Dry, Steep, and Stunning: Hiking North Lykken Trail at the Base of the San Jacinto Mountains

Why Hike the North Lykken Trail

I decided to hike the North Lykken Trail for several reasons.

• I haven’t hiked often in the Northern Palm Springs area and I thought the North Lykken would would be a great way to remind myself why this area is so interesting.

• We enjoyed the South Lykken Trail which traces the ridgeline of the foothills about 3 miles away from this trailhead and thought that following the canyon floor on the North Lykken would provide a different perspective on desert canyon hiking.

• Finally, this trail provides an invigorating workout, regardless of whether you decide to hike it as an out-and-back or a point-to-point journey like I did.

  
  

This AllTrails trail map offers an excellent view of the terrain, highlighting why it's such a remarkable desert experience.

If you use the AllTrails app, you'll notice that I didn't follow the trail to the end. Even though I've been hiking all season, it was one of those days when half way through the hike I just didn't have the normal zip, so I cut the hike short. Always listen to your body when you're hiking; pay attention to subtle signals and know when to rest or turn back. 'If you listen to your body when it whispers, you won't have to hear it scream' is a common saying that applies directly to being on the trail.

Hike Distance: 4.9 miles

Elevation Gain: 1072 feet

TrailsNH Hiking Difficulty Calculator: 103 – Moderately Strenuous

Click here to navigate to the TrailsNH website for a description of the hiking difficulty calculator

Let's Go Hiking

I chose to start the hike at the trail head located off W Cielo Drive in Palm Springs. Like many of the hikes in Palm Springs, it starts with an immediate climb; gaining over 250 feet in less than 0.2 miles. But that quick climb transports you from a Palm Springs neighborhood to the rugged San Jacinto terrain. Here's the elevation profile and the view from the parking lot.

It didn't take long to get view of Palm Springs and the surrounding areas. Lining the trail and most of the surrounding hills were dried cheatgrass. This invasive annual grass, has become one of the most disruptive plants in the American West—including the slopes of the San Jacinto Mountains above Palm Springs. Originally native to Eurasia, it was accidentally introduced to North America in the late 1800s through contaminated grain seed.

Its name comes from its ability to “cheat” native plants, sprouting earlier in the season and monopolizing water and nutrients before most desert perennials and wildflowers can germinate. In the arid foothills of the San Jacinto range, cheatgrass thrives in disturbed soils along trails, washes, and fire scars, forming dense mats of fine, wiry stems. The problem lies not only in competition with native vegetation but also in its effect on the fire cycle. Cheatgrass dries out by early summer, leaving behind a carpet of highly flammable material that ignites easily and spreads fire rapidly across landscapes historically adapted to slower, less frequent burns.

The day was hot for hiking, but conditions were perfect for this Chuckwalla lizard to bask on a rock.

On top of the ridge, you get an unobstructed view of the Tachevah Canyon. The canyon was carved into the granitic bedrock of the mountains and uplifted along the San Jacinto Fault. Flash flood erosion, debris flows, and rockfalls are also responsible for the canyon's sheer vertical walls.

A barely visible trail (highlighted in blue) snakes up the opposite slope to the ridgeline. Also visible in the photo is the Tachevah Dam built in 1964 to control floodwaters from the Tachevah Creek and runoff from the surrounding mountains and wash. It's designed to capture and hold the runoff then slowly release if to the city and county stormwater drainage system. I'll share more information on the dam later in the post.

As I descended into the wash, there were a number of plants in bloom. The cheatgrass may have dried out quickly but the native desert plants were in bloom including these desert dandelions.

Although not the case for every native and invasive plant, invasive grasses dry out faster because they evolved for rapid, shallow-rooted growth in wetter climates. Native desert, like this lupine have to endure long droughts through slow and selective growth patterns and usually have deeper roots and water conserving physiology.

On the lower canyon slopes remnants of rockfalls litter the slopes. Dark desert varnish coats most of the boulders which range in size from suitcases to small homes. At first glance it looks like a stain but it is a microscopic layer of manganese and iron oxides mixed with clay and organic material. These thin films build up atom by atom, deposited by microbes and desert dust, over hundreds to thousands of years. In these canyons, varnished rocks record the length of time a boulder has been exposed. A deeply polished black sheen suggests a rock has rested in place for centuries, undisturbed by rolling floods. A fresher, lighter surface often means it was tumbled recently during a flash flood, scoured clean of its coating. In this way, varnish becomes a timeline: the canyon’s walls and floor reveal which stones are long-settled and which were newly delivered by gravity or storm.

The plant life growing on these slopes were typical desert wash flora including this California barrel cactus in bloom. Growing up to 10 feet tall, it is easily recognized by its ribbed body and dense covering of reddish spines curved like fish hooks. Cactus are hoarders, they capture and store water from rain events and release it slowly during periods of drought to sustain the plant. The spines not only serve as defense but also provide shade and funnel rainwater toward the cactus base where it can be absorbed.

In the late spring and early summer, barrel cactus produce a crown of bright yellowish flowers on its top, After pollination, the blossoms mature into fleshy fruits. Unlike the fruit of prickly pear cactus, barrel cactus fruit are generally dry with little pulp but they are technically edible. I am more interested in eating the seeds within the fruit. Fresh raw seeds are reported to be bland and gritty with a texture like poppy seeds. However if you toast them they become more nutty and rich like coffee. On-line instructions are rather simple and something I will be trying very soon:

1. Harvest the ripe, yellow fruit from the barrel cactus.

2. Wash the fruit and cut it in half to expose the seeds.

3. Remove the seeds by scooping them out of the fruit's flesh.

4. Dry the seeds in a dehydrator for about 24 hours, or toast them in a dry frying pan for a few minutes to make them crunchy.

5. Grind the toasted seeds to create a protein-rich flour or a meal to add to baked goods and other dishes.

This beavertail cactus is getting ready to bloom.

Along the way, there is an excellent view of Tachevah Falls, the distinct white diamond- shaped rock right of center. While it may not look like much from this distance, its impressive up close according to rock climber blogs. It is said to be 450-500 feet tall, and although currently dry, water flows over it during rain or significant snowmelt. Hiking to this slab is definitely on my list of future hikes.

Even with the dry conditions, brittlebush and indigo shrubs remained green and in bloom.

Even the rocks were being buried by the thick cheatgrass.

Wildflowers dotted the north-facing slopes as I began climbing out of the canyon and toward the ridgeline—the hike's midpoint.

These annuals persist, stubbornly continuing their growth despite being surrounded by thick invasive grasses. The biology of these Emory rock daisies is perfected suited to the conditions on these slopes. They thrive in rock loose gravel and decomposed granite soils and the disturbance environment. The slopes are constantly eroding and shifting, creating new open patches for opportunistic colonizers to quickly move in.

Distant Phacelia prefers growing conditions that mirror its desert origins, requiring full sun, well-draining soil, and very little water.

Globe mallow, with its bright orange flowers, flourishes alongside other wildflowers in this environment. It establishes itself in sandy and rocky slopes, taking root when rainfall temporarily softens the desert ground. Its deep root system enables it to endure the dry spring conditions in the foothills of these mountains.

From the ridge, you gain a clearer view of the Tachevah Dam's size and the Las Palmas neighborhood it is protecting. One of the major floods that underscored the need for better flood control was in March 1938 when Tachevah Creek flooded downtown Palm Springs with 3-4 feet of water and mud. Finally in 1964, the Tachevah Dam was constructed by the US Army Corps of Engineers. The dam is 3600 feet in length and 42 feet high.

After enduring 2.4 long miles under the blazing sun, I finally arrived at the spot where I chose to turn back. Feeling a bit worn out, it was time to hydrate, have a quick snack, and start the journey back.

But first capture a photo of the beautiful view of Palm Springs and the surrounding desert cities.

It was a long way back down to the canyon floor and the faint trace of the trail.

Luckily, I was momentarily distracted by this big horn sheep and forgot about the heat.

The climb up the scarcely visible switchbacks to the ridge's summit on the canyon's opposite side couldn't come quick enough. Even with the heat and not feeling my best, it was still a great experience and I'm eager to plan a winter hike to Tachevah Falls soon.

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