Inspiration Peak and Point 5558 - 12.9.2025
We parked at the Keys View Lookout in Joshua Tree National Park... turning off of Park Blvd onto the Keys View Road and driving to the end of the road... we are a stone's throw from where we parked and hiking north.
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Continuing to hike north... and the trail will eventually take us up to Point 5558 up there on the horizon.
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Gaining elevation and looking back down to the Keys View area in the foreground. We are in the Little San Bernardino Mountains with the Salton Sea on the horizon... with a section of the Santa Rosa Mountains on the far right horizon.
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Heading for Point 5558 on the right horizon... and looking west across the Coachella Valley to the San Jacinto Mountains on the left horizon.
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Looking NE across Lost Horse Valley to Ryan Mountain and Queen Mountain on the right-center horizon... with the Wonderland of Rocks in the left foreground.
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Getting ready to give up a little elevation before heading up to Point 5558... with part of the San Jacinto Mountains on the far-left horizon.
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We have arrived at Point 5558 and have a better view of the Salton Sea on the horizon in the middle of the photo.
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Stalker took this photo of Denali Girl and me on the summit of Point 5558... and Denali Girl is trying to convince me that we should continue hiking on over to Inspiration Peak.
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From Point 5558 we are looking across Coachella Valley at the San Jacinto Mountains on the far left... with the snow capped San Gorgonio Mountain on the right horizon. The city of Palm Springs is located directly below the 10,834 foot summit of San Jacinto Peak on the left horizon.
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Leaving Point 5558 and hiking NW toward Inspiration Peak out there in the middle of the photo. It looks like kind of a level hike to get over there... but it isn't level. photoman, Denali Girl and Stalker are alreay heading for Inspiration Peak.
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Getting ready to give up a little elevation before we can get up to Inspiration Peak.
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Getting ready to head up to Inspiration Peak on the left... with a government owned 'Fire Hose' metal structure in the distance on the right.
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photoman took this photo of a bloom on a joshua tree... we haven't seen many blooms since arriving here in late October because the blooming season for joshua trees runs from late winter to early spring... this bloom is definitely a pioneer!
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After hiking one mile Denali Girl is sitting on the summit of Inspiration Peak... with the San Jacinto Mountains on the horizon.
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This mountain bench mark was put here in 1939.
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We built this cairn to honor the recent death of one of our uncle-in-laws... knowing that he will rest in peace!
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Tracing our steps back to Point 5558... with more of the Little San Bernardino Mountains on the left... and looking down Coachella Valley on the right down to the Salton Sea... with part of the Santa Rosa Mountains on the far-right horizon.
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Getting closer to Point 5558.
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We have passed Point 5558 and will have to gain a little elevation before heading back down to our car.
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Heading back down to the Keys View parking area... the total hike was 2 miles, gaining 750 feet of elevation.
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