At 3,440', Mastodon Peak towers over the Cottonwood Spring area and portions of the Lost Palms Oasis Trail. The peak a monzogranite rock formation - was named by early miners for its supposed resemblance to a mastodon's head. This relatively short loop hike treats visitors to fantastic views and an educational window into the area's unique transitional ecology. Remnants of human activity spanning a millennium are also detailed throughout.

Mastodon Peak

Marigolds give color to the rocky outcrops adjacent to Mastodon Peak

Ocotillo lines the trail - within 48 hours of rain, Ocotillo will sprout leaves

Mastodon Peak (3,440') looms over the trail

The Salton Sea from the summit of Mastodon Peak

Looking up towards Mastodon Peak

Desert foliage lines the trail to Mastodon Peak

Chuckwallas are common to Joshua Tree and the Mojave Desert

Blooming Marigolds after a spring rain

Blooming Ocotillo is a brilliant display of deep red

A healthy Ocotillo plant - used by native peoples for weaponry, architecture and other important tools

Looking northeast from the top of Mastodon Peak

A lone Ocotillo plant - they can reach heights of over 20 feet

Pencil Cholla - identified by its thin pencil-shaped stalks

A jackrabbit peers up from over a bush near Mastodon Mine on the Mastodon Peak Trail