Experience the Painted Canyon – Virtual Tour by The CoachellaValley.com
Painted Canyon is a very Popular Hike through a geological extravanganza! Come join CoachellaValley.com as we explore this wonderful gem!!
Katieksd
San Diego, California
Reviewed 3 weeks ago
This hike is absolutely stunning. You get to climb ladders to get up the rocks and walk in the middle of gorgeous canyons. Once you get to the top, the views are beautiful but there is very little shade. It is not an easy hike (I would say it’s moderate) so bring plenty of water and wear good shoes. It can get VERY hot. I recommend going early in the morning before the sun gets too intense.
Em K
Palm Springs, California
Reviewed 4 weeks ago
Painted Canyon is one of the hidden places in the Coachella Valley. Definitely go there with AWD SUV otherwise you may get stuck on the road because of the deep sand. 2 Miles of theroad is full of rocks and terrible for cars.
Date of experience: May 2019
Painted Canyon is a 4.2 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Mecca, California that offers scenic views and is good for all skill levels. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and bird watching and is best used from September until April. Dogs are also able to use this trail.
Distance:4.2 miles Elevation Gain:767 feet Route Type:Out & Back
dog friendly
kid friendly
hiking
nature trip
walking
bird watching
views
Getting There
Ladder Canyon / Big Painted Canyon is located outside of the desert city of Mecca. The trailhead is at the end of a 4-mile long dirt road called Painted Canyon Road. You will want to take Highway 111 towards the Salton Sea, then head through the city of Mecca on 66th Avenue. 66th Avenue becomes Box Canyon Road, then shortly after the canal you will turn left on the dirt road called Painted Canyon Road.
When we went the road was technically passable with a two wheel drive car but make sure to take your time if you do this as there were some big holes, a car with higher clearance would be a lot better to take. People have said that it is a lot harder to do with a 2WD in 2019, then it was before, because of really loose sand so make sure you are aware and prepared for those conditions if you choose to go out here.
The Hike
The dirt road dead ends at the trailhead, and when I was there on a Tuesday there was a couple cars in the parking lot so it was easy to find. The trail begins from the parking lot and heads into the canyon directly in front of you. I found the map from this site to be helpful, I saved it on my phone when I went so I would suggest you do the same. Also, the site has a lot of up to date information about the trail.
The path goes for about .25 miles before there is a small trail sign on the right that points to a canyon on the left with a lot of rockfall. This is the entrance to Ladder Canyon.
From here you will want to start making your way around the rockfall since this is a popular trail though it should be pretty easy to get around. After this rockfall is when you will meet your first ladder.
Most of the ladders felt secure when I was there but of course be careful and test the stability so that you do not get yourself into a bad situation. There are only a few ladders that you actually need to use to progress forward, many of the others you “could” scramble up the rocks but the ladders do make passage easier of course.
The trail then bends into the canyon itself and you reach the most picturesque of the ladders. This is also one that you really need the ladder to get up and it is a fun way to start the trail.
From here you will climb a few more but most of these are relatively small at only 5-7 feet or so.
The trail continues on into a slot canyon which you will be walking through for about a third of a mile. It is an awesome slot canyon and one of the best parts about this hike. I would compare it to the other popular slot canyon in Anza Borrego.
Once you exit the slot canyon, you can walk back on a small ledge and get a view of the canyon you just walked through from above.
The canyon continues to get wider as you make your way out. This is also where you will really start to feel the heat as you are less shaded and it is the desert.
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