the Garmin InReach technology, it allows you to send and receive text messages where you don’t have cell phone signals. You can also get weather reports and trigger an SOS to emergency responders. Even if you don’t have an emergency, sending a quick message telling a loved one that you’re okay or are running late is well worth the cost. The Garmin InReach Mini (REI | Amazon | My Review) fits in your palm and weighs next to nothing.

Gaia GPS Mapping App
Smartphones are not backcountry instruments, but almost everyone has one today. And they all have GPS onboard. So I recommend getting a good GPS hiking app like Gaia GPS that supports offline maps. Just make sure to put your phone in airplane mode so the battery doesn’t drain. GaiaGPS not only has smartphone and tablet apps, but also an online planning tool. You can drag the GPX hike tracks from my (or any) guides into the online map and they will sync to your phone. You can also check for wildfires, weather, snow, and choose from dozens of map types with a premium membership (HikingGuy readers get up to 40% off here). Note that I also carry a paper map with me in case the phone dies or gets smashed.

Here’s my complete gear list that I personally use, have tested, and recommend, updated May 2021.

My May 2021 Top Gear Picks

No company pays me to promote or push a product, all the gear you see here is gear I use and recommend. If you click an a link and buy gear, I get a small commission that helps keep the website ad and promotion free. There is no cost to you.

Bear Creek Oasis Trail Maps

The hike’s beginning can be a little tricky; there are a lot of use trails and mountain bike cutoffs. But once you start the climb at about 1.5 miles in, it’s very easy to follow (the only) trail. I’ll show you the details in the guide below.

Explore Map on CalTopo View a Printable PDF Hike Map Download the Hike GPX File

If you try to download the GPX file and your browser adds a “.txt” or “.xml” extension to it, simply rename it as a “.gpx” file.

How are you going to navigate this hike?
To start, you should always have a paper map and compass. And it helps to print this guide out or save it on your phone. I highly recommend a GPS as well. I use the Garmin Fenix 6 Smart GPS watch ( REI | Amazon | My Review) with maps (or the more affordable Garmin Instinct). The GPS smartwatch is nice because it’s rugged, works if your phone dies, and also has a billion other features like sleep tracking, workout recording, etc.

Elevation Profile

Bear Creek Oasis Elevation — The start of the hike is relatively flat as it makes its way up the wash. After that you climb. The last section to the oasis has a downhill dip.

3d Map

Bear Creek Oasis Hike Directions

It’s easy to say thank you for this guide!

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