Summit Queen Mountain Fall 2021

This roughly 8.5 mile out and back hike brings participants into the rugged terrain surrounding Queen Mountain (5,677’), the second tallest peak in Joshua Tree National Park. Much like its taller sister, Quail Mountain, Queen ties together several distinct zones, each providing opportunities to discuss history (mining, homesteading, indigenous) and prominent geological features. From the dramatic vantage point of the peak we’ll get a birds eye view of the Wonderland of Rocks to the west, the landscape that helped carve 49 Palms Canyon and led to the formation of its oasis, as well as long views east towards the Colorado Desert where the Coxcomb Mountains greet us on the horizon at the parts furthest eastern boundary. A fascinating array of granite and gneiss are present as are abundant lithophyte colonies growing upon these rocks. A tremendous amount of land within view is designated as “Day Use” as Bighorn Sheep regularly travel this zone and utilize it as a sanctuary.

Please download the course outline: Summit Queen Mountain Fall 2021

Hike Level: Strenuous/Difficult (Fitness Levels)

If you are a member of JTNPA you will get a $10 discount off every Desert Institute class. If you are not a member you can become one here.

Please print and fill out the PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT. You can bring the completed form to the class.

Cancellation Policy: If you need to cancel, notify us at least seven days prior to the start of the course and we will process your request minus a $25 cancellation fee. No refunds, transfers, or credits will be granted if cancellation occurs within the seven day period. Please note that we cannot make any exceptions to this refund policy for any reason, including but not limited to medical reasons, illness, travel delays, personal situations, emergencies, or weather. This program depends on registration for its funding. While inconvenient, please understand that this policy enables us to sustain our programs even with last minute cancellations.

This season of Desert Institute classes is made possible by the generous sponsorship of Visit 29 Palms. Check out Visit29.org to learn about all the great shops, restaurants, lodging and attractions in Twentynine Palms and start planning your visit.

Photo by Travis Puglisi

Photo by Hilary Sloane

Travis Puglisi is a 20 year resident of the Morongo Basin and the owner/operator of Wandering Mojave Hiking Services. Travis has a cultivated appreciation of desert environments, having lived and worked in Antarctica for 27 months, at UC Riverside's Granite Mountain Desert Research Station as a steward and trail builder, and the Black Rock Desert of Nevada. Travis is a self-taught naturalist with an emphasis on Mojave Desert flora and fauna. His hikes feature a conversational style that makes the landscape accessible and an interpretive manner of route planning that typically combines established trails and cross-country travel.

Host or Publisher Desert Institute at Joshua Tree National Park