Exploring the California Riding and Hiking Trail: A Tranquil Escape in Southern California
- Ruth Bergman
- Jan 10
- 6 min read
Updated: Mar 21
Into the Backcountry: Discovering Joshua Tree’s Lesser-Known Trails
I lived in Southern California for ten years but hadn't visited Joshua Tree National Park until Thanksgiving weekend last year. I never thought Joshua Tree was among the top must-see National Parks, but a quick Google search informed me that in 2023, it was the 9th most visited National Park in the US with 3,270,404 visitors. Perhaps it's due to its proximity to large urban areas. Indeed, it's only about a three-hour drive from San Diego, which we're calling home for the year.
The park was indeed busy, but like most national parks, if you can get to the backcountry, you have the place to yourself. After some poking around on the Internet, I discovered the California Riding and Hiking Trail, or CRHT as it's affectionately called. It's a 38-mile one-way trail crossing Joshua Tree National Park from west to east. Several hiking sites recommended it, and the Hiking Guy provided a very detailed description and instructions. (See resources below).
Navigating the Permit Process
Backcountry hiking, like CHRT, requires a permit. It's not a hard process, but also not an easy one for a new trail that I was not familiar with. You have to get on Recreation.gov. The website is easy enough to use. The difficulty is that you have to know where you'll start and end the hike as well as the zone that you plan to camp in every night. Hike start and end points are well documented by the Hiking Guy and others. The camping spots are a little more elusive. So there I was, trying to match the trail map with the zones on the permit site. Eventually, I made a guess at the zones I wanted. It all worked out. We never saw a ranger to check our permits.
Water Stashing 101: Staying Hydrated on the CRHT
We were hiking with the big boys now! There is no water anywhere on the CRHT, and if you encounter a pond, you are kindly requested by park services to leave the water to the animals. The recommended amount of water to bring is three liters per day. Ergo... if you're hiking for three days and you don't want to carry 10 kilos of water, you had better stash water. I heard about this practice from my son who hikes in the desert in Israel. I really never thought I would do that. But, I am all about those new experiences now.
It was Thanksgiving weekend. We had Thanksgiving with family, which left us three days to do the hike, including stashing water. We left San Diego at 5 am and arrived at an unmarked back entrance of Joshua Tree National Park around 8 am. We then drove on a very iffy unpaved road to the first water stashing spot - Upper Covington. We then drove out the way we came, i.e., another hour on the same unpaved road. We then set about to reach the next spot for stashing water. This time, we got to go through nearly the entire park on the main park road. We got to see, from the car, all the main attractions of the park, the plains filled with craggly Joshua Trees, and the fantastical rock formations. It is a beautiful park. A quick paved road got us to the Geology Tour marker, where we stashed our second batch of water.
Hooray for Uber
Remember when you needed a buddy with a second car for a one-way hike? Well, today, Uber is your buddy. We parked our car at the last parking lot before the north exit from the park. Said a small prayer that we would see it again, threw on our packs, and went to the park entrance to meet up with our reserved Uber. It wasn't the most polished Uber I've ever taken. No water for the passengers. No room in the trunk for our packs. But he was on time and took us to the beginning of the trail at Black Rock Campground. We set off at exactly noon, as planned.
Trail Overview: What to Expect on the CRHT
Once we set off, the trail was easy to walk and easy to follow. Trail markers are frequent and easy to follow. The trail is wide and fairly flat. That is, the whole first day was uphill, but such a low grade of incline as to be hardly noticeable. On the whole, the terrain was not a challenge, but the length was. We made it a challenge because we elected to go for three days, leaving and returning to San Diego. If you think about it, we had two half days and one full day of hiking. We split the trail into 16 km, 25 km, and 20 km, for a total of 61 km (38 miles).
The first day was an OK length, but we hiked until sunset and finally set up camp in near darkness. That is the drawback of winter hiking, sunset at 4:30 pm. The next day was our long day. After carrying the pack for 20 km, I was ready to call it a day. Alas, we had 5 more km to go to reach our water. We did it, arriving once again for sunset. It's a beautiful spot for sunset, however, and even more beautiful for sunrise. On the last day, we added a small detour to rub elbows with the multitude of park visitors at Arch Rock. Until then, we saw a total of three people on the trail in two and a half days.
Backpacking: The Elephant in the Room
There's no question that having to carry a pack is one of the drawbacks of achieving solitude. I do love the trips that include luggage transfer. Unfortunately, in real remote places, that service is not usually available. Here's where a kayak expedition has the advantage, as it can carry five times the amount of stuff and it's not sitting on your back.
Our packs were minimal. We have excellent 38-liter Osprey lightweight backpacks. We packed only the necessities, no extra anything. We were pretty close to the recommendations by Jon conti. We used everything we packed except the first aid kit. Can't complain about not using that.
Weather Watch: Preparing for Desert Conditions
Joshua Tree National Park is a desert, and like all deserts, it is warm during the day and cools off significantly at night. At the end of November, the temperatures during the day were perfect for hiking. The nights were cold. It was cold enough that we preferred to crawl into our sleeping bags rather than sit in our camp chairs after we ate, and delayed getting up in the morning. Our sleep setup, however, is awesome. The combination of a mattress pad and a three-season down sleeping bag plus iceberg 260 thermals was toasty warm.
Until... that is, Oren got a puncture in his mattress pad and woke up shivering and whining from the cold. Fortunately, after getting over the surprise of an unexpected puncture at 2 am, we found the patch kit and patched it right up. That's advanced camping techniques right there.
Scenic Highlights: The Beauty of Joshua Tree
All along the way are Joshua Trees. Plains filled with large Joshua Trees, or sporadic Joshua Trees. Joshua Trees come in all shapes and sizes. They can be symmetrically structured or gnarled. There are young trees and mature trees and trees that have died partially and continue to grow. There is no repetition; every Joshua Tree is unique and worth some attention.
After noon on the second day, we reached the rocky formations for which Joshua Tree National Park is known. Most national parks are commissioned due to some geological feature, and Joshua Tree National Park is no exception. Please look elsewhere for an explanation of the geology. I can't say enough about the majestic formations of the clumps of rock that invite you to scramble to the top of each one, or at least take a picture.
Thankful for the Experience
It's astonishing how isolated you can feel so near the city. This hike was more than just a trek; it was a journey. A journey that revealed insights about myself, my preferences, and some of my boundaries. The challenges presented by the terrain forced me to confront my physical limits, pushing me to adapt and find strength I didn't know I had. Each of these experiences leaves me longing for more, and I'm already eager for the next adventure.
Helpful Resources: Plan Your Own CRHT Adventure
The Hiking Guy - an excellent resource for hiking trails in the US https://hikingguy.com/hiking-trails/joshua-tree-hikes/california-riding-and-hiking-trail-joshua-tree/
National Park Service https://www.nps.gov/jotr/index.htm
Recreation.gov - for national park permits
Jon Conti. Beginner's Guide to Solo Backpacking: Essential Gear and Setup for Your First Adventure. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6J-UPxiPPc
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