The Mission Creek Preserve hike is a great family-friendly adventure that offers a little bit of everything in an easy package. You'll be able to visit the ruins of an old "glamping" resort, follow a creek that started high in the mountains and is now irrigating the desert, pass a rare wetland, enjoy views of the high peaks, and then visit an old stone ranch house. The trail is wide, the climbs gradual, and it's easy to follow. Even if you're an experienced hiker, there's enough beauty here to warrant at least one visit.
In this Guide:
Video and Turn-by-Turn Directions For the Mission Creek Preserve Hike
The Mission Creek Preserve hike is located off of Rt-62, which connects Palm Springs with Joshua Tree. Once you pull off Rt-62, it's a 2.5 mile drive down a sandy, unpaved road to the trailhead. The good news is that the road is sandy and smooth, and is doable by low-clearance vehicles. Just don't plan on going over 20mph.
This is an exposed desert hike. When it's hot outside, you need to prepare accordingly or skip the hike altogether. Winter is the sweet spot for a visit. I always bring 1L of water here. Otherwise it's an easy hike up a dirt road, and you can wear light hiking gear or fitness clothes. The rocky trail is best done with good footwear that keeps the rocks out.
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If you can walk down a dirt road, you can do this hike. I've included detailed directions below with images and video, but basically you'll be walking up the road to the old stone house, and then back.
The area that you are hiking through is geologically unique. Similar to nearby Joshua Tree National Park, you are in a transition zone between the Sonoran and Mojave deserts. Unlike Joshua Tree, here you have Mission Creek providing a water source, attracting animals and providing plants the moisture to grow. You'll even pass an area designated as wetlands, right here in the desert!
As I mentioned earlier, the first stone huts used to be part of a larger complex called T Cross K Guest Ranch. The ranch offered horseback riding, hiking, barbecues, a pool, and "mother's good home cooking." Rates were $5 a night, or about $100 in today's money. Not bad. The ranch fizzled out in the 1950s.
Today the Mission Creek Preserve is in the care of the Wildlands Conservancy, and is part of the Sand to Snow National Monument, created by President Obama in 2016. There's another great Wildlands Conservancy hike just down the road at Whitewater Preserve. You can do both hikes in one day if you want.
Mission Creek Preserve Hike Directions
Once you're finished, you just hike back the way you came. If you'd like to drive to the stone house without the hike, or would like to camp here, you can contact Mission Preserve (use the website link at the beginning of the guide) and request access.
Need More Info?
Have a question about the guide or want to see what other people are saying/asking? View the Youtube comments for this video. Leave a comment and I will do my best to respond.
When planning, always check the park website and social media to make sure the trails are open. Similarly, check the weather and road conditions.