Kingdom of Zion Peak

Hiked: 2/24/2026
Distance: 5.5 miles round trip on trail and cross country
Summit Elevation: 2547'
Elevation Gain: 1749'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 1.4
Round trip time: 5 hours
Recommended water: 64 oz.
Parking/Fees: Free at turnaround on Road CM495
Difficulty: Moderate

The goal was Kingdom of Zion Peak, continuing my exploration of the Chuckwalla Mountains. The name seems to be tied to an abandoned youth camp nearby dating back to the 1970s. Internet searches suggest it was shut down in 2013. I exited I-10 on the south side at Rice Road (Desert Center), made a quick left on Aztec Ave (paved) running parallel with I-10. In a mile, Aztec ends and a dirt road begins. A quick jog put me on Gas Line Road, running along the pipeline. After another mile and a half, I turned right on the signed CM380, then turned left on signed CM495. The road winds around some rocks to a turnaround that could accommodate 4-5 vehicles. High clearance suggested for the dirt roads.

Messages and signs were painted on the rocks at the turnaround, and along a trail that started there. One sign said "THE WAY TO ZION" with an arrow. The trail went about 0.4 miles across Mustard Seed Dam to where the camp used to be. There was nothing left of the camp but the building slabs. A use trail continued 0.3 miles beyond the camp, following the deep gully on the left. It ended after dropping into the gully.

I continued up the gully past some dry falls. There was some gray and white granite in the gully and some conglomerates. After a mile or so, I exited by climbing up some rocks. I had a clear view of Kingdom of Zion Peak with several approaches possible. Since there as no beta on Peakbagger, I plotted a route using CalTopo. For the first time, I used a map layer showing steepness by color. I planned to take a gully on the far left that connected with one of the ridges higher up. The more direct gully also looked like it would go, but with less certainty. My indirect approach was steep class 1 and worked well. From the top of the far left gully, I went over the highest point on the ridge, dropped about 50' to a small saddle, then continued directly up the ridge. This section was class 2/3 with solid rock and minimal exposure. I had a final walk up to the high point.

I found a fallen wooden post among the rocks, but no marks and no register. I planted a small eispiraten.com flag on the summit for posterity. Views were nice in all directions. After a break, I started down. My left knee started bothering me about half way down. I've had some discomfort with it off and on for a few months, and my home rehab efforts have been only partially successful. I might have to seek professional PT help if it persists. With a sore knee, my descent was slow until I was back in the main gully. Kingdom of Zion was an interesting area and a good work out.

Peak 1611

Hiked: 2/12/2026
Distance: 2.6 miles round trip on trail and cross country
Summit Elevation: 1611'
Prominence: 1071'
Elevation Gain: 1282'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 1.0
Round trip time: 2 hours 40 minutes
Recommended water: 48 oz.
Parking/Fees: Free at Cove Oasis parking lot on Avenidas Bermudas
Difficulty: Moderate

Friday the 13th hike. Peak 1611 was hard to pick out among the dozens of small desert peaks surrounding La Quinta (near Palm Springs). The main draw was the P1K status, plus a recommendation from Adam Walker. I really enjoyed the Coyote Benchmark and Indio Peak hike from a few years ago. This one was was even better. I parked at the Cove Oasis parking lot at 8:30 AM with plenty of parking. Many hikers were on the trails. I took the southern most trail that curved around a bump, the trail rising to a small saddle where a large rock cairn was built. This was the place to leave the trail on the right side and climb toward the main ridge. The next half mile was the steepest and the crux. The rock on the way to the ridge was not stable. I had two big holds break off on the this part. Sections of the ridge were narrow so I took my time and tested each hold. I reached the top in about an hour and twenty minutes. Great views to the Palm Springs suburbs, golf courses, and the Santa Rosa ridge. I didn't find any marks or a register. A couple of old sleeping bags had been abandoned nearby. I took a short break on the summit for some calories. The descent went without an incident, though I slowed down on the chossy part getting off the ridge. I was alone the entire hike after leaving the trail. A nice ridge scramble and P1K that bumped by P-index to 223.

Cairn at the saddle

Leaving the trail toward the ridge

Summit dead ahead

Martinez Mountain dominating the view

Cairn garden on the trail

Peak 4254

Hiked: 2/5/2026
Distance: 7.1 miles round trip cross country
Summit Elevation: 4254'
Prominence: 706'
Elevation Gain: 2568'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 2.0
Round trip time: 5 hours
Recommended water: 48 oz.
Parking/Fees: $35 National Parks Fee or Annual Pass at turnout on Pinto Basin Road
Difficulty: Moderate

I had a chance to meet up with Adam Walker and his girlfriend, Frances, for a Joshua Tree quest. Peak 4254 had not even been on my radar, but Adam had it as a prominence goal and it sounded fun. We met at a turnout on Pinto Basin Road and got started around 8 AM. The sun was muted by weird high altitude clouds. Unusual weather. We crossed the road and headed for one of the two ridge lines eventually leading to Peak 4254. After the first slope, we were on a large plateau for a mile or so before gaining the ridge. Black volcanic rock and boulders dominated the area. The ridge was punctuated with bumps of various sizes. A couple of the bumps were substantial and entailed some light class 2 to go over/around. We cached some water about half way. Adam did an expert job of navigating through the obstacles. After clearing the final steep bump, we had a more gentle walk up to the summit. I didn't see a benchmark, but there was a small register placed in 2009. There had been few visitors since then. Views from the top were splendid despite the strange lighting. A moat of giant boulders guarded the plains to the east. Pinto Mountain and Monument Mountain rose high in the distance. After hanging out on top for awhile, we headed back the same way. We tried to side hill around the largest bump, which worked, but I am not sure it was easier than going over. The rest of the descent went smoothly. It was a fun and interesting ridge, much better than I would have guessed from the starting point. Always great to see old hiking friends.

Peak 4254 along Pinto Basin Road, ascent ridge on the right

Going up one of the sharper bumps

Summit shot

Monument Mountain

Pinto Mountain