Hike to Mopah Spring | Hiking in Turtle Mountain Wilderness
The hike to Mopah Spring is a mellow and scenic choice for hiking in Turtle Mountain Wilderness. There are several adventures to choose from in the area including a more strenuous adventure to both Mopah and Umpah Peaks. We hope to get a chance to tackle those in the future! After spending some time camping in the Turtle Mountain Wilderness, we had explored quite a bit around our campsite. But we were excited to hike to Mopah Spring so we could see what it looked like further in the canyon and to find the palm oasis! It was hard to believe there was water anywhere around! So we set off on our adventure.
Quick Info: Hike to Mopah Spring
Distance: 8 miles roundtrip (out and back)
Difficulty: Moderate due to rocks and sand underfoot
Directions: From Parker, head west on the CA-62 for about 18 miles to Vidal Junction. From Vidal Junction, turn right at the gas station and continue north for another 12 miles. Then turn left onto Heritage Trail (dirt road) and from here you’ll see the sign indicating the Turtle Mountain Wilderness boundary. Follow the dirt road for six miles until you reach the trailhead parking area.
Check out the video below of our adventure hiking to Mopah Spring Palm Oasis!
Our Experience Hiking in Turtle Mountain Wilderness
From our campspot, Umpah and Mopah Peaks were very prominent features jutting out of the desert landscape. But Mopah Spring is tucked back further in the canyon, its presence not obvious.
The trailhead begins where the main dirt road (Heritage Trail) reaches a parking area with a metal gate. Park here, walk past the gate and start by following the trail on what seems to be an old road.
As we were walking, we couldn’t help but stop and pick up the eye catching chalcedony scattered everywhere. This area is known for chalcedony roses. We found a lot of cool pieces and some rose fragments but it was fun to pick them up and show each other what we found. The trail (road) passes an old rock house structure before joining the wash. There are a few cairns along the way but just make sure that you end up following the main wash.
Once in the main wash, there are some rocky areas and some sandy areas. This makes the pace a little slower on the hike to Mopah Spring than on some other trails.
As we followed the wash, we encountered some cool trees and some canyon walls. Mopah and Umpah Peaks got closer and revealed new perspectives as we walked along. They both look really cool and climbing to their summit looks like quiet a task! The hike to Mopah Spring is mellow and the scenery is pretty.
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Eventually, we followed a path up a mound and from here we got our first glimpse of the palm tree tops at Mopah Spring! The path up gives a new vantage point but isn’t necessary in order to hike to Mopah Spring. If you keep following the main wash the entire way you will reach the spring.
Finally, we reached the cluster of palms! We approached the shaggy palms and meandered through their trunks to see the spring. There was very little water when we made the hike to Mopah Spring in February but there was enough to surely attract the animals in the area! We took a bunch of pictures and made our way through the cluster of about ten shaggy palms. Then we climbed up for another view point and to find a shady spot for lunch while watching for signs of wildlife.
After lunch we headed back the way we came, thinking of an attempt at the beckoning peaks of Umpah and Mopah.
The hike to Mopah Spring was mellow, scenic and very peaceful. We were glad that we took the opportunity to follow the wash further into the canyon to get a glimpse of what was back there! And it’s always a treat to find water and life thriving in the desert. If you’ve got the time, the hike to Mopah Spring is a cool adventure with the convenience of free camping all around!
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We love when there are cool adventures to check out near our camp spots! Exploring a new area is one of the highlights of this on the road lifestyle! If you’d like to read about some other cool day hikes, check out the articles below:
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