I decided to hike the Boo Hoff Trail in La Quinta, CA in late February.
Trailhead
The trail begins at The Cove trailhead, which is the jumping off point for a network of several other trails, such as the Cove to Lake Trail, and the Bear Creek Oasis, along with some unmarked ones. There is a free parking lot, restrooms, and a shade structure there.
The Flood Control Basin
From here, I set off in search of the Boo Hoff Trail, from the trailhead, which sits in front of a large flood control basin.
The Cove Trails
There are two options here for reaching Boo Hoff Trail. You can hike up a narrow single track to the left of the basin, which is not as well marked, or stay to the right, following the trail around the right side of the basin. This is the most popular option.
The trail is wide, flat, and sandy on the way to the flood control berm.
Over the Berm
About a mile or so up the trail, the trail will climb slightly up over the berm, and there will be signs for Boo Hoff Trail and Cove to Lake Trail.
At this crossroads I would begin hiking the Boo Hoff Trail.
Counterclockwise
Were you to stay to the left, you could hike the Boo Hoff in a counterclockwise manner, passing Lake Cahuilla on the way.
Boo Hoff Trail
For the traditional route up Boo Hoff, stay to the right, and look for the sign for Boo Hoff Trail, which is the trail located in the middle, of the Lake Cahuilla Trail, and another unnamed trail that follows the berm to the right.
A Sandy Wash
You will find yourself within a sandy wash with an abundance of creosote, and large cottonwood trees, the evergreens of the desert. A wash is not a place to be during heavy rains, since flash floods can occur, at a moments notice.
Follow the Signs
Continue following the signs for Boo Hoff, which will take you slightly to the right of the wash, and out of it briefly. The trail shortly afterward dives right back into the same wash.
Offshoot Trails
Once in the wash once more, you will see several offshoot trails on the left, which are not marked on any maps. These were created by mountain bikers. I actually took this photo with the blue shy on a different trip here. It’s beautiful here rain or shine.
Continue up the wash until you see the next sign for Boo Hoff.
The Boo Hoff Sign
You will eventually spot a beautiful handmade metal sign, where the trail begins its ascent up the ridge.
If you’re wondering, this sign was made with a plasma cutter, which melts metal. As an artist I have toyed around in metalworking, and these are fun.
A Dead End
Were you to continue further in the wash, you will reach a dead end, if you happen to miss this sign.
Phone Service
I still had phone service at this point. It’s best to have alltrails downloaded, to navigate from here as it can be confusing, with lots of offshoot trails heading up the ridge.
Snow in the Desert
There was a rare weather event on the day I visited here, and snow was blanketing the desert peaks. The wind was blowing, and there were intermittent showers forecast. I had rain gear, and warm clothing with me.
Wild Weather
I was either hot, or cold, during my ascent, as the temps fluctuated rapidly. The weather was a bit manic depressive today. The wind would cease, and I would feel a slight dry warmth from the desert to the east.
A Windy Day
Then the chilly wind would blow from the snowy peaks to the west, and it would drizzle. The wind would pick up again, and it would feel freezing. I guess this is part of the fun of hiking in the desert during wild weather.
The Climb
As I climbed higher, up a steep grade, I lost sight of the mountains.
Lost in Time
Eventually I passed the remains of an abandoned jeep, off to the right.
A Stone House?
Rumor has it, Boo Hoff built a stone house here somewhere near the trail, but I have not found any information on where it is.
Being Prepared
I kept feeling the need to put on layers, and take off layers, at one moment or the next. I brought a puffy jacket, and raincoat, to be ready for anything.
Chilly Desert Winds
It would get windy, so I would swap my hat for my buff, and vice versa. I did not want to lose my hat down any of these steep desert canyons.
These canyons are referred to as no mans land by the locals.
Desert Granite
The granite here is extremely brittle, and breaks off easily, so getting a foothold on the slopes here past a 20% grade, is not only challenging, it is dangerous, considering the trail drops off about 100 feet most of the time, into these canyons. So losing my hat, would be a total loss, more than likely,
Snow Capped Peaks
Snow dusted the highest reaches of Sheep mountain off in the distance. All the high mountain peaks were covered in snow, towards Mt San Jacinto. Joshua Tree National Park’s highest peaks, had a light dusting of snow.
Desert Wildflowers
Along the way up Boo Hoff, I spotted a few wildflowers in bloom.
Some were more common, in shades or yellow, or purple.
But I also noticed a rare Bush Poppy, and Ghose Flower, which I initially thought was a Mariposa Lily, since the flower looks similar.
The Terrain
It is a bit of a moonscape from afar. But up close you can see small desert plants barely hanging on.
Very little grows here, and what does is smaller in size.
Only the hardiest desert plants were along this ridge.
There are plenty of interesting rock formations, and dry waterfalls.
The trail is flecked along the way with sparkling quartz rock.
As you climb higher, the real prize is the view of the Coachella Valley as far as the Salton Sea.
No Shade
There were few places to stop and sit along the way, and no shade. Fortunately, with all the clouds in the sky, that was not a problem.
More Sun Please
I could have done with a bit more sun actually. On a sunny day in the desert, you will feel very hot on a hike like this one.
Entering the Wilderness
I finally reached a sign which alerts you that you are now officially entering the wilderness, a place where bicycles are not technically allowed. I’m not sure the reasoning for this last section of the trail being off limits to bicycles.
On to the Peak
The final stretch of climbing is a bit steep, but it was all worth it once I made it to the top.
A Late Start
With a late start around 1pm, there would be not enough daylight to finish the entire trail, but having hiked to the peak, it felt well worth it.
At the Peak
There were not many great places to sit up here at the peak, just a few smaller more jagged looking rocks. So after a moment or two decided it was time to head back to the car.
Back the Way I Came
I would backtrack down the same trail. Storm clouds made it even more dynamic here.
The desert is a beautiful place at sunset.
Want A Longer Hike?
If you are looking for a much longer hike, and you want to hike the Boo Hoff trail in its entirety down towards past Lake Cahuilla, and on back to the Cove, you might want to give yourself around 6-7 hours, depending on how fast your pace is. On this particular day I had less than four hours before sunset.
Sidewinders
At night a type of venomous snake, called the sidewinder can come out, and I did not want to get tangled up with any of them, since they can be very aggressive, traveling at speeds of 20 mph, so I have heard.
Who was Boo Hoff?
Boo Hoff was the leader of the Desert Riders Club, who rode the trails on horseback. He helped develop the local trails, such as the Old Guadalupe trail, into the trails seen here today. In 1979 this section of that trail would later be re-named after Boo Hoff. Guadalupe Trail is not marked, but apparently continues on toward Sheep Mountain in the distance.
Stats
I had hiked a total of 4 miles to the high point of Boo Hoff trail, for a total of 8 miles, and about 1850 feet of gain.
Cool Winter Temps
This is definitely a hike you would want to undertake on a day with milder temps. February was the perfect time to visit here.
The mix of storms, and clouds, along with snow, made the scenery so much more interesting and dynamic.
Until Next Time
I vowed to come back again someday, and hike the entire trail. The Cove trails and the desert will always be a special place to me. I never seem to tire of all the peace and tranquility here.
Boo Hoof trail on alltrails
Alternate Hikes at The Cove
When you come to a crossroads for Boo Hoff and Cove to Lake Trails after the large berm, if you were to hike off to the left, over small steep hill, you will pass a world class golf course, and eventually reach Lake Cahuilla. That hike is 7 miles round trip.
Alternatively you might follow Boo Hoff trail up the wash, but instead veer to right just before the metal sign for Boo Hoff, encircling an interesting small rocky hill, which I like to refer to as the Cove Oasis Loop, since it is an unnamed but still popular trail.
Along this trail, you get to experience a good sampling of what the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Wilderness has to offer. It’s popular with both hikers and mountain bikers. You will climb a bit as you ascend up the trail.
Once around the bend, to the right, after passing a Cholla garden, you begin your descent, passing through an interesting rock garden. Then you can walk towards the berm, the the Oasis, or veer right, back toward the Boo Hoff Trail, and head back to the trailhead the way you came.
The nearby Bear Creek Oasis Trail is not as long as the Boo Hoff but is far steeper. It passes by deep gorges, and the scenery on that trail, along with the terrain, is a little more varied than Boo Hoff, with several large boulders to sit and lounge on, enjoying the view.
About me
I’m Serafina! I’m a writer and California girl who loves to go exploring. Hope you will get outside today, breathe some fresh air, and be happy!
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