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
- 1
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.
- 2
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.
- 3
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
