Location: Riverside County, about 20 miles south of Indio, 150 miles from Los Angeles

Maps

Auto Club: Riverside County, San Diego County

USGS Topo: Rabbit Peak 7½, Fonts Point 7½, Clark Lake NE 7½

HPS: Route(s), waypoints and explanation of usage

Nearby Peaks: Villager Peak

Access to Rabbit Peak from the Salton Sea side is subject to a voluntary seasonal closure to protect bighorn sheep habitat, except for the months of October, November, and December. This seasonal closure may become permanent at some time in the future

Distance:16 miles round trip on use trail and cross-country

Gain: 6700'

Time: 12-14 hours round trip

Rating: Class 2, very strenuous

Navigation: Difficult

Leader Rating: "I", normal conditions

Original: Paul A. Lipsohn, 1973

DRIVING ROUTE 2

• Drive east on I-10 to Dillon Road in Indio.
• Go south on Dillon Road about a mile to the intersection with SR 111 and SR 86. Turn left.
• Drive southeast on SR 86 for about 15.4 miles to the junction with Avenue 74 (north-south) and Fillmore Road (north-south). Turn right on southbound Fillmore Road.
• Go 2.5 miles to its end at a levee. Park here.

HIKING ROUTE 2

• From the parking area (-80'), hike south over the levee and down into the wash below it.
• Turn right and go 1/2 mile west along the wash to where a road crosses it.
• Turn south on the road and go about 100 yards, past a lemon grove on the right, to another old levee (shown on the topo).
• Turn right (west) and go past about 1/4 mile of lemon trees on the right to the open desert and a jeep road that is the start of the route across the desert. Follow this road southwest about 1/2 mile to the beginning of a well-ducked trail across the desert. The start of the trail is hard to find, but should be located as it will save much time crossing the desert. It leads to the end of the ridge between Sheep and Barton Canyons, visible directly southwest of the parking area. (Many of the ducks are white rock, for improved visibility at night.)
• Follow the trail to the end of the ridge, 3 1/2 miles, 1000' gain. Note: The hike often begins (and ends) in the darkness, so the initial part of the route is easily lost. There is still hope: from the west edge of the lemon grove follow bearing 230° to the 1000' contour. It should be light by now, and you should find yourself below the southwest trending ridge, with Alamo Canyon on your right. Continue as follows:
• The trail (not shown on the topo) goes to the left up the ridge, swings around to the southeast side of the ridge, and comes out on top of the ridge at 1840'+. There is space for camping here, but no water.
• Continue southwest along the top of the ridge past a saddle (2520'+) and up to a broad plateau (6 miles; 3235'), where there again is camping space but no water.
• From this plateau, continue up the ridge, around a number of big rock outcrops, to the summit plateau. The route is ducked much of the way.
• The register is on a rocky outcrop near the west edge of the plateau.

NOTES

For a return in darkness it may be wise for the beginning navigator to mark the starting location with a GPS. The lemon grove is extensive, so is not a good aiming point.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS

This route is open only in November and December of each year to protect the Big Horn Sheep during their breeding period.