Hike Chocolate Drop Loop & Flag Mountain: Desert Peaks and Vistas

Why Hike Chocolate Drop Loop

If you’re looking for a mix of desert adventure and sweeping vistas, try hiking the Chocolate Drop Loop and Flag Mountain trail. This moderately strenuous loop offers a blend of sandy washes, rocky climbs, and panoramic views over the Coachella Valley. It's perfect for a half-day escape in Desert Hot Springs.

Hike Distance: 6.0 miles

Elevation Gain: 1,132 feet

TrailsNH Hiking Difficulty Calculator: 117 – Moderately Strenuous

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

Let's Start Hiking

The trailhead is located off Cockill Rd, an unpaved road leading to the start of a dry wash that locals have used as a shooting range for years. The views of San Jacinto were a great way to start off the morning.

The dirt road cuts directly through the center of the image. The view of Desert Hot Springs from the trailhead.

We followed the trail counterclockwise in order to complete the uphill section while the weather was still cool.

Hiking at the base of the Little San Bernardino Mountains.

The path traced a ridgeline, up and over a series of hills. Luckily, daytime temperatures were ideal for climbing hills.

Climbing Flag Mountains

Our initial two stops on the trail were the 'flag mountains,' as they are known by the locals.

We were getting closer to stop #1.

A couple of hills remained but the first set of flags were already in sight.

Nice to see the Canadian flag flying beside the Stars and Stripes on 'Flag Mountain'. The flags weren't discolored but they were in tatters from winds whipping through the valley.

You can the ridge trail we had followed.

Our next destination, the second flag hill, lay off in the distance.

On the second hill the views from the San Gorgonio Pass into the Coachella Valley were great. The Pass exists because two gigantic fault-lifted mountain ranges grew upwards on either side while the land between them got stretched and dropped between them. It's basically a living crack between two giants. The bookend mountains result in it being one of the windiest places in the United States, and that's why it is home to the San Gorgonio Pass wind farm.

Back on the trail and hiking to the final hill before we head toward Chocolate Drop hill.

What a beautiful view of San Gorgonio as we approached the 3rd and final flag hill. San Gorgonio Mountain, also known locally as Mount San Gorgonio, or Old Greyback, is the highest peak in Southern California at 11,503 feet.

After the final flag hill, the trail descended into a wash that led to Chocolate Drop.

Climbing Chocolate Drop

The trail to the top of Chocolate Drop branched off from the wash. For once Dave was slower to the top than me.

The expansive views of the mountains and valley were amazing.

Here is a panoramic view of San Gorgonio and the San Bernardino Mountains. At 11,503 feet, San Gorgonio is one of the most topographically prominent peaks in the United States. It is ranked 7th among peaks in the 48 contiguous states and 18th overall. It's large and broad; the summit plateau itself is one square-mile in area. In contrast to its spectacular but lower neighbor, San Jacinto Peak, San Gorgonio is not particularly craggy, and from a distance, it appears to be an extremely high hill, earning it the name of 'Greyback'. Despite not being particularly striking in appearance during the summer, it is the only mountain in Southern California with a summit a significant distance above the tree line. As such its bright white winter snow cap makes the mountain noticeable from miles away. The mountain hosts the longest recorded line of sight in the contiguous United States; it is plainly visible from the summit of Mount Whitney, 190 miles away.

At 10,834 feet, San Jacinto serves as the southern border of the San Gorgonio Pass. Naturalist John Muir wrote of San Jacinto Peak, 'The view from San Jacinto is the most sublime spectacle to be found anywhere on this earth'.

San Jacinto Peak is one of the most topographically prominent peaks in the United States, and is ranked the 6th most prominent peak in the 48 contiguous states. The steep escarpment of its north face rises over 10,000 feet in 7 miles. This is one of the largest gains in elevation over such a small horizontal distance in the contiguous United States. We had the incredible experience hiking San Jacinto; click here to navigate to that blog.

After enjoying the views we headed back to the wash to continue our hike.

A view of Chocolate Drop from the hill's base; the reason for its name should be clear.

Wash and Wildflowers

The wash definitely benefits from rain that's directed to it by the surrounding hills.

Huge patches of desert dandelions

Mojave asters

Blue bells

Flowering brittlebush

California barrel cactus in bloom

A short ladder was needed to climb down the 12-15 foot dry fall.

The canyon walls became shorter and the wash wider as we exited the foothills. It was a sign the hike was coming to an end.

The final stretch with the car in sight.

It tuned out to be another good Desert Hot Springs hike. This trail offers some of the most impressive valley and mountain views we've encountered so far.