Tim's Ladder Trail

6 miles - Moderate Effort
Or: 2.5 miles to First Monument
3-4 Hours (Total)
2,100 Total Feet of Climbing
Max Elevation of 3,100 feet
Leashed Dogs Allowed

A local's favorite, the Tim's Ladder Trail offers a rugged adventure into the hills of the northern Coachella Valley. Along the way, you'll encounter a monument built by a local artisan. Then, you'll enter the Joshua Tree National Park backcountry and finish with a panoramic viewpoint overlooking the Little San Bernardino Mountains. And 2000 feet of climbing in under 3 miles means that you'll earn the views.

In this Guide:

Video and Turn-by-Turn Directions
Where to Park for Tim's Ladder Trail
Insider Tips & Recommendations for the Hike

Quick Links:
Park Website - NOAA Weather Report - My Apr 2024 Gear

Where is Tim's Ladder Trail?

There's no official trailhead for the hike, but parking and starting the hike are easy enough. If you can enter latitude and longitude into your driving GPS, use this trailheads address:
33.904815, -116.362112

Otherwise, navigate to Sky Valley Resort, and about 0.2 miles west of the turnoff to the resort on Dillon Road, the hike start will be on the north side of the road. Use this street address:
74711 Dillon Rd, Desert Hot Springs, CA 92241

Tims Ladder Parking Map — Parking is on the roadside, before the turnoff to the resort.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 3 — There's a wide shoulder where you can park alongside the road.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 5 — And there's a gate that marks the start of the hike.

Gear For the Hike

This is a rugged hike in the desert. In the summer and when temperatures are high, doing Tim's Ladder is not an option and can be deadly. When temperatures are safe, I bring about 2L of water and sun protection. Trekking poles are also a must on some of the steep slopes. Lastly, having a GPS with this trail's GPX track loaded will be helpful. The trails are unofficial use trails, and are generally easy to follow, but having access to the GPX track will resolve any confusion.

Gear That I Love Right Now

Nothing is sponsored or promoted, just the actual gear that I use.

Garmin InReach Mini 2If you are out of cellphone range the Mini 2 will reliably allow you to hit SOS via satellite. You can see my review here.

HOKA Speedgoat 5These are a great balance of comfort and performance. The high stack height leaves my feet feeling great after a hike.

Check out the complete list here.

Tim's Ladder Trail Maps

Use This Map:
View in CalTopo | PDF Map | GPX File

How Will You Navigate?

Using the Apple Watch for Hiking

Garmin Fenix 7 & Epix Review For Hikers

How To Read a Topographic Map

Garmin GPSMAP 67i Review

Elevation Profile

Tims Ladder Elevation — Even though it's not a long hike, it's a steep one. You'll climb about 2000 feet in 2.5 miles.

Landmarks on the Hike

Landmark	Distance	Elevation
Trailhead	0	1090
Monument	1.1	2020
Witness Post	1.6	2460
Joshua Tree	2	2750
Viewpoint	2.6	3100

3D Map

Hike Brief

Tims Ladder Tim — Meet Tim, of Tim's Ladder! Tim and his wife Pam started Sky Valley Resort, which is across the street from the trail. They're both avid hikers and are on these trails often. Sky Valley offers vacation rentals and the Farm Fresh market, which sells local eggs and baked goods with an Austrian flair (the owners are Austrian transplants).

The land you are hiking on is owned by the Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy, a state agency created in 1991 to protect the natural and cultural resources of the Coachella Valley. It would be great if the Friends of the Desert Mountains would mark this trail at some point, it's a great area.
The monument you pass on the hike was created by Din Kossova, who lives at Sky Valley, to commemorate the founding of the modern Albanian state in 1920, largely through the efforts of Woodrow Wilson. Originally he built another monument, unknowingly just inside the (then unmarked) boundary of Joshua Tree National Park. When the park found it, they (pretty harshly) fined Kossova and blew up the monument. The video about it on the Desert Sun site is worth watching if you're interested.
You'll cross into Joshua Tree National Park, but you don't need any special entrance fees or permits to day hike here.
When you cross into the park, you'll also cross over the Colorado River Aqueduct, one of the modern engineering marvels. You won't see it on the hike, as its underground, but there is an access point about a mile away that you can visit.

Tim's Ladder Hike Directions

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 6 — Hop over the gate and start walking straight down the sandy road.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 7 — Follow the road straight. There are a ton of other roads and tracks coming in and out of this one, but just go straight back toward the mountain.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 8 — Off to your left is San Gorgonio.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 9 — And behind you to the left is San Jacinto.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 10 — When you get close to the mountain, at about 0.3 miles, bear off to the left on the diagonal road.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 11 — If you look up from here, you'll see the monument in the distance.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 12 — When you approach the hillside, look for the path climbing up to the right.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 13 — There's usually stones marking the path to the start as well.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 14 — And now you start the climb. The trail is small, but it's there.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 15 — At about 0.4 miles in, you gain the ridge. Hike left and follow the trail up along the ridge. You're pretty much going uphill all the way to the monument from here.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 16 — Keep looking ahead to find the path of the trail. If it goes downhill, it's not the right trail.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 17 — There are a few random marks and cairns along the way.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 18 — When you get to the first flat(ish) section, the trail continues up to the left.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 19 — You'll see the monument again as you get higher up.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 20 — Then you reach a flat area of dark rock. There are two trails to the monument, the shortest is the one on the right.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 21 — There's some rock art at the flat area.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 22 — Just after a mile or so you'll reach the monument.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 23 — This is the monument, built by Din Kossova.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 25 — There's a few areas of rock art and plaques around the monument.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 24 — You've climbed about 1000 feet from the start of the hike.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 26 — Continue uphill from behind the monument. We're heading left. On the way back (later in the guide), we'll descend on the trails to the left here.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 27 — We're heading straight, up the hill, and then up the sandy ridge to the left.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 28 — In some places the trail is very well marked, others it's less well marked but still there.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 29 — If you look back as you climb, you'll see Toro Peak, the highest point in the Santa Rosa Mountains.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 30 — Keep straight at the flat section, avoiding the viewpoint trail to the right.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 31 — And you gain a crest, with the next (small pointy) peak in the distance.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 32 — As you crest the next rise, there's a flat area near the top. Off to the left are the remains of a witness post.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 33 — You can still see this witness post referenced on USGS topographic maps as 2513T, although I think the elevation is not that high.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 34 — Crest a ridge just past the witness post.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 35 — Head downhill for a short stretch.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 36 — And then start climbing. There are some cairns to mark the way.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 37 — We'll be going around on the ridge to the right.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 38 — The end of the climb is sandy and steep.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 39 — And then you get to the pointy peak. There's a small wooden marker on the rocks to the right, along with some nice views. Otherwise the trail continues to the right.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 40 — Hike uphill from the rock pile.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 41 — You'll shortly pass the pole, which is the boundary marker for Joshua Tree NP. The Colorado River Aqueduct also runs roughly under this spot. From now on we're in Joshua Tree NP.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 42 — The trail is not as popular as the early stretch, but it's still here. Look for cairns and footprints.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 43 — Our final destination is at the top of the hill in the distance.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 44 — After a short downhill, continue up to the right.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 45 — At the top of the small ridge, bear right.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 46 — And then you're at a flat sandy area. The viewpoint is straight ahead.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 47 — Climb up on the granite to enjoy the panoramic views.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 48 — To the north and east, the many unnamed peaks in the Little San Bernardino Mountain range, and Joshua Tree NP.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 49 — To the southwest, San Jacinto.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 50 — And to the southeast, the Salton Sea.

From here, head back the way you came. When you approach the monument, pick up the directions below to descend on the loop route.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 52 — When you see the monument off to the left, take the trail to the right.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 53 — And then at the junction, go right again.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 54 — Now we have a long, generally gentle descent down toward the wash. The trail back from here is well marked with cairns.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 55 — There's a steep section but it's not too long.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 56 — At the bottom of the steep section, make the left.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 57 — And continue down the gradual descent.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 58 — At the y-junction, bear right.

Tims Ladder Trail Directions 59 — And soon you'll be back at the flat section. You can take any of the paths that heads left to rejoin your initial approach path.

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.

Related Guides

East Indio Badlands Trail Guide

Murray Peak Hike (Palm Springs)

Pushawalla Palms Trail Loop

Joshua Tree Hikes

Palm Springs Hiking Trails

Hikes In and Around Riverside County

Popular Guides

Best Hiking Gear 2024

Hiking Boots or Shoes: Do I Really Need Hiking Boots?

When to Hit SOS on inReach

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!). You can stay up to date with my new guides by following me on YouTube, Instagram, or by subscribing to my monthly newsletter.