Aqueduct Road East

The desert on this trail offers a contrast of stark desolation and beauty. It is accented by the brilliant white summer afternoon clouds making a casual drive over its length a memorable experience. To the west are stunning views of the Cottonwood Mountains, which are the alluvial material source, creating the gently sloping bajada you are on. There are many unnamed intersecting spurs to explore along the way and several hiking trails that lead into Joshua Tree National Park with trailheads just off the road. The open desert to the west served as a significant tank training area during World War II, and a short detour along the way will take you to the General Patton Memorial Museum. The road's namesake, the Colorado River Aqueduct, whose water is the lifeblood of greater Los Angeles, courses through a series of tunnels bored under the rugged foothills a few feet north of the road. And if that were not enough, Aqueduct road offers a beautiful desert camping getaway with camping sites galore found just about anywhere along the length of the road.