California's Most Colorful Desert Canyon Hike Is An Awe-Inspiring Iconic Natural Landmark

To the south of one of the world's best sunset viewing spots in Joshua Tree National Park, there's a wilderness area of 26,242 acres known as the Mecca Hills Wilderness. This wilderness is home to a labyrinth of steep canyons formed by flash floods and telluric movements along the San Andreas Fault. This geological wonder within the Mecca Hills is known as Painted Canyon, and it's easily one of the best hikes in California.

Painted Canyon is considered a natural landmark for many reasons. One is its unique beauty, with the slot canyon's rocky walls seeming as if they had been hand-painted in different colors. Secondly, the canyon is of great cultural and spiritual significance to the local indigenous peoples, and last but not least, Painted Canyon is home to a variety of animal and plant life like smoke trees, painted bats, bighorn sheep, and desert tortoises. The canyon is also a favorite of scientists hoping to understand more about earthquakes' effects on Earth's crust.

All of those reasons likely led to President Joe Biden designating 624,000 acres of land in Southern California as Chuckwalla National Monument, named after a desert reptile. The land includes Painted Canyon. The land was designated on January 7, 2025. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland told SFGATE that while hiking through the unique and colorful palette of this geological wonder, she was inspired to recommend the land to Biden for designation and protection. Travel to Painted Canyon —and maybe take the Ladder Canyon Trail — to see for yourself why the land spoke to Haaland.

The Ladder Canyon Trail is one of the best hikes in Southern California. This trail takes you through a maze of colored rocky outcrops, canyon slots, and steep cliffs that you need to climb in order to complete the hike. Don't worry, there are plenty of metal ladders that will help you during your climbing (both up and down) throughout the canyon.

Ladder Canyon Trail begins about 4.5 miles down Painted Canyon Road, which is unpaved. You can walk to the end of the road to get to the trailhead, but you can also drive if you have a Jeep or another vehicle suited to cross sandy and loose ground. Although most of the sand is solid enough, there are some parts where you can get stuck. Just something to keep in mind if you're driving to the trail. Once at the parking lot, the Ladder Canyon Trail loop hike is located just a few steps away.

This hike should not be done during warm or hot days, as most of the trail is exposed to harsh sunlight. Make sure you bring plenty of water and have all the proper gear for a desert hike. Your pace throughout the hike should also be slow, as the climbing up and down the ladders can be humbling even for experienced hikers. The ladders (all secured and well kept) are located at the exact point where it's easier to climb the canyon walls. The overall hike can be intimidating, but spectacular views of the canyon will be waiting for you at the top. 

The hike through Painted Canyon and Ladder Trail is generally considered moderate difficulty by many hiking guides and guidebooks, including the blog HikingGuy. Fortunately, there are landmarks along the way — like giant rock arrows on the ground — to prevent exhausted hikers from getting lost. The whole hike is a 5-mile loop — as long as you don't miss the rock arrows that tell you where to turn, that is. At the top, you'll get a great view of the Mecca Hills and Mount San Jacinto, and then you'll start the hike back down the canyon.

The top trail also has several rock arrows on the ground pointing to the right route. You should avoid taking any detours as well as getting too close to the cliffs to avoid any accidents. You can stop at several viewpoints and overlooks along the way, but be mindful of the arrows pointing the way back down the loop. Soon you'll start descending through the trail, and before you know it, you'll once again be surrounded by the colored canyon walls. 

Then, the ladders will make a last appearance, helping you climb down the cliffs once again. After descending down a few ladders, you'll start to notice the familiar scenery at the beginning of the trail, just a few steps away from the parking area. For another California canyon hike, consider heading to Stoddard Canyon Falls near Mt. Baldy.