Palen Pass Road

Palen Pass Road crosses over the gently rising desert bajadas of the historical WWII Palen Pass Maneuver Area, then, while within the Pale-McCoy Wilderness, carves through beautifully rugged Palen Pass before dropping into the massive alluvial fans formed by the Palen and Little Maria Mountains. Along with the history of the area, one will enjoy spectacular scenery, stone building ruins, abandoned mines and machinery, and several intersecting trails to explore. These trails include the Palen Dunes Road and the Arlington Mine/Patton’s Cabin Roads.

The Palen Pass Maneuver Area was part of the 12 million-acre WWII Desert Training Center and hosted thousands of soldiers manning guns, tanks, artillery, and airplanes that rumbled through this area from 1942-1944. A monument to these fighting men is found at the beginning of the trail. The massive 11,000-acre Camp Coxcomb housed the soldiers immediately across the Highway 177 trailhead. 

BLM rates this trail as “MOST DIFFICULT,” which is a rating designed for expert riders and characterized by:

• Steep grades and narrow paths.
• Rough or loose tread surfaces.
• Substantial obstacles like rocks, ledges, and drop-offs.
• Potential for difficult navigation.  

A high clearance 4x4 and an experienced driver are required to manage this trail.  The trail begins in deep sand, and the road becomes a surface of six-inch-sized loose rock when climbing into Palen Pass, and transitions to hardpack over the east portion of the trail. At approximately 11.2 miles from the trailhead, at coordinates N33.91503°, W115.06504°, drivers can easily mistake the trail direction by following the many tire tracks leading to the right of the actual trail, which will lead down an extremely narrow, impassable path. The actual trail is straight ahead and somewhat disguised as a steep rock face, and is one of the most difficult sections of the trail. 

Several dispersed camping locations can be found mainly in the Palen Pass area at the mine camps. Even in the desert, campfires may be prohibited.  It is the responsibility of campers to know the campfire restrictions. Campfire restriction information can be found at the BLM Palm Springs South Coast Field Office and the Cal Fire websites, along with instructions to obtain an online campfire permit. 

This is a very remote area with no cell service, and drivers should, before leaving, communicate their travel plans to family and friends, should carry adequate water, and be equipped for self-rescue.