California - Mecca - Meccacopia - Grotto - Hidden Spring Loop
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 5.42 mi
- Elevation gain
- 853 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Moderate
- Elevation loss
- 1,545 ft
- Max elevation
- 1,076 ft
- TrailRank
- 35
- Min elevation
- 620 ft
- Trail type
- Loop
- Coordinates
- 1469
- Uploaded
- February 9, 2012
- Recorded
- February 2012
near Mortmar, California (United States)
Viewed 1858 times, downloaded 6 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
A hike along technicolor mountains, the grotto canyon forks and hidden palm spring / oasis.
From point park hike down the wash toward a small saddle (West).
The wash itself goes into the Grotto Canyon.
The Grotto wash itself is blocked on at least 3 places and is impossible to hike in all the way as of 2011 and 2012.
In 2012 someone placed a ladder on the South side, but even so it's impossible to make it to the other side without climbing skills.
On the saddle a trail leads to the left (South).
Follow the trail, but leave shortly there after to hike into the small canyon to the right.
The canyon wash leads to a drop, you can make it down to the left (on a hiking trail) or by going back and hike down on the right side (North) as we did.
This is a rocky canyon, that is boulder rich but fairly easy to hike in.
At the next fork turn left into a dead end canyon, with colorful hills.
Head back, explore some branches of the Grotto.
The entrance of the Hidden palm oasis is marked, but not too obvious otherwise.
Hike past the palms and hike up the canyon wall (as the canyon forks) a bit to the left.
A short scramble up the trail up the ridge.
Now it's an easy hike toward the North Grotto Canyon.
Find an easy way into the canyon.
The canyon is narrow, and a bit scary. A lot of large peaces are about to break off and as this is on the fault lines.....
If you are adventurous, you may make it past the 2 cave ins.
Head back toward the car.
Start the hike from the Meccacopia trail, park on a fork at mile 3.4.
You need a 4x4 to get here in about 20 minutes.
The pictures
From point park hike down the wash toward a small saddle (West).
The wash itself goes into the Grotto Canyon.
The Grotto wash itself is blocked on at least 3 places and is impossible to hike in all the way as of 2011 and 2012.
In 2012 someone placed a ladder on the South side, but even so it's impossible to make it to the other side without climbing skills.
On the saddle a trail leads to the left (South).
Follow the trail, but leave shortly there after to hike into the small canyon to the right.
The canyon wash leads to a drop, you can make it down to the left (on a hiking trail) or by going back and hike down on the right side (North) as we did.
This is a rocky canyon, that is boulder rich but fairly easy to hike in.
At the next fork turn left into a dead end canyon, with colorful hills.
Head back, explore some branches of the Grotto.
The entrance of the Hidden palm oasis is marked, but not too obvious otherwise.
Hike past the palms and hike up the canyon wall (as the canyon forks) a bit to the left.
A short scramble up the trail up the ridge.
Now it's an easy hike toward the North Grotto Canyon.
Find an easy way into the canyon.
The canyon is narrow, and a bit scary. A lot of large peaces are about to break off and as this is on the fault lines.....
If you are adventurous, you may make it past the 2 cave ins.
Head back toward the car.
Start the hike from the Meccacopia trail, park on a fork at mile 3.4.
You need a 4x4 to get here in about 20 minutes.
The pictures
Waypoints
Car park
Hiking
969 ft
Saddle
Saddle
Waypoint
661 ft
X Grotto
X Grotto
Waypoint
672 ft
Palms
Palms
Waypoint
922 ft
Xing 3
Xing 3
Waypoint
911 ft
Exit
Exit meccacopia
Alpine Climbing
795 ft
Drop
Drop
Hiking
874 ft
Down
Down
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