Winding Wonders: Exploring Twisted Canyon in Mecca Hills of Chuckwalla National Monument

Hike Distance: 4.5 miles; shorter version - 2.3 miles

Elevation Gain: 403 ft; shorter version - 250 ft

TrailsNH Hiking Difficulty Calculator: 60 – Moderate; shorter version - 34 Easy

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

Welcome to Chuckwalla National Monument

Without a doubt Mecca Hills Wilderness, which is now part of Chuckwalla National Monument, is our favorite place to hike in Southern California. We first visited this area in 2017 and return here often for its unparalleled beauty and limitless hiking opportunities. From peaceful desert washes to exciting slot canyons, this region formed by the destructive power of the San Andreas Fault network has something for every type of hiker.

The Relationship Between Chuckwalla National Monument and Mecca Hills Wilderness

The Mecca Hills Wilderness was created in 1994 when the U.S. Congress designated 26,356 acres in the Mecca Hills to be overseen by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM). In January 2025 the Mecca Hills Wilderness and an additional 600,000+ acres were further protected when President Biden signed a proclamation establishing the Chuckwalla National Monument (CNM). This presidential action culminated a multiyear effort by federal, state and local groups as well as the members of the Tribal Nations to preserve and protect these lands for future generations.

Within the national park system, a National Monument is a protected area that has been established to preserve significant cultural or natural features such as historic sites, prehistoric ruins, and objects of scientific interest. For anyone who has visited the area encompassed within CNM, it obviously meets this criteria. This map outlines the boundary of the CNM and Mecca Wilderness area within the monument. CNM is among the largest national monuments by acreage in the United States.

Trail Blazers & Subject Matter Experts (SME)

During the fall, Dave and I dedicate a significant amount of time to discovering new trails for Friends of the Desert Mountains (FODM) guided interpretive hike program. The last few years, much of our effort has been focused in the CNM and specifically within the Mecca Wilderness area. Our goal is to find new trails that showcase the beauty of the national monument and inspire others to support responsible recreating in these lands.

I like to think that Dave and I act as ‘Trail Blazers’ for FODM. First, we establish the criteria for a new trail: location, distance, elevation gain, difficulty, accessibility, and adventure elements. Next, I dedicate a few days to exploring and identifying potential trails. Afterwards, Dave joins me to evaluate and critique each trail using a short checklist:

1. Determine if I’ve found a ‘great’ new hike for FODM or did I settle for an ‘OK’ hike.

2. Ensure we meet our original criteria and identify potential problem/challenges for participants.

3. Decide if we should include the hike in our program and then come up with a creative trail name.

   

I got an immediate ‘thumbs up’ for this trail and Dave aptly named it ‘Twisted Canyon’. We can unofficially name trails in this wilderness area since there are only a handful of official trails recognized by BLM.

The next step in our process involves the participation of SMEs. I enlisted FODM SMEs, Susan and Ada, to walk the trail and document flora and fauna. Their practical knowledge and deep understanding of desert habitats make them ideal for this task. They are invaluable assets to FODM. To get a sense of their ‘attention to detail’, Susan and Ada spent nearly 4 hours walking this 2.5 mile trail.

Dave and I then work with the SMEs to craft a narrative that encompasses flora, fauna, geology, and local history to offer a memorable interpretative hike.

Geology of the Mecca Hills

Before jumping into the hiking experience, it's worth spending a few minutes reviewing the geology of the Mecca Hills. This relatively small range of low, rugged hills lies directly on the San Andreas Fault network where the Pacific Plate and North American Plate grind against each other. The rocks of the Mecca Hills have been uplifted, deformed, and broken by fault activity, creating a landscape of steep ridges, canyons, and deeply incised washes.

The California Department of Conservation website provides access to an interactive fault activity map that showcases the dense cluster of faults that ring the Mecca Hills. By entering latitude and longitude data, the site pinpoints the location in relation to known faults. In our case, Twisted Canyon trail is located directly on the Skeleton Canyon Fault (marker circled in blue) which is in turn is sandwiched between the Painted Canyon and San Andreas Faults.

How It Began

Approximately 5 to 6 million years ago, when the San Andreas Fault became active, this area, originally a low-lying basin, started accumulating sediments. These sediments originated from erosion of the nearby mountains and from sand and silt carried by the ancestral flow of the Colorado River. The Colorado is believed to have flowed through the Coachella Valley and into the Pacific Ocean from 5.3 to 2.3 million years ago. How much sediment was deposited? Surveys indicate there is a 3-mile thick layer of sediment deposited on bedrock in this region.

As these sediment were deposited over millions of year, the underlying layers were compacted and cemented into sedimentary rock. In areas where sedimentary rock has not been altered by fault movement, bedding planes that resemble horizontal bands, like those in this photo, indicate different periods of sediment deposit.

Around 2 to 3 million years ago, significant activity along these faults, particularly transpression—a combination of lateral sliding and squeezing—resulted in the uplift of older basement rocks and the sedimentary rocks layered above them. As the rocks were pushed upward along fault lines, sedimentary rocks that were once horizontal became tilted and squeezed into tightly compressed near-vertical folds. These folded sandstones, behind Dave, are part of the Palm Spring Formation that was deposited 3 million to 76,000 years ago.

Even today, periodic earthquakes, continuous fault movements, and seasonal erosion continue to shape this tortured landscape.

Let's Start Hiking

The Twisted Canyon trailhead is located on Box Canyon Road and starts in Box Canyon Wash (coordinates: 33°35'25.8"N 115°58'23.2"W). The wash extends for 16+ miles on both sides of the road.

This image of Box Canyon Wash near the trailhead and the satellite image of the same spot (where the box photo represents the trailhead), highlight the wash's width along this section of the road.

Juvenile smoke trees, less than 6-8 inches tall, stretch along Box Canyon Wash for as far as the eye can see. If they all survive, we’ll have a smoke tree forest in a decade. Plant specialists within FODM have differing opinions as to whether these trees germinated after the monsoon rains of 2019 and 2020 or after Tropical Storm Hillary in 2023. Either way, it will be interesting to watch their survival rate in the coming years.

Further in the wash there are numerous adult smoke trees. They endure extreme temperatures and drought conditions through various specialized adaptations. Their flexible branches and strong root system allow them to withstand the force of floodwaters and quickly take advantage of the moisture. Smoke tree can send down very deep taproots—sometimes 20 to 60 feet. However, they still depends on feeder roots within the top 12 to 18 inches of soil for quick access to water during brief rain events.

Smoke trees have almost no leaves, but their gray-green branches carry out photosynthesis directly. The lack of leaves helps to minimize water loss through transpiration. Like many members of the pea family, smoke trees host nitrogen-fixing bacteria in their root nodules. The bacteria convert air nitrogen into a usable form for plants. This process enriches the soil with nitrogen—a key nutrient for plant growth. This adaptation helps smoke trees survive in dry areas like the Sonoran Desert, where nitrogen is lacking in the sand and gravel.

The Twisted Canyon trail truly starts once you cross the Box Canyon Wash and enter the wash that leads to the surrounding hills and canyons. At this point, we also enter the 'Mecca Hills structure.'

Life in the Desert Wash Habitat

Although the wash is dry right now, that's not always the case. Rain storms, although rare, bring sheet flow as water pours off the nearby hills and drains into the wash. Very little of the fast moving runoff penetrates the dense, compacted sand of the wash. In order to survive, desert shrubs like this sweetbush, produce lateral shallow roots that are able to capture significant amounts of fast moving runoff.

Plants like this creosote and brittlebush thrive especially well along the edges of the wash where runoff is slower and water is more readily absorbed by their roots. The color of creosote leaves can be an indicator of their hydration levels. Wilting, curling, or yellow/brown discoloration of their leaves suggests the plant needs more water. Conversely, deep green leaves like these indicate a well hydrated and healthy plant.

The same goes for this brittlebush. Silver-gray leaves are a sign of a healthy, well-hydrated brittlebush. The leaves reflect sunlight and help the plant regulate its temperature. The brown, brittle stems emanating from the leafy areas of a brittlebush are last season's dried flower stems.

For plants, survival largely depends on their proximity to areas where rainwater flows or collects. Just a few feet away from these thriving plants, a beavertail cactus suffering from severe dehydration and a drought-stressed Mecca Aster shrub struggle to survive. Both plants are adept at managing drought conditions by entering dormancy and conserving water. Nonetheless, in cases of the extended drought that we’ve been experiencing, even their adaptability will eventually be exhausted.

Please remember to step gently when you hike in a wash. Rainwater runoff from the hills carries loose soil, organic material, and seeds and deposits them in the wash. When conditions are right, these seeds germinate. The prairie clover (top left); burro bush (top right); wand holdback (bottom left); and Mecca aster (bottom right) are just a few of the many plants we saw sprouting in the wash in late January.

Rainwater runoff also has destructive implications. At least 3 feet of sediment has been eroded from the wash, leading to a hanging root system for this tree. A general rule of them is if more than 25–30% of the visible upper root mass is exposed—particularly near the crown—the tree faces a high risk of death. Exposed roots dry out or suffer from sun scald, especially when summer temperatures exceed 100°F. This tree lost its battle against the forces of nature quite a while ago.

Twisted Canyon: The Power of Water Even in the Desert

The Mecca Hills are renowned for their canyons. In Twisted Canyon, the three processes essential for forming the maze of canyons converge seamlessly.

Uplift & Folding

As previously mentioned this region of the desert has experienced fault induced uplift for the last 2 to 3 million years with a significant increase occurring 700,000 years ago. Research suggests that basement rocks have been vertically raised 10,000 to 16,000 feet. This uplift has intensified runoff from the nearby mountains, greatly accelerating the rate of erosion and significantly transforming the landscape.

This photograph is a great example of uplifted sedimentary rock layers in Twisted Canyon. The yellow line highlights a bedding plane that was originally laid down horizontally but has been tilted to an angle exceeding 30°.

Faults & Fracture Zones

As shown in the Map of Fault Activity displayed earlier, multiple faults traverse the Mecca Hills. Movement along these faults generates zones of weakness and fractures in the bedrock and surface geology. Over time, these weak zones become natural pathways for water to flow through the rocks, making them even more prone to erosion.

Erosion

The core of canyon formation is the interaction between water and rock, particularly how runoff and flash floods over hundreds of thousands or millions of years have shaped sedimentary rock layers in active fault areas. Seasonal rain, especially during flash floods, sends surges of water through these fractured and folded sedimentary rocks. These floods transport sediment and debris that function like sandpaper, carving into the rock and gradually deepening the canyons. This process is particularly effective in the Mecca Hills, where softer sedimentary rocks erode more readily than harder rocks.

Entering Twisted Canyon

After slightly more than half a mile, our trail breaks from the main wash and follows a smaller canyon opening on the right.

Almost immediately the trail splits again. To the right a narrow canyon and straight ahead a much wider canyon. We chose to explore the narrow canyon first.

The steep canyon walls create shade and reduce evaporation providing brief periods of cooler temperatures and better moisture retention— a microclimate of sorts.

Many Mecca aster plants had few flowers but were abundant in leaves. This woody perennial shrub, characterized by its lance-shaped leaves, can reach a height of 4 feet. Asters are regarded as moderately to highly drought-tolerant, yet they have limited endurance against prolonged or extreme drought conditions. They thrive in sandy washes and canyons, where moisture persists longer and shade offers relief from the harsh sun.

Their woody stem structure helps reduce water loss and can store moisture during dry spells. A deep and spreading root system helps the plant draw moisture from a large area

The Mecca aster is impacted by reduced winter precipitation, with moderate to severe drought diminishing its flowering. Considering that the Coachella Valley has seen minimal rainfall over the last 13 months and this winter has also been exceptionally dry, it's astonishing that we noticed any blooms at all.

Spotting a Mecca aster in bloom is always a highlight during FODM hikes, and we encourage everyone to appreciate these moments when we encounter them. Sadly, the Mecca aster is considered highly vulnerable to climate change because of its restricted range, specific habitat, and the rising temperatures and increasing frequency of drought.

It didn’t take long for the canyon to become even more narrow. The narrowing arises due to differential erosion based on the hardness and resistance of the surface materials. The sheer volume and force of water rapidly gouge downward into the weak sedimentary rock, rather than laterally. With each subsequent flood, the canyon deepens more than it widens, resulting in the narrow, towering walls.

One advantage of having a SME prehike the trail is their ability to discover hidden gems that we might otherwise miss. One such discovery was the big-jawed termite tubes at the base of several plants. Until Ada and Susan pointed them out, neither Dave nor I, nor most FODM hike participants had seen them on previous hikes.

What are these tubes? They are protective foraging sleeves constructed from a type of termite cement composed of soil, saliva, and fecal material. Termites create these mud tubes to shield themselves from predators like lizards and birds while moving and foraging above ground. Without an exoskeleton, termites are highly vulnerable to drying out; the tubes also help maintain moisture and protect them from the scorching sun.

Worker termites use 'termite cement' to construct narrow tunnels beginning at their nest or the base of a plant. As they continue to forage on the plant, upwards, they extend these tubes around individual stems. Despite building around living stems, they generally do not harm healthy plants. They are not herbivores; their diet is focused on dead and decaying organic materials. It's easy to see how these termites earned their name. Photo courtesy of iNaturalist.

The further upcanyon we traveled the more obstacles we encountered.

It wasn't long before the trail came to an end. We couldn’t navigate past this narrow opening which was blocked by sand and debris at the other end.

What makes this hike especially enjoyable is that after the narrow canyon comes to an end, we head back to the trail split and begin exploring the second canyon.

As we approached this narrow opening the canyon walls began rising dramatically.

It's easy to envision that the gap where Susan stands eroded over time and was originally a solid rock wall.

When flashfloods roar through a canyon like this, the runoff is thick with sand, cobble and boulders which geologists refer to as a sediment-laden flow. This chaotic debris flow hammers the canyon walls and acts like sandpaper grinding and scouring the rock surface. This process is particularly effective in soft sedimentary rocks, which are more easily worn away. Whether a canyon becomes wider or deeper is determined by a number of factors

If the canyon floor is littered with boulders or has tightly compacted sedimentary layers then vertical cutting slows down and the water's force is redirected sideways cutting into the sidewalls like in this section of the canyon.

There is also the ‘weak wall effect’. Certain sections of this canyon have fragile and easily eroded sidewalls. Steep sidewalls made of soft rock layers and loose sand can easily give way during rainstorms. These collapses cause the canyon to widen in large segments — a process called mass wasting. The result is a canyon that grows in sudden bites.

Sidewalls composed of soft sedimentary rock can’t resist the undercutting. Here the floods have been steadily nibbling away at the base of the sidewall above Dave's head. It's just a matter of time before gravity takes over and more of the sidewall sloughs off to continue the canyon widening process.

Here Dave and Susan are engaged in a deep conversation as he preps to lead his first FODM hike. Both Susan and Ada are exceptional mentors for both new and seasoned hike leaders. As anticipated by everyone, Dave was great.

Hiking with FODM SMEs highlight the importance of slow deliberate hiking to reveal more of the wilderness offerings. Susan and Ada found these spider webs surrounding a pencil-sized hole in the canyon walls. What a clever way to catch prey; as creatures investigate the opening, they get ensnared in the web, becoming the spider's next meal. Unfortunately, we couldn't determine which species of spider spun the web or the insect that bored the initial holes.

It's not quite as impressive as spider traps, but Dave and I managed to find an abandoned hummingbird nest 7 to 10 feet above the ground in a creosote bush. The nest is made of soft materials like moss, lichen, and fur, bound together with spider silk. The spider silk helps the nest expand as the hatchlings grow. Hummingbirds choose locations like this that offer both shelter from the elements and camouflage from predators.

The power of water can be fickle; occasionally the second canyon would unexpectedly narrow and ...

...at times become slot-like.

The trail actually continued through this crevice in the rock.

It created some interesting and fun navigation obstacles and...

photo ops.

We continued following the canyon for roughly 1.5 miles.

By the end of this hike, the sun was low on the horizon creating 'golden hour' lighting.

Wrap Up

We spent several days over a period of a month hiking this trail both by ourselves and with FODM SMEs and FODM guided hike attendees.

Over the course of 2 days in January, we led 47 FODM hike participants on this Mecca adventure. The feedback was overwhelming positive so it will likely be staple of the winter hike schedule. We had truly discovered a gem of a hike for both ourselves and FODM.

This is the satellite image of the abbreviated version of the hike we utilized for FODM.

310125