Coyote Hills to Jackass Spring — Owens Peak Wilderness Desert Traverse via Nine Mile Canyon
Sierra desert canyon few bother to find.
Nine Mile Canyon cuts a brutal crease through the southern flanks of the Sierra Nevada, dropping from the pinyon-juniper belt into a boulder-choked desert drainage that most drivers never bother with. Starting near Ridgecrest off highway 178, you work northwest past Coyote Hills, picking your way through decomposed granite shelves and dry wash crossings before the canyon narrows and forces you to slow to a crawl. Jackass Spring — a real, honest-to-god seep that’s kept prospectors and burros alive out here for well over a century — marks the logical turnaround or camp spot before the track dead-ends against the wilderness boundary. The geology changes fast and noticeably: volcanic intrusions, quartz veins, and the faint scratch marks of old mining roads that went nowhere and gave up.
This is moderate-to-difficult terrain depending on recent flood damage — wash crossings can surprise you after a desert thunderstorm buries the road under a foot of gravel. A stock 4WD with high clearance gets you most of the way; a locker or two makes the technical sections in the upper canyon trivial. No permit required. Fuel up in Ridgecrest — there’s nothing between you and empty. Best run October through April to avoid triple-digit heat. Cell service dies before you leave the valley floor. Dispersed camping is allowed on BLM land outside the wilderness boundary.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Difficult |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | Backcountry, Technical 4x4 |
| Surface | Mixed, Rock, Sand |
| Features | Camping, Historic, Remote, Scenic |
| Length (miles) | 18 mi / 29 km |
| Duration | 1-2 days |
| Max elevation (ft) | 6200 ft |
| Best season | October-April |
| Minimum vehicle | 4WD high-clearance |
| Nearest town | Ridgecrest, CA |
| Land manager | BLM Ridgecrest Field Office |
| Permit required | No |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | Yes |
| Dispersed camping | Yes |
| Official sources | blm.gov |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
| Copy both for Google Maps directionsClick to copy the directions URL · or open it directly in a new tab | |
| Find on Google | Search on Google → |
Location
Trail Conditions
No recent condition reports. Be the first to post one.
Log in to post a condition report.
Frequently asked questions
Can a stock Tacoma or 4Runner handle this trail, or does it need a lift?
A stock high-clearance 4WD can get through, but it will be working hard. The rocky wash sections have embedded boulders and off-camber moves where even a few inches of extra clearance make a real difference — a mild lift helps. Skid plates are strongly advised.
When is this trail closed or impassable?
May through September, desert heat in the canyon makes this genuinely dangerous — temps routinely exceed 110°F with no shade and no escape. The BLM doesn't formally close it, but driving it in summer is a bad decision. Stick to October through April.
Do you need a permit to run this trail or camp overnight?
No permit required for the trail or dispersed camping as of now — it's BLM land managed out of the Ridgecrest Field Office. Standard BLM rules apply: pack out everything, 14-day stay limit, no campfires during fire restrictions.
What's the hardest section and what makes it technical?
The tightest rock work comes through the upper canyon approaches toward Jackass Spring, where the wash narrows and the surface turns to loose rubble and large angular igneous rock. Line selection matters and there's limited room to recover a mistake — one bad angle and you're high-centered with no easy winch point nearby.
Is there any water on the trail, and how far is the nearest gas from the trailhead?
There are water crossings in the canyon but treat any source as non-potable and bring all the water you need — plan for at least 1.5 gallons per person per day given the desert terrain. Ridgecrest is the last fuel stop, roughly 30–40 miles from the start, so top off before you head out.
Trail track
No GPX track for this trail yet. If you've driven it and have a track, contribute below.
Log in to contribute a GPX track.