Hike Pine City Trail
What to Expect
Safety Advisory
The mining ruins are structurally unsound with open shafts and unstable timbers. Admire from a safe distance — do not enter or climb on any structures.
Summer temperatures regularly blow past 100 degrees out here, and the flat terrain offers less airflow than ridgeline trails. If you insist on a summer attempt, be on the trail by 8 AM and carry at least two liters per person — there is zero water on this route.
Trail Details
Pro Tips
Desert Queen Mine Road is unpaved but passable for most vehicles — just take it slow over the washboard sections. The trailhead parking area is small but rarely full, even on peak weekends.
Bring binoculars. The pinyon pine groves attract Pinyon Jays, Juniper Titmice, and other high-desert birds you won't spot on the lower-elevation trails. Late morning is prime birding time here.
The old mining site at the end makes for compelling photography — weathered timber against desert sky — but shoot from outside the structures. The framing is actually better from a distance anyway, where you can capture the ruins against the surrounding boulder piles.
Photos
NPS
