Little Berdoo Peak via Pushawalla Plateau in Joshua Tree National Park, CA

Hike Little Berdoo Peak via Pushawalla Plateau Joshua Tree National Park, CA

Class 2 10.5 miles 2900 gain 4-6 hrs Loop Feb 8, 2023
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Little Berdoo Peak via Pushawalla Plateau GPX Track

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After reading a bit about Little Berdoo Peak I almost removed it from my to-do list since many don't enjoy it, one reviewer labeling it "Little Berdon't". I figured maybe it was the standard route that was poor, so I decided to contrive a loop route that might make it a more fun hike, and ultimately I thoroughly enjoyed this tour of the eastern end of the Little San Bernadino Mountains. The loop I planned ascends through Pinyon Well Canyon, takes a trail that follows the remains of an old mining road up to what seems to be known as the Pushawalla Plateau, traverses along the northwestern rim of Little Berdoo Peak off-trail to gain the summit, then descends over Bernard Peak and down into a major drainage to complete the loop. The route starts at the Pinyon Well Trailhead. To reach it take the Geology Tour Road, suitable for most vehicles until the last 2 miles. The road is reportedly the easiest backcountry road in the park, and with some clearance you'll have no issue getting there.

The hike to Pinyon Well followed a wide wash and was uneventful, though I noted copious footprints means it must be fairly popular. Historic mining site enthusiasts are likely the main visitors for this spot, which houses an old trough, a mine shaft, some stone ruins, rusted metal garbage, and water tanks made of cement. I took a few photos and continued on, lots of unknowns still ahead of me and sunlight already starting to fade. I continued up the wash, which wiggled through the foothills to the southwest. I passed some interesting rock formations and an oddly-placed short spurt of ancient pavement likely built by the mining operation from the early-1900s in this area in order to bypass a section of slickrock within the canyon.

I followed Pinyon Well Canyon for a couple of miles and turned right at around 4200' when a clear cairn marked the spot to leave the wash and ascend via a sandy road now mostly reclaimed by the desert. This old road now serves as an unmarked and unmaintained trail that leads up to Pushawalla Pass, and to my surprise was very easy to follow. I reached Pushawalla Pass at around 4600', where a major switchback then redirects the trail south and up onto the Pushawalla Plateau. The old road weaves up the sloped ridgeline, avoiding clumps of rock. I found this to be a pretty section of the hike, Mount San Gorgonio poking up in the distance and granitic boulders in the foreground.

I reached what was marked on my topo map as a large marked group of prospects. Unfortunately it's really just a bunch of dirt lumps leftover from mining carrying-ons. I may have missed some cool ruins, but I didnt have time to search the area too much. These propsects also signify the end of the trail, so I marked it on my map as "Prospects". I continued off-trail up to Peak 5240, really just a bump that indicates the start of the rim traverse. It's got great views and some fun granitic clusters around it, but these didn't last too long. Little Berdoo Peak was a couple of miles away, really just a lump in the distance from here. The views down into the canyons draining into the Imperial Valley from the Little San Bernardino Mountains were pretty excellent.

The route down from Peak 5240 led to the base of a bouldery mess of a lump, and although I was able to avoid the majority of it along the crest by keeping to the left, there was still quite a bit of Class 2 boulder-hopping for a couple hundred feet. I grew a little concerned I'd have a lot more of this slower-moving terrain, but fortunately this ended up being the only short segment and I was able to hike less-impeded along the rim from here. There were quite a few minor dips along the way to Little Berdoo Peak, as well as a couple of drops over 100 verrtical feet of loss, but really it was a smooth walk along the gorgeous and likely rarely-visited rim.

I reached the summit a bit before sunset and could see Rabbit Peak and the Salton Sea across the valley. Without lingering too long, I headed north toward Bernard Peak. Now along the standard route to Little Berdoo Peak, a social trail led me pretty much the whole way over there. Bernard Peak and Peak 5425 were nothing more than small Class 2 lumps along the ridge, but they're nice enough to put in the minimal effort to gain their summits.

I continued north along the ridgeline, quickly losing vertical as the drop steeply descended. I was happy I chose to do the loop couner-clockwise and head down this way rather than ascend. Mostly soft ground, I made quick work getting down this ridge, really nothing more than a couple of easy Class 2 obstacles along the way. I followed a route along the ridge that seemed the least steep, snaking down into the wash below. The final few hundred feet of vertical descent were much more steep and a bit rocky, and included a tiny bit of brush. Once within the wash I continued north and then wrapped west around the foothills to reach the Geology Tour Road, which led to my car.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Peak 5240
5240 ft
150 rise
2
Little Berdoo Peak
5440 ft
1040 rise
3
Bernard Peak
5430 ft
90 rise
4
Peak 5435
5435 ft
190 rise

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Starting up Pinyon Well Canyon.
Starting up Pinyon Well Canyon.
Some nice rock formations before Pinyon Well.
Some nice rock formations before Pinyon Well.
Mine shaft at Pinyon Well.
Mine shaft at Pinyon Well.
Pinyon Well cement water tanks.
Pinyon Well cement water tanks.
Past Pinyon Well, more cool rock formations.
Past Pinyon Well, more cool rock formations.
View back toward Pinyon Well.
View back toward Pinyon Well.
The remains of an old paved road bypassing a slickrock section within the wash.
The remains of an old paved road bypassing a slickrock section within the wash.
View back farther up Pinyon Well Canyon.
View back farther up Pinyon Well Canyon.
A couple of miles walking up the canyon.
A couple of miles walking up the canyon.
A junction, keeping right leads up to Pushawalla Pass, leaving the wash.
A junction, keeping right leads up to Pushawalla Pass, leaving the wash.
View back down Pinyon Well Canyon after taking the old road/trail.
View back down Pinyon Well Canyon after taking the old road/trail.
At Pushawalla Pass, a switchback continues south.
At Pushawalla Pass, a switchback continues south.
Pretty terrain above Pushawalla Pass.
Pretty terrain above Pushawalla Pass.
View back as the views get nicer.
View back as the views get nicer.
Ascending the trail up to the Pushawalla Plateau.
Ascending the trail up to the Pushawalla Plateau.
Image 15 from gallery
Some lumps of dirt marked on topo maps as Prospects. I didn't find much to see here, but this was where the road/trail ended.
Some lumps of dirt marked on topo maps as Prospects. I didn't find much to see here, but this was where the road/trail ended.
A view toward Little Berdoo Peak in the distance.
A view toward Little Berdoo Peak in the distance.
Peak 5240, views into the Imperial Valley and some cool clusters of surrounding granite.
Peak 5240, views into the Imperial Valley and some cool clusters of surrounding granite.
Image 19 from gallery
Starting along the rim, excellent views around me.
Starting along the rim, excellent views around me.
Close-up toward the biggest obstacle of the day, a lump with lots of boulders. I kept to its left to avoid the rockier crest.
Close-up toward the biggest obstacle of the day, a lump with lots of boulders. I kept to its left to avoid the rockier crest.
View back toward Peak 5240 and the rocky lump.
View back toward Peak 5240 and the rocky lump.
View back along the rim.
View back along the rim.
Along the rim, navigating the lumpy terrain. Little Berdoo Peak ahead.
Along the rim, navigating the lumpy terrain. Little Berdoo Peak ahead.
A shot toward the canyons draining away from the Little San Bernardino Mountains into the Imperial Valley.
A shot toward the canyons draining away from the Little San Bernardino Mountains into the Imperial Valley.
Looking back along the rim at the interesting landscape.
Looking back along the rim at the interesting landscape.
The dip in the rim, followed by a minor hill along the rim.
The dip in the rim, followed by a minor hill along the rim.
View back along the rim.
View back along the rim.
Little Berdoo Peak ahead.
Little Berdoo Peak ahead.
Another shot back along the rim.
Another shot back along the rim.
Image 31 from gallery
Nearing the summit of Little Berdoo Peak.
Nearing the summit of Little Berdoo Peak.
Little Berdoo Peak, view back along the rim.
Little Berdoo Peak, view back along the rim.
Little Berdoo Peak, view toward the Salton Sea.
Little Berdoo Peak, view toward the Salton Sea.
Onward to Bernard Peak and Peak 5425, the two darker lumps on the right.
Onward to Bernard Peak and Peak 5425, the two darker lumps on the right.
A social trail led most of the way to both peaks.
A social trail led most of the way to both peaks.
View back toward Little Berdoo Peak.
View back toward Little Berdoo Peak.
Approaching Bernard Peak.
Approaching Bernard Peak.
Bernard Peak, view toward Peak 5425.
Bernard Peak, view toward Peak 5425.
Peak 5425, view back toward Bernard Peak (left) and Little Berdoo Peak (right).
Peak 5425, view back toward Bernard Peak (left) and Little Berdoo Peak (right).
A view down at the ridge descent I chose.
A view down at the ridge descent I chose.
View back up at the initial drop along the ridgeline.
View back up at the initial drop along the ridgeline.
Close-up at the descent to come.
Close-up at the descent to come.
View back again, farther down. It's a pleasant enough descent, but much steeper than the ascent earlier using the trail.
View back again, farther down. It's a pleasant enough descent, but much steeper than the ascent earlier using the trail.
Continuing my descent along the ridge crest.
Continuing my descent along the ridge crest.
Another shot back, Peak 5425 top left.
Another shot back, Peak 5425 top left.
The final drop from the ridge into the wash below.
The final drop from the ridge into the wash below.
This section was more steep and rocky, but only lasted a few hundred feet and then I was in the wash below.
This section was more steep and rocky, but only lasted a few hundred feet and then I was in the wash below.
Within the wash, view back toward the descent slope. From here I exited the wash and hiked along the foothills to return to the Geology Tour Road.
Within the wash, view back toward the descent slope. From here I exited the wash and hiked along the foothills to return to the Geology Tour Road.

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