Cathedral Rock Trail No. 170

More of a rock climb than a hike, this trail is unshaded and steep and difficult in places—but the scenery bang for the buck is awesome! Follow the basket cairns across the wash and up the moderate slope toward the spires. At 0.25 mile, the trail emerges on a broad ledge with nice views. Then, it ascends steeply over bald rock and in a shallow cleft with a few toeholds notched into the rock to help on the steeper places.

Emerging on a small knob, cairns show the way up and across several ledges toward the deep drainage ahead which it follows, climbing moderately steeply to the top of a wide saddle between two spires. Great views all along, but quite spectacular from the top. An unmaintained path leads south along the west base of the spires giving access, with short climbs, to two more saddles between sheer rock faces and a close-up view of an exposed lava dike at the first. Return by the same route for a 1.5-mile hike. Hot in the summer, so plan accordingly.