Warren Point

Warren Point, photo by Sunny Yi

Warren Point, photo by Steve Russell

Warren, photo by Steve Russell

Warrren, photo by Steve Russell

Warren Point, Photo by Sunny Yi.

Peak Name

Warren Point

26I

Elevation

5103

feet

Status

active

Region

Little San Bernardino Mountains

Range

Joshua Tree Ranges

Nearby peaks

Location

34.055127,-116.407183

Description

Warren Point, named by HPS hikers after its benchmark, is a moderate, beautiful, and truly enjoyable outing across interesting desert terrain. It resides in the Black Rock area, the far northwest tip of Joshua Tree National Park, for which an entry fee is not required. It has views of the town of Yucca Valley to the north, Chaparrosa Peak and Big Bear to the northwest, and the rugged wilderness of the western portion of the park to the south. It is typically hiked in combination with nearby Eureka Peak.

Route 1 start from Black Rock visitors center and winds its way between formations and gullies to ascend the peak’s north ridge on use trail. A more popular route which is all on good trail (but not as yet an official HPS route) is the Black Rock Canyon Trail, which goes gently up the shallow canyon and washes to reach the peak from the south.

Maps generated from CalTopo.com, reproduced with permission

Downloadable Maps, Files, and Guides

Route 1

Elevation Gain

1000′

Navigation Difficulty

Rating: Class 1, easy

Distance

4 miles round trip on National Park Service trail and cross-country

Estimated time

2 1/2 hours round trip

Route Rating

Class 1, easy

Leader Rating Required

“I”, normal conditions

Driving route

Take I-10 east past Banning to the intersection with SR 62.
Go north on SR 62 to Joshua Lane in Yucca Valley. This is also the intersection with SR 247, Old Woman Springs Road.
Turn right on Joshua Lane.
Drive south, then east, then south again on Joshua Lane for 5.3 miles to Black Rock Campground. Park at the Visitor Center.

Hiking route

From the west end of the Visitor Center (4160′), hike south on the narrow paved road.
Continue to its end to a trail by site 30 with a sign that reads, “Access to Warren Point”.
Continue south on the trail to a fork just before a water tank.
Go left for 200′, where a trail goes right, with a sign that reads, “Westside Loop”.
Follow this trail about ¼ mile to a junction. Turn left at a sign that reads, “Warren Point”.
Follow this trail another ¼ mile to the main Black Rock Canyon wash (signed).
Turn right and follow the wash as it heads southwest and then west around bump 4751′ to the saddle south of the peak. Follow any signposts with arrow and “WP” (Warren Point).
Warren Point becomes visible to the northwest. It is the only visible nearby summit that is mostly rocky.
Exit the wash on the slopes to the right and climb to the ridge that heads northerly to the summit of Warren Point.

Route Notes

Printable Route

Road Type

Paved

Google Maps Link to Trailhead

Additional Peak Information

Alternate routes: For a more interesting, shorter, but navigationally trickier route follow this alternative. Follow a connecting wash westward near the northern edge of Section 30 to the 4400′ contour, then climb the obvious ridge south-southwest to join another ridge, then follow this ridge west-southwest for about 2000′, then 500′ south to the summit.
Almost any route from any direction goes. A fine pathfinder option starts at “Horse Camp” just northwest of the Visitor Center. Hike west, then south, around the west side of Warren Point, meeting a road. Continue south along the road, selecting one of several options to the summit. The road eventually meets the saddle south of Warren Point, and Route 1 wash.