Quail Mountain is the highest point in Joshua Tree National Park — 5,816 feet at the summit of the Little San Bernardino Mountains. Ryan Mountain gets the crowds. Quail Mountain is for the people who want more: 13 miles, no official trail to the top, cross-country navigation to a wind-beaten cairn, and a panorama that takes in the Salton Sea, Palm Springs, and everything in between.

Mastodon Peak packs more variety into 2.6 miles than almost any other trail in Joshua Tree. You pass California fan palms growing around a desert spring, scramble to a summit with views to the Salton Sea, and walk through the ruins of a gold mine that operated until 1971. It's the best hike in the south end of the park — and most visitors never make it down there.

At just 3 miles round trip, Ryan Mountain is the most rewarding summit hike in Joshua Tree. The climb is steady and exposed, the views from the top are 360 degrees, and no other trail in the park puts you at the geographic center of it all. Here's everything you need to know before you go.