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** Use at Your Own Risk **
See the Retired Peak Guides in the Archives for Microsoft Word and other versions of this peak guide.
Location: Riverside County, about 20 miles south of Indio, 150 miles from Los Angeles
Maps
Auto Club | Riverside County, San Diego County |
USGS Topos | Rabbit Peak 7½, Fonts Point 7½, Clark Lake NE 7½ |
Official HPS Maps |
TPO file - Save to your computer then open with National Geographic TOPO! |
| Viewable PDF file - Approximately 5 megs |
| GPX file or Google Earth KML file to
download to GPS units and other map software (How to use GPX and KML files) |
| Routes as shown on
CalTopo using the above files (How to use CalTopo) |
Nearby Peaks: Villager Peak
Printable version of this route
ROUTE 1
From Villager Peak
- Distance: 7.5 miles round trip cross-country from Villager Peak
- Gain: 3100' total, 2000' out plus 1100' on return
- Time: 5-6 hours round trip
- Rating: Class 1, moderate
- Navigation: Moderate
- Leader Rating: "I", normal conditions
Original: Paul A. Lipsohn, 1973
DRIVING ROUTE 1
HIKING ROUTE 1
- From the summit of Villager Peak, hike northwest
and north along the ridge over several bumps, including 5859', to the summit
of Rabbit Peak.
- The register is on a rocky outcrop near the west edge of the plateau.
NOTES
Total distance from Villager Peak Trail head 21 miles and 8400 gain.
Printable version of this route
ROUTE 2
- Distance:16 miles round trip on use trail and cross-country
- Gain: 6700'
- Time: 12-14 hours round trip
- Rating: Class 2, very strenuous
- Navigation: Difficult
- Leader Rating: "I", normal conditions
Original: Paul A. Lipsohn, 1973
DRIVING ROUTE 2
- Drive east on I-10 to Dillon Road in Indio.
- Go south on Dillon Road about a mile to the intersection with SR 111
and SR 86. Turn left.
- Drive southeast on SR 86 for about 15.4 miles to the junction with
Avenue 74 (north-south) and Fillmore Road (north-south). Turn right on
southbound Fillmore Road.
- Go 2.5 miles to its end at a levee. Park here.
HIKING ROUTE 2
- From the parking area (-80'), hike south over the levee and down into
the wash below it.
- Turn right and go 1/2 mile west along the wash to
where a road crosses it.
- Turn south on the road and go about 100 yards, past
a lemon grove on the right, to another old levee (shown on the topo).
- Turn right (west) and go past about 1/4 mile of lemon trees on the
right to the open desert and a jeep road that is the start of the route
across the desert. Follow this road southwest about 1/2 mile to the
beginning of a well-ducked trail across the desert. The start of the trail
is hard to find, but should be located as it will save much time crossing
the desert. It leads to the end of the ridge between Sheep and Barton
Canyons, visible directly southwest of the parking area. (Many of the
ducks are white rock, for improved visibility at night.)
- Follow the trail
to the end of the ridge, 3 1/2 miles, 1000' gain. Note: The hike
often begins (and ends) in the darkness, so the initial part of the route
is easily lost. There is still hope: from the west edge of the lemon grove
follow bearing 230° to the 1000' contour. It should be light by
now, and you should find yourself below the southwest trending ridge, with Alamo
Canyon on your right. Continue as follows:
- The trail (not shown on the
topo) goes to the left up the ridge, swings around to the southeast side
of the ridge, and comes out on top of the ridge at 1840'+. There is space
for camping here, but no water.
- Continue southwest along the top of the
ridge past a saddle (2520'+) and up to a broad plateau (6 miles; 3235'),
where there again is camping space but no water.
- From this plateau,
continue up the ridge, around a number of big rock outcrops, to the summit
plateau. The route is ducked much of the way.
- The register is on a rocky
outcrop near the west edge of the plateau.
NOTES
For a return in darkness
it may be wise for the beginning navigator to mark the starting location
with a GPS. The lemon grove is extensive, so is not a good aiming point.
Printable version of this route
ROUTE 3
- Distance: 14 miles round trip cross-country
- Gain: 6200'
- Time: 12 hours round trip
- Rating: Class 1, very strenuous
- Navigation: Moderate
- Leader Rating: "I", normal conditions
Original: Brent Washburne, April 1989
DRIVING ROUTE 3
- Drive east on I-10 to the 86S expressway in Indio.
- Drive south toward El Centro on SR 86S Expressway for about 35.5
miles to Salton City.
- Turn west on the Borrego-Salton Seaway (S22).
- Continue 14.8 miles to a parking area on the right and a dirt road on
the left. This is the parking area for Villager Peak
and Rosa Point.
- Continue west 7.2 miles on S22 to a to a dirt road on the right
(north). This is 1/2 mile east of the Peg Leg Smith historical
marker.
- Drive northeast across Clark Dry Lake to the vicinity of Clark Well
(dry), where the road is blocked by sand dunes. Park here.
HIKING ROUTE 3
- From the parking area, hike north-northeast across the desert about 3
miles towards a ridge west of a canyon coming from the direction of the
peak.
- Climb this ridge, passing elevation 2719' on the east. The ridge swings
northeast to the head of the canyon.
- Descend a little to a saddle at 3300', and then climb steeply 2000'
east-northeast up a ridge to the main ridge at 5800'.
- Then turn north to climb the south ridge of Rabbit Peak.
NOTES
This route is open year round.
NOTES
Rabbit Peak lies within the Santa Rosa Wilderness Area. A
permit is not required to day hike to the peak.
Rabbit Peak is also a DPS Emblem Peak.
Please report any corrections or changes to the
Mountain Records Chair.
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