California · Rock climbing · Desert Hot Springs

Mindless Mound

Mindless Mound in California has 12 trad climbing routes across 10 difficulty grades.

Mindless MoundPhoto: _foam, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
12 routes
5.0 – 5.11a
Trad

Is Mindless Mound open right now?

Alert in the area

The National Park Service lists 3 alerts for Joshua Tree National Park.

  • Partial Trail Closure of West Side Loop

    Park alert covering Joshua Tree National Park · NPS · Joshua Tree National Park

  • Inaccurate Third-Party Apps

    Park alert covering Joshua Tree National Park · NPS · Joshua Tree National Park

  • Oasis of Mara Trail Partial Closure

    Park alert covering Joshua Tree National Park · NPS · Joshua Tree National Park

As of · Source: NPS · Joshua Tree National Park. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Mindless Mound

Best months: October–May. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

  1. Jan

    58° / 38°

    4 wet

  2. Feb

    61° / 39°

    3 wet

  3. Mar

    67° / 40°

    3 wet

  4. Apr

    73° / 46°

    2 wet

  5. May

    82° / 52°

    1 wet

  6. Jun

    91° / 59°

    0 wet

  7. Jul

    96° / 66°

    2 wet

  8. Aug

    96° / 68°

    2 wet

  9. Sep

    89° / 60°

    2 wet

  10. Oct

    80° / 50°

    1 wet

  11. Nov

    66° / 41°

    2 wet

  12. Dec

    58° / 34°

    4 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Yucca Valley, CA, 14 mi away at 3,249 ft. The station sits about 900 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Mindless Mound is a climbing area in Joshua Tree National Park in California, managed by the National Park Service. It sits among a cluster of other climbing and hiking spots, so it works well as a stop in a day of exploring the park's rock and trails. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Yucca Valley show April highs around 73°F and October highs around 80°F, while July and August average about 96°F. That station sits roughly 900 feet lower than the mound, so temperatures here run cooler. A fee is charged for park activities. The closest neighbors are Banana Cracks, Quail Springs Historic Trail and Roadside Rocks Bouldering, all about 0.1 mile away. For an overnight stay, Sheep Pass Group campground is about 3.9 miles off.

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