Mission Creek Preserve Hike

3.4 miles - Easy Effort
1-2 Hours (Total)
340 Total Feet of Climbing
Max Elevation of 2,445 feet
Leashed Dogs Allowed

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
Parking & Trailhead Information
Gear Recommendations & Hike Tips

Quick Links: Mission Creek Preserve - NOAA Weather Report - Top Gear Picks (Sep 2023)

When planning, always check the park website and social media to make sure the trails are open. Similarly, check the weather and road conditions.

How to Get to Mission Creek Preserve

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.

Use this trailhead address:
Mission Creek Preserve, 60550 Mission Creek Rd, Desert Hot Springs, CA 92240

Mission Creek Preserve Hike Directions 1 — The 2.5 miles from Rt-62 to the hike start are on this sand road. It's wide and doable with regular cars.

Mission Creek Preserve Hike Directions 2 — You'll pass the sign for the Preserve as you drive in. Keep driving past this until the road dead-ends at the parking area.

Mission Creek Preserve Hike Directions 3 — The parking lot isn't huge, but often has space because of the remoteness of this hike. If it's full, you can park along the side of the road.

Gear For the Hike

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.

My Latest Gear Picks

Garmin inReach Mini 2 ( Amazon | REI )
HOKA Speedgoat 5 ( Men | Women )
Zpacks Sub-Nero Ultra ( Zpacks | Review )
Alpine Carbon Cork Poles ( REI | Amazon )

As a hiking guide, I test lots of hiking gear. On my picks page, I'll show you all of the gear that I actually use. I don't accept paid promotions or talk about the stuff that doesn't make the cut. It's just the gear that works best, so you don't have to waste your money.

All My September 2023 Top Gear Picks

Mission Creek Preserve Trail Maps

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.

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

Best Smartphone Apps to Navigate: AllTrails | GaiaGPS | OnX

Elevation Profile

Mission Creek Preserve Hike Elevation — The hike climbs about 300 feet in about 1.6 miles, which is very easy. There are some small uphill gradients, but in general it feels like just walking up a gently climbing road. And of course, on the way back, it's all downhill.

3d Map

Mission Creek Preserve History

Historic Mission Creek Photo Calisphere — The stone buildings at the start of the hike used to be a dude ranch called the *T Cross K Guest Ranch*. Think of it as an early form of glamping. Photo from Calisphere / University of California.

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.
"No fog or dew." Ad from the LA Times, 4 Dec 1934.
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

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Mission Creek Preserve Hike Directions 5 — Head straight past the trail sign. We're hiking to the Stone House Picnic Area.

Mission Creek Preserve Hike Directions 6 — You'll pass a trail board shortly after that. Check out the board for any trail updates or notices.

Mission Creek Preserve Hike Directions 7 — There's also an old hiker logbook here. The log is long gone unfortunately.

Mission Creek Preserve Hike Directions 8 — After the trail board you'll see the old ranch houses to your right. You can climb over and explore them now or on the way back. You'll also find an old pool and stone chimney, the only thing left of the main house where guests dined.

Mission Creek Preserve Hike Directions 9 — Each cabin has a stone picnic table with some shade. A great place for a rest when the sun is beating down.

Mission Creek Preserve Hike Directions 10 — After the cabins, you're going to hike up the dirt road. It looks pretty much like this the whole way to the end.

Mission Creek Preserve Hike Directions 11 — On your left will be Mission Creek, which comes down from the high mountains and flows all year. The creek is also the location of the Mission Creek strand of the San Andreas Fault.

Mission Creek Preserve Hike Directions 12 — As you approach a mile into the hike, you'll see the tall cottonwood tree poking out of the Painted Hills Wetlands.

Mission Creek Preserve Hike Directions 13 — And soon the wetlands will be on your right. It's amazing to think that you have a wet, marshy area in the middle of such a dry landscape. The wetlands attracts many bird watchers. Try to spot a Bell's vireo and southwestern willow flycatcher, both endangered species that call this wetland home.

Mission Creek Preserve Hike Directions 14 — When you pass the wetlands, the trail curves sharply to the right. Avoid the side trail on the left.

Mission Creek Preserve Hike Directions 15 — You'll have a short uphill section as the trail skirts around the wetlands.

Mission Creek Preserve Hike Directions 16 — You'll pass an old stone wall and foundation to the right.

Mission Creek Preserve Hike Directions 17 — At this point you'll get some nice views of Mount San Gorgonio to your left. It's the highest point in Southern California at 11,503 feet. In the winter there's often snow, which is a great contrast with the brown desert.

Mission Creek Preserve Hike Directions 18 — Soon you'll arrive at a big parking lot. Head to the corner of the other side.

Mission Creek Preserve Hike Directions 19 — You'll see the stone house, another remanent of the ranch days. There are doors on either side, just head in either one.

Mission Creek Preserve Hike Directions 22 — The interior is in great shape and includes picnic tables and informational displays.

Mission Creek Preserve Hike Directions 20 — There's also a great old hearth that serves as a good photo background.

Mission Creek Preserve Hike Directions 21 — There are restrooms around the back of the stone house.

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.

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.

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This Guide Was Written by Cris Hazzard

Cris Hazzard 4 Mile Trail Yosemite
Hi, I'm Cris Hazzard, aka Hiking Guy, a professional outdoors guide, hiking expert, and author based in Southern California. I created this website to share all the great hikes I do with everyone else out there. This site is different because it gives detailed directions that even the beginning hiker can follow. I also share what hiking gear works and doesn't so you don't waste money. I don't do sponsored or promoted content; I share only the gear recommendations, hikes, and tips that I would with my family and friends. If you like the website and YouTube channel, please support these free guides (I couldn't do it without folks like you!).

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