Painted Canyon

4.7/5 (3 reviews)
Painted Canyon Road guides you along a sandy wash through a sandstone canyon whose sides have heaved up over the millennia to expose spectacular colors washing down the canyon walls. Rain and weather have carved deep vertical canyons in the soft sandstone creating an infinite tapestry of narrowing ...Read More
Start 7-Day Free Trial
All-Access Icon
Painted Canyon is an All-Access Member Only trail guide. You'll need to start a 7-Day Free Trial to see this guide.

Highlights of Painted Canyon

Camping Category IconCamping
Desert Category IconDesert
Sand Category IconSand
Scenic Category IconScenic
Wash Category IconWash
Highest Elevation
584 ft
Shape of Trail
Out & Back
Typically Open
Year Round
Best Direction
North
Official Trail Name
Painted Canyon Road
Nearest Town
Mecca
Nearest Services
Mecca
Management Agency
Bureau of Land Management
District
Palm Springs South Coast Field Office

Overview

Painted Canyon Road guides you along a sandy wash through a sandstone canyon whose sides have heaved up over the millennia to expose spectacular colors washing down the canyon walls. Rain and weather have carved deep vertical canyons in the soft sandstone creating an infinite tapestry of narrowing shadowed canyons and shapes. The road follows a motor vehicle access into the Mecca Hills Wilderness, a 26,000 acres protected area preventing motor vehicle access to maintain its primitive state. Painted Canyon Road is located between the Salton Sea, visible to the south, and the Joshua Tree National Park to the north. The end of the road arrives at popular hiking trails that lead deeper into the wilderness. There are many dispersed camping opportunities along the way, including a designated camp area at mile four.

Trail Difficulty and Assessment

Trail Guide Overview
6 Waypoints
20 Trail Photos
1 Trail Concerns
3 Community Reviews
1 Video
Trail Tools
App Store Icon Open in App
Gaia GPS Icon Upload to Gaia GPS
Download GPX
Directions to...
Share Trail
Print Trail

Start a 7-Day Free Trial and Unlock 5,000+ Trail Guides

3000+ Detailed Trail Guides
2000+ Member Only Scout Routes
Companion App with Offline Use
New Tracks Added Weekly
Download GPX Files and Print Guides
Access to Trail Guide Writer
What makes our Trail Guides so great?

Sign Up for Free to Get a Taste of Adventure

Free Members get 206 introductory guides to explore. Upgrade to an All-Access Membership for 5,000+ trails at your fingertips.
Start a free trial and get this level of detail on every trail guide
Start Free Trial