Mosdell Trail

The Mosdell Trail is a scenic and challenging route through the Hog Canyon trail system, which connects to the network of trails accessed from the Crocodile Staging Area in Johnson Canyon. Much of it follows a ridge line at the top of Mosdell Hill, with panoramic views of the surrounding area. It also serves as the main access route to most of the trails in the Hog Canyon area.

The first part of the trail is sandy and easy, with connections to the Hog Point Loop and Pinnacles trails. It then descends a steep sandy hill into Tom's Canyon to a junction at the beginning of the extreme rated Tom's Canyon trail. Turn left to stay on the Mosdell Trail and follow it up a wash, then up a steep rocky hill to another junction with the Tom's Canyon trail. From here, the Mosdell Trail turns left again and passes over a cattle guard before beginning the difficult climb up Mosdell Hill, which involves a series of challenging rock ledge obstacles along a narrow ridge line. The trail levels out after reaching the top of the ridge, where it connects to the eastern end of the Pinnacles trail. Past this point, it is mostly easy as it follows the ridge to an intersection with Mansard Trail, which leads out to the Crocodile Staging Area or deeper into the trail network around Cutler Point.

There are no established campsites along this trail.