We are rookies so we gazed and took in the landscape more than we were there for a hike. Nevertheless, we got some walking in while being exposed to natural beauty. Huge formations made up of different types of rocks. The kids had a nice time and it got us parents off our duffs too. We will come back when we are more prepared. Trail or hiking shoes are a must. Oh, and we discovered that the gravel road is worse if you drive slow. Turn it up with the gas and it is a much smoother ride. I hope you just didn't have the car washed. read more

For reference... Hiked this 3.13.19, mid week. Fair # of people on trails and not overcrowded. Temps in low 70's w/ good gusty winds up top. Was happy to have the wind, hiking boots, layered clothing, water, food, shorts for maneuverability and a good hat for sun protection. Oh, and a great map! *See pic.* Lots of wildflowers due to heavy winter rains. If you want to do the ropes course, it will be the first trail on your left in the "wash." If you want ladders (my preference), stay in "the wash" until you see the rock arrow, maybe .5 mile in and go left. You can't see the first ladder from the arrow. It just looks like a rock filled canyon until you start climbing. Great ladder hike, beautiful views, fun and unusual. The map really helped us (see pic) more than other maps we'd seen, as did the following info....after coming out of the ladder canyon, you'll be on top of the canyon and will follow the rim for awhile. The small "loop" pictured at the top of the map near the 4.5 mile round trip handwritten note is actually switchbacks. After awhile, you'll climb back down into a canyon and THAT is Painted Canyon. Thanks again to the friendly hiking club we came across that shared the map! Rope canyon may be ok for some and too much for others. read more

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This hike is easily a 5 stars. So, why the 3 stars? I've done this hike probably 2-3 times a year for the last 10 years. About two weeks ago, I went back after having not been in about a year. There has ALWAYS been a sign at the beginning saying 4x4 is required. However, I've always taken 2wd cars there and ignored that sign. I have NEVER even remotely had an issue. At the trail end, it was not uncommon to see all kinds of 2wd vehicles like Camrys and Civics. When I went back a couple weeks ago, we got stuck. There is so much sand now. It's extremely difficult to navigate in a 2wd vehicle. So, I will not be going back in a 2wd again, and I highly recommend you do the same. Cell reception is spotty at best out there if you get stuck. read more

We started at 1250 pm end of December and it took 3.5 hours for 7.9 miles. The weather was cool especially when you are in the shade, so I would suggest wearing a long sleeve during this time of the year. Also, I would reccomend wearing high ankle shoes because there is a good portion of the hike that gravel like. My fiance wore his running shoes and ocassionally got the small rock in his shoe. People say you can get lost in this canyon but I beg to differ. The trail goes in a big circle. About midway you will reach the top of the canyon and have a nice view of the Salton Sea. I'll post some picks of the entrance bc people tend to miss that read more

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We love this hike. The whole family does, we take friends when they come to visit us, and the youngest that has hiked with us was 6 and she was a champ! The ladders can be precarious, and I would strongly suggest hiking shoes or tennis shoes with good traction. Bring water (of course) and a way to pack your trash out. Snacks are not a bad idea either, particularly if you take youngsters. The variance of the trail is great; it goes from flat to climbing rocks to climbing ladders to walking steep incline and back down. The views are beautiful, the rock formations are incredible -- God's hands at work there. It is off the beaten path, and the road out there can be tricking, stay on the road if you don't have a four wheel drive. Be careful though, we were nearly ran off the road by another driver the last time we were there. She was driving a mustang (or some such), we in a Suburban, she took her half of the road out of the center and wasn't going to make room for any one else (and she was driving like a bat out of hell) -- my husband had to go off the side of the road. Do let people know you are going, there are places where there is no cell service, particularly when you are on the floor of the cavern. It's free to go and views like no other. Reminds me a lot of the bad lands the way the rocks form and what not. read more

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Only con: beware of the road to get here. My Honda Accord got to the entrance fine, but my poor tires went through hell. The hike itself is cool. Felt like I was a crood: trekking through the canyons and climbing over walls and down on ladders. Definitely worth it - something different from the hikes I go to in the San Fernando/San Gabriel Valley. Word of warning: when you exit the cavernous valley, it becomes a desert really quick. Once you get back in the shadows of the valley it feels like you hit a natural air conditioned hike... anywhere outside is hella HOT. read more

2 and a half hour drive here for us (5 hours round trip) and about a 2 hour hike... worth it!!! Loved loved loved this hike! We accidently missed the sign for the ladder canyon trail and kept going straight. It all loops around together so it was fine but we missed out on some incline... bummer since I wanted a workout. That's okay though. We still got to experience the whole thing. That sign is easy to miss! It's on the right shortly after the hike begins. 5-7 minuttes in. You are supposed to go left and it doesn't look like a turn off but it is. You go up a ladder to the fun/cool slot canyon part. I think it's really cool how someone at some time put ladders all around to assist ppl on this amazing hike. Some of these ladders have been there a while and have rusted off steps which was a bit nerve wracking but we survived. I totally want to do this one again but the right way for more incline. Don't bring your dog. I almost did cause I read it was dog friendly but I'm glad I didn't. I wouldn't of been able to get my dog up all the ladders. There are many you have to go on. One was pretty long. read more

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I classify this as one of the very best hikes I've ever been on. It is not challenging. It is so fun! Key to this hike is to look down at the rock arrows. Stay left at each fork and you will hit all the ladders! I will definitely be back to do this hike again very soon! read more

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I was there 2 weeks ago, there was a lot of bees right by the first ladder which forced me to turned around. I will defenetly try to go back to see if the paths is clear to go up the ladder next time. read more

WATCH YOUR STUFF! The hiking was really amazing! I would love to come here again...but probably never will. Our car got broken into and all of our stuff got stolen. There is no cell service there, so you can't even call the police until you get back into town. When we arrived there were a couple cars - it was a Sunday morning around 9 AM. We were gone for about 40 minutes total. There were no signs saying to watch your valuables either. When we filed the police report, the deputy sheriff said that it happens very often in Painted Canyon and Box Canyon because the thieves know that the area is so remote that it isn't patrolled. read more

With much regret, I have to give this hike/location an all around 1 star. The hike itself is fantastic and very unique. However, there are frequent break-ins in this particular hikes parking lot. Unless you have someone to stay behind or take turns hiking, you're risking the chances of having your car windows smashed in to and items stolen from the vehicle. My car was broken in to on a Wednesday afternoon from 4:00pm - 7:00pm. My vehicle was the only one in the parking lot when I arrived and when I left. I'll probably never come back to this location because it's not worth the trouble with the drug cartel running around this area. If it weren't for this unfortunate event, I would give this hike a 5 Star rating and consider it a must hike for California. read more

Unbelievably beautiful! Not disappointed at all! Our original destination was the Mecca Ladder. On our way back to where we parked is when I found the arrow that was made of stones on the sand trail plus the marker that had "trail" pointing to where the ladders were. Anyway, Painted Canyon is breath taking. The different colored rocks with different shades are so magnificent. It's a site to see. This trail is of sand like walking the beach. You will have to climb two ladders where the color of the stone are shades of silver. Btw, the ladders are not in any way secured. So be very careful. You can walk for miles just enjoying the colors. It's like being in the Land of the Giants. It's so spectacular. Looking up made me queasy because if its immensity. I never thought Palm Springs had beautiful hiking trails. It's a must see and experience. Because of the sand trail I think that is why we didn't see any bikers. It's so remote so don't leave anything in your vehicles. Bring lots of water and snacks. read more

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I havent hike this yet, but i just wanted to give an advisory for anyone thinking about doing this in the summer. DO NOT HIKE THIS IN THE SUMMER. I researched and was advised by 7 different people via IG, Twitter, youtube that this hike dangerous in the summer. All people had hike this previously. Temps in the area simply get too hot. Also in the reverse spectrum, make sure its not going to rain when you do go because the ladder canyon portion will get flooded and you'll be trapped. read more

This is an awesome hike! The ladders were a bit scary and realizing that you are in the San Andreas fault is too. Call your loved ones to let them know you're going and pray for no earthquakes - no kidding. Lots of scrambling over rocks but otherwise easy to moderate hike. Memorable! I would NOT go in the Summer because it's too hot and definitely too remote. We were there in Dec and weather was ideal. Put away all your stuff in the car trunk out of sight. Wear sturdy hiking shoes. This is not an easy stroll so come prepared, know your limits and watch the weather. read more

This place was beautiful! Found ladder canyon trail and did that hike. It was a little confusing to find but if you follow the man made arrows that face the boulder, you'll find your ladders! Definitely a place I will come back to visit read more

Painted Canyon - Hiking Near Me - Mecca, California

I was a bit nervous because I didn't have hiking boots. No need for hiking boots - just wear athletic sneakers. The trail is mostly easy. I have a fear of heights, but the ladders proved to be no problem. The trail is heavily traveled. The rain creates some rock slides so the trail does change. We traveled up 3 ladders, walked an extra 2 miles and ended up at a dead end. We went back and had to climb down some scary ladders, a long one and a wooden one with a missing rung. I'm fortunate to be pretty flexible and had some great people holding the ladder and guiding my way. It's definitely a place for a group hike. While it looks scary, there's not really any way to get too lost. The hike was only about 8 miles (with us going rogue as well). read more

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My family and I went on this hike. Our plan was to hike about an hour, climb some ladders, see the scenery and head back. Well, this took us 6 hours.. As we hit the peak there were no signs or trail markers on how to get back to the parking lot. We walked about 10 and a half miles trying to find the parking lot. We finally ran into people that were lost as well. As we were heading down this never ending pathway, we decided to turn around. Our choices were to repel down a 20 foot rope or climb up a slippery hill. Keep in mind our group consisted of the elderly and a 6 year old that wanted to be carried. The only thing to tell us where to go were rocks shaped in an arrow to give us direction. Thank goodness we finally found people to tell us where the parking area was. This hike was really beautiful but beware there are no signs. Bring plenty of water. It would be amazing if there could be signs put up in the near future. read more

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This is a great place to hike, and there are several ladders in the tough to climb spots. We made the mistake of going off- trail and it was very difficult, almost dangerous to get back to solid ground. Many of the rocks give way even when they look like they are firmly entrenched into the mountain. We would definitely return and take the loop all the way around instead of taking detours. There were a lot of little caves which makes it interesting, especially if you have older kids in your group. read more

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One of the most beautiful desert hikes that requires a bit of an adventurous drive! Parking: Parking is free but don't leave any valuables in the car, as there have been many reports of break ins. My car was the only one there that day, and it was 115 degrees, so my car was fine. Getting to the place itself was a little difficult. The dirt road is really bumpy, so just be prepared to drive very slow for the last 4 miles. If you're driving from Palm Springs, you'll get to see a lot of citrus trees! The hike: The elevation gain is roughly 450 ft and the hike is about 5 miles long. I went when the weather was scorching hot so I wasn't able to complete the hike. The trailhead is pretty visible after you park. However, the sign to the ladder canyons can be a bit confusing since it looks like the sign is directed towards fallen boulders. This is the CORRECT way! There will also be a big arrow on the ground, made of rocks that will direct you in the right direction. After scrambling through rocks, you will see the ladder canyons. There are now steel ladders and I would highly recommend someone holding on to the bottom of the ladder while you are climbing up. As soon as you reach the top, its pretty amazing. To the left, there will be the pathway to the slot canyons. It's a lot cooler in the slots, and is nice if you go on a sunny day. These get pretty narrow and make for amazing shots. We had to turn around after this, because it was getting late and we had to book it to the Anza Borrego Slot Canyon, which is also amazing! I would definitely be back to check out the cave paintings. The hike is very colorful and caused by the convergence of two plates on the San Andreas Fault. Protip: Go when its 115 degrees outside and no one else is hiking, that way no one will break into your car! read more

AMAZING hike! We went to the right instead of the left and had to turn around after 4 hours hiking in, so be careful and be sure you know where youre headed. read more

Loved Painted Canyon but there are a few good things to know before hand. The drive in is a dirt road that turns deeper gravel and if you don't have at least a crossover or higher up car it gets tough. In fact we got stuck but pushed our rental out. No big deal but just be prepared. The walk in is beautiful...look for an arrow made out of rocks to start climbing. We loved the cavern areas and all the scenery. The ladders are perfectly placed and are sturdy. Loved our trip and would go back again!! read more

Beautiful, easy hike. Unique rock formations, colorful layers of sand and stone, windswept trees, pink skies and blue/silver reflections from nearby Salton Sea. read more

Painted Canyon - Hiking Near Me - Mecca, California

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If this was just a review of the hike itself, it would be five stars easily. Unfortunately the car break-ins are a huge problem and would prevent me from ever going back. Definitely check the weather before you go as part of this hike is very much exposed to the sun with limited to no shade. The slot canyon is really unique and fun, the ladders are easy to go up/down as well. Arrows can be found along the trail directing you where to go. It took us maybe 2-3 hours to complete the hike and it wasn't strenuous at all. When we returned to the parking area, 6 of 9 cars had their windows broken and items were stolen. Some cars had 3+ windows smashed and glove boxes were pried open too. Luckily our car was one of the few spared, most likely because we left nothing in plain sight. There was glass on the ground when we parked so we were extra cautious - by this obviously happens a lot there. I'd really recommend taking all valuables with you on the hike if you opt to go and hiding anything left behind in the car, even if it isn't expensive. Maybe even leave the windows down so there's nothing to smash? Not sure what the best option is, but be careful. It's a shame such a cool hike is ruined by something like this. read more

Great hike. Not too strenuous. Slot canyons and ladder climbs are fun for all but don't bring the dogs or little babies. Had done it a few times before as an out and back to the first summit but this time did the whole loop. Took about 2 hours and enjoyed the whole hike. Beautiful views from the top, including the Salton Sea. Be careful of crowds clogging up the narrows and ladders on holiday weekends. read more

Such a beautiful hike but BE CAREFUL! Our car window was broken and had stuff stolen out the back. I loved the hike, especially the ropes. But I don't think I'll ever be back, I don't want to risk my car being broken into again. Also, be careful because we had to help a few people get their cars unstuck from the sand. read more

Painted Canyon - Be careful! Cars and trucks get stuck in the sand! - Hiking Near Me - Mecca, California

This is a great area to hike and enjoy amazing views! The ladders and ropes that have been added to the canyon entrance ways make for an extra fun experience. It is an outdoor obstacle course for you in an amazingly gorgeous and relaxing area. Most of the time the area is accessible without a four wheel drive vehicle on the road that leads to the canyon entrance. This is a great area to enjoy peaceful and serene surroundings and take in some amazing nature. It is one of my favorite places to visit. read more

Amazing views in Slot Canyon. I thought the ladders were well maintained and placed well throughout the hike. It took us about 3 hours. The trails were rather busy and some of the trails are pet friendly. read more

This is an excellent hike with some awesome views. The trail has a few sections that can be challenging. There are several ladders, narrow trail sections and moderately steep in places. We did the hike early in the year with moderate temps. If it's hot I would make sure it did it early in the day. It could get pretty warm and there's no shade. As for break ins, it doesn't matter where you go, any time your going to leave your vehicle at a remote trail head don't leave valuables in the car! You may end up with a smashed window, but if you haven't left anything it's just the hassle of replacement. If you left valuables, it's on you that you had them stolen. Be smart take out all personal items and don't forget door openers and anything that may have your name and address. read more

Nice hike. I would definitely recommend. It does suck about the break-ins during the last year. I would keep everything out of sight of bad people. read more

Had a bad experience with the road getting out, we though we avoided this issue by parking the minivan so far away from the entrance. When we tried to leave the road was giving us no traction and our wheels sunk deeper into this horrible mess. Long story shorten, I do not recommend coming until they do some major improvements on the road condition. Yeah, you bring all wheel drive, but my opinion those types of vehicles worsen the road conditions. read more

This hike is/was my favorite hike in the entire valley. Was pretty disappointed after making the trip all the way out there to find out that the last section of road is completely washed out and gone. Not ideal for anyone other than a truck right now so we decided to turn around and found a different (not as cool) hike. I hope they fix up the road soon so everyone can get back there again! read more

I will be going there this weekend and have been trying to do some research on whether or not this is a hike to take my dog. She's pretty young and it will be her first hike so I'm no too sure. I have seen a few posts of people who have taken their pets but would like to get some feed back. Thank you! read more

I would give the hike 5 stars, but the very huge downside is that we had our truck window smashed in the parking area along with another car. We had read that this area has problems with vandalism of cars, but did not expect a problem on a Saturday afternoon when the parking lot was almost full. The sheriff's department was less than helpful, and told us that they are unable to patrol the area because the thieves will see them coming and run!! So, this amazing place is not safe to hike unless you plan on leaving someone behind to guard your car. Sad. read more

We went in October to do the ladder hike. The high was 80, so it was perfect conditions to do this hike. You probably don't want it much hotter because a decent portion of the hike in the middle is completely open and exposed to the sun without any shade. It is also pretty windy up on the very top of the ridge, so some lip balm and sunglasses, if you have sensitive eyes, are a good idea. Bring at least a couple of water bottles. Even though it wasn't super hot, with the wind and exposed conditions and the physical nature of climbing, you will want some water. When I say a portion, it isn't more than maybe a mile of exposed sun thruout the entire hike, so I don't want to scare anyone away if you think this is going to be hot and miserable. I just wouldn't do this on a hot day or during the hottest part of the day if the day is going to be hot. We got there at 9:15 ish. There were probably a dozen other cars already there. We ran into people occasionally, but were mostly alone during the hike. We had a bunch of teenage boys, who slowed us down a lot because they kept wanting to detour up various rock sections, but we weren't in a hurry so it just made the hiking more fun to explore a little. There have been reports of car break ins so our 2 cars made sure that there was absolutely nothing left in the car or visible to possible thieves. Nobody had their car broken into that day that I am aware of, but it was a more busy day so there were probably people constantly in the parking area thruout the day. You start out immediately in gully of these tall rock walls and this got the kids excited. Bring a camera! You only walk about 1/4 a mile and you will come to a section where it opens up a little and turns to the right. On the right of the curve is a post that points to the trail on your left. You will not see an opening for this trail. It will look like just a bunch of rocks. Climb up the rocks and you will hit the first ladder taking you down. From that point on, the path is pretty straightforward thru the slots. Eventually you will leave the slots and still follow a fairly clear path thru the rock walls, but there are some fun paths to explore off the path. Just make sure you come back the way you came (it's pretty much one way back and forth when you explore, though). As you get to the top, it will open up and you will lose the shade. Look for arrows made out of rocks and go twds the metal towers. You will not go all the way to the towers, but they are the direction you go to get back down into the canyon and go out where you came. This is the part that is the least fun because it is continually uphill, windy and exposed to the sun, but it is a gradual uphill, not a steep uphill. It is the not knowing how long it will keep going that makes it a little tedious, but now that I know how far it goes, I won't mind it as much next time. The views are beautiful. You can see the Salton Sea. You can see the canyon. The wind can be annoying, but also cools you down. We saw people up on the ridge all the way thru the bottom of the canyon, but they must have taken a diff path because in general you aren't hiking the top of the ridge in the direction you came from. There must be a path along that route, though, since we saw a few people walking the ridge when we were on the bottom going back. The loop trail takes you steeply back down to the bottom. From there you just have a cool and pretty easy walk back with gorgeous rocks towering above you on both sides. There will be one more set of ladders on the way back. You will probably run into a few people that missed the turn off and are now doing the hike backwards, but that's ok, too. I would rather climb up than down, though, so I recommend doing the hike with the slots first. However, If you got a late start and you are worried about the heat later on, then backwards might be the better option since the slots are all shaded and much cooler. Overall it took us 3 hours, but we took a lot of time exploring and taking pictures. I'm pretty sure younger kids could have finished this hike, even as young as 5. They just might complain a bit during the uphill sunny portion. You could always just turn around once you got to the top and go back down the way you came, too, if you don't think your kids will make it. A 3 year old could make it up the ladders and rocks with a little help. We drove from Orange County and it was worth the drive. I highly recommend this hike for any level hiker. There are no bathrooms, so be prepared. The dirt road in was pretty packed down, so any car should be able to make it, but if someone has a higher car, get that person to drive just in case. There is no cell service during the hike. read more

This is a place that can't be missed in your lifetime. As you get close to these beautiful mountains, you will find yourself in awe! Hiking the Painted Cyn & Ladder Cyn should be done in day time only! You MUST have hiking boots/shoes, lots of water, lots of food/snacks, a pair of good gloves to help with pulling yourself up the rocks or on your hands & knees in case you need to crawl, knee pads, a hat, sunscreen & a map of the area. It's best to hike with a group. The hikes are not recommended for over weight folks. You may not have any pets on the hikes. It's best to be in good physical shape. You'll have to pull yourself up by rope & you need upper body strength. Folks, please take this place serious and be safe. Enjoy! read more

We visited this location on 6/4/17 and it was 100°. We hiked about 45 minutes but it became way too hot so we had to turn around. There is very little shade. Do not hike this if it's 85° or hotter. Wear good sunscreen and a hat. You will need a lot of water and a snack. Good hiking shoes. Can't be afraid of heights. I will be going back after summer to complete the ladder canyon hike and will return for the rope hike. read more