Coyote Benchmark and Indio Mountain in Santa Rosa Wildlife Area, CA

Hike Coyote Benchmark and Indio Mountain Santa Rosa Wildlife Area, CA

Class 2 8.4 miles 3600 gain 4-6 hrs Out + Back Jan 5, 2023
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

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More rain changed our plans for the hundredth time, but sometimes being flexible makes a trip more engaging, plus we probably wouldn’t have checked out these lovely peaks. Located just outside of the suburban sprawl of the greater Palm Springs area, Coyote Benchmark and Indio Mountain weren’t necessarily high on our to-do list. Clouds really added some wonderful vibes to the day. It also helped to do a lighter day since I was feeling particularly ill and was unwilling to skip hiking. Whiley kept telling me to stop complaining, that I’m weak, and it hurt my feelings.

We started out from the Cove Oasis Trailhead, a popular destination for locals walking their dogs. We followed the paved Bear Creek Trail, leaving it a short time after to drop in and out of a storm drain using some stairs. We picked up an unmarked trail that brought us up the drainage’s slope and onto flatter desert terrain above. The trail surprisingly continued northwest all the way to the saddle separating Coyote Benchmark and Indio Mountain. I think Whiley and I were both expecting a bunch of desert boulder-hopping, but neither of us will complain about a trail. There were spots where we needed to refer to cairns to stay on course, but we were able to make quick work up to the saddle with only some minor Class 2 along the way.

Once at the saddle there was no longer a trail to follow, so both peaks would require navigating the granitic clusters. Can’t get too lazy, right? First we headed south toward Coyote Benchmark. This peak is characterized by a stubborn, rocky northern ridge that we avoided for the most part by keeping just to its right. The side-hilling was minimal, but we did find it was easier to keep pretty low to avoid excessive Class 2/3 obstacles and keep to flatter ground. Regardless, it’s a slow-moving endeavor and after acknowledging how much unexpected time had passed we joking blamed each other for slowing us down. I’m pretty sure Whiley wasn’t joking, though. The final slope leading to the summit was steeper than the rest of the hike so far, but it can be kept Class 2 until reaching the peak’s east ridge. Just be careful of loose boulders. The views almost immediately became expansive and the bright sun shining through the clouds made the lighting surreal. Class 2 continued more-or-less along the ridge, with a Class 2+ section on solid, fun boulders shortly before the summit.

We backtracked to the saddle and decided we were more interested in ascending to Indio Mountain via its southern ridge. The initial slope leading up to the ridge was steep, possibly dangerously so. Other parties seem to have preferred side-hilling on the west slopes of the peak to avoid this ascent, but after doing the full ridge traverse out-and-back Whiley and I agreed it was worth it. We started up the slope, Class 2 the whole way. At around 2000′ the terrain became slightly more steep and loose, so just be careful if you’ve got someone below you. Once on the ridge proper, we happily took in the views and scrambled the Class 2/2+ boulders interspersed with flat, sandy sections. Whiley got a massive cactus barb in her shoe that lodged itself so deep we had to take turns trying to remove it. Pshh, non-desert people.

Though there were some small ups and downs along the ridgeline to Indio Mountain, I always prefer a little extra vertical gain compared to side-hilling on weird terrain, as I believe the alternative approach would have been. Plus, views are always a good enough reason to put in a tiny bit more work. Now at the southern base of Indio Mountain, we noted the peak was pretty fortified by massive granitic features. We decided to wrap around its left (western) side and follow a boulder-strewn slope to gain the north side of the summit block, Class 2. We backtracked to the saddle and took the trail back, reaching our cars just after serious rain rolled in.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Coyote Benchmark
2613 ft
1133 rise
2
Indio Mountain
2226 ft
746 rise

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Just after leaving the Bear Creek Trail, we passed through this storm drain and picked up a trail on the opposite side, leading left.
Just after leaving the Bear Creek Trail, we passed through this storm drain and picked up a trail on the opposite side, leading left.
The trail led to out of the drainage and continued through the desert.
The trail led to out of the drainage and continued through the desert.
The trail got us all the way to the saddle seen ahead.
The trail got us all the way to the saddle seen ahead.
View back as we head up toward the saddle, cairns help when the trail becomes harder to follow in spots.
View back as we head up toward the saddle, cairns help when the trail becomes harder to follow in spots.
Class 2 sometimes, but the trail was easy to follow.
Class 2 sometimes, but the trail was easy to follow.
View back from the saddle.
View back from the saddle.
Class 2 initially. We opted to stay just right of the crest to avoid excessive scrambling.
Class 2 initially. We opted to stay just right of the crest to avoid excessive scrambling.
Class 2 initially. We opted to stay just right of the crest to avoid excessive scrambling.
Class 2 initially. We opted to stay just right of the crest to avoid excessive scrambling.
View back, Indio Mountain seen top left.
View back, Indio Mountain seen top left.
Side-hilling below the ridge crest on mostly flat terrain. Coyote Benchmark seen ahead.
Side-hilling below the ridge crest on mostly flat terrain. Coyote Benchmark seen ahead.
View back along the ridge. We came from the flatter side-hilling stuff above Whiley.
View back along the ridge. We came from the flatter side-hilling stuff above Whiley.
Class 2 up the slope, steeper than what we'd encountered so far.
Class 2 up the slope, steeper than what we'd encountered so far.
On the ridge, Class 2/2+.
On the ridge, Class 2/2+.
View back below the summit.
View back below the summit.
Approaching the summit of Coyote Benchmark.
Approaching the summit of Coyote Benchmark.
View back. Indio Mountain seen in the sun top left. The trailhead is on the far right somewhere.
View back. Indio Mountain seen in the sun top left. The trailhead is on the far right somewhere.
Coyote Benchmark summit, view southwest. Martinez Mountain top left somewhere in the clouds.
Coyote Benchmark summit, view southwest. Martinez Mountain top left somewhere in the clouds.
Close-up into Deep Canyon to the west.
Close-up into Deep Canyon to the west.
Back at the saddle, onward to Indio Mountain. We chose to head directly up the ridgeline.
Back at the saddle, onward to Indio Mountain. We chose to head directly up the ridgeline.
Steep Class 2.
Steep Class 2.
View back toward Coyote Benchmark as we head up the initial slope from the saddle.
View back toward Coyote Benchmark as we head up the initial slope from the saddle.
Close-up at the steeper stuff on the way up.
Close-up at the steeper stuff on the way up.
On the ridge crest, Class 2/2+ led onward.
On the ridge crest, Class 2/2+ led onward.
Cool views along the ridge.
Cool views along the ridge.
A little sub-peak along the way.
A little sub-peak along the way.
Indio Mountain ahead, tucked in the back center.
Indio Mountain ahead, tucked in the back center.
Dropping from a sub-peak to start the final ascent to Indio Mountain.
Dropping from a sub-peak to start the final ascent to Indio Mountain.
On our way up Indio Mountain, a view back toward the little sub-bump we came over.
On our way up Indio Mountain, a view back toward the little sub-bump we came over.
Indio Mountain ahead.
Indio Mountain ahead.
We kept left around the summit cluster.
We kept left around the summit cluster.
And ascended the Class 2 bouldery slope to gain the peak's north side.
And ascended the Class 2 bouldery slope to gain the peak's north side.
Class 2 up to Indio Mountain, seen on the right. Coyote Benchmark seen left.
Class 2 up to Indio Mountain, seen on the right. Coyote Benchmark seen left.
Indio Mountain summit, view south toward Coyote Benchmark.
Indio Mountain summit, view south toward Coyote Benchmark.
Indio Mountain, view north into the city.
Indio Mountain, view north into the city.

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