Eagle Mountain in Joshua Tree National Park, CA

Hike Eagle Mountain Joshua Tree National Park, CA

Class 3 10.8 miles 2400 gain 4-6 hrs Out + Back Mar 19, 2016
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

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Eagle Mountain is a peak on the southern side of Joshua Tree National Park. A couple of years later I formulated a big loop that included Eagle Mountain, and I highly recommend that route over this more standard access route to Eagle Mountain. However, if you want an easier and more direct route to reach the summit, this is the one.

I started at the Cottonwood Campground and headed along a dirt road leading northeast before leaving the road and continuing more or less directly east to the canyon draining west from the summit. Overall the terrain is easy enough to navigate, but has some arroyos to hop in and out of. There were some nice granitic features and small arches along the way (one of which I thought was pretty cool and marked it on my map), but it's overall a bit of a slog. Once within the canyon, I used a social trail when available to navigate the bouldery ascent (Class 2). The scramble up was surprisingly fun, and overall not particularly loose.

At the top of the canyon, there was still some route-finding to be done. Eagle Mountain is visible ahead, but a drop separating me from the peak would add a fair amount of zig-zagging through boulders. While I did find a few cairns along the way, the sandy terrain made it hard to know the best way at times. Ultimately it ended up being a fun bit of hiking with some nice views amongst the granitic boulders, and I eventually made it to the summit without too much difficulty.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Eagle Mountain
5350 ft
2230 rise

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Starting from Cottonwood Campground. Eagle Mountain seen in the distance.
Starting from Cottonwood Campground. Eagle Mountain seen in the distance.
After leaving the sandy old road, I headed east toward the base of the peak.
After leaving the sandy old road, I headed east toward the base of the peak.
View back.
View back.
Interesting granitic slickrock.
Interesting granitic slickrock.
Lots of fun features.
Lots of fun features.
Image 5 from gallery
The standard ascent canyon visible ahead.
The standard ascent canyon visible ahead.
A weird-looking dryfall.
A weird-looking dryfall.
Entering the drainage.
Entering the drainage.
View back.
View back.
Image 10 from gallery
Making progress up the Class 2 drainage.
Making progress up the Class 2 drainage.
Another shot back, now higher up.
Another shot back, now higher up.
More Class 2, nearing the top of the canyon.
More Class 2, nearing the top of the canyon.
View back from the top of the canyon.
View back from the top of the canyon.
Close-up into the canyon I just came out of.
Close-up into the canyon I just came out of.
Eagle Mountain ahead, viewed from just past the top of the gully. I'm currently entering the light descent from the top of the gully, and then I have to re-ascend on the right in this photo to gain the summit.
Eagle Mountain ahead, viewed from just past the top of the gully. I'm currently entering the light descent from the top of the gully, and then I have to re-ascend on the right in this photo to gain the summit.
Image 17 from gallery
Image 18 from gallery
This is the sort of terrain to contend with. It's overall pretty pleasant, but the boulders make for some interesting route-finding if following cairns becomes difficult.
This is the sort of terrain to contend with. It's overall pretty pleasant, but the boulders make for some interesting route-finding if following cairns becomes difficult.
Image 20 from gallery
Image 21 from gallery
A view south.
A view south.
Approaching Eagle Mountain, ahead.
Approaching Eagle Mountain, ahead.
Eagle Mountain summit, view south.
Eagle Mountain summit, view south.
View east.
View east.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!