Trails in Joshua Tree National Park

The Fortynine Palms Oasis Trail is a difficult three mile out and back hike with 300 feet of elevation gain in each direction. Located on the northern edge of the park off Highway 62 on Canyon Road, this trail climbs over a ridge and into a desert canyon and oasis. Hikers are rewarded with scenic views, abundant plant life, and the potential to see wildlife.

This oasis is a sensitive biological area, please follow posted signs and do not enter the oasis as this is a crucial water supply for plant and wildlife.

This trail has no shade and no cell service. Always check the weather forecast before heading into the park and consider changing plans if the weather conditions are too extreme. Before hiking, tell a safety buddy where you are going and when you plan on leaving the park.

The Arch Rock Trailhead is in the Twin Tanks Parking Lot. The trail looks like a lollipop; the route heads in a straight line for .6-miles from the parking lot to the east, where it becomes a short loop. Hikers can take the loop in either direction, but hiking it counterclockwise is recommended because it is easier to spot the namesake arch from that direct. The loop is a short .2-miles and leads hikers back to the straightaway trail to the parking lot.

The arch is roughly .1-mile into the loop section and is a popular photography spot. The loop also has educational wayside signs along the trail describing the unique geology and characteristics in the area. The first part of the trail is mostly sandy, whereas the loop section is mostly rocky.

This trail has no shade and no cell service. Summer hikers should start this trail before 10 am and bring plenty of water. Always check the weather forecast before heading into the park and consider changing plans if the weather conditions are too extreme. Hikers should always tell a safety buddy where they are going and when they plan on leaving the park.

This short and flat, quarter-mile nature trail meanders through common vegetation found in the Colorado Desert. Along the trail are interpretive signs highlighting different plants and their adaptations and uses. The trail is located near the southern boundary of the park, south of the Cottonwood Visitor Center. It is much lower in elevation than most of the park and offers a unique showcase of plants highly adapted to extreme heat and little rain. Occasionally, after wet winters, this trail will offer vibrant displays of wildflowers in February and March.

The Barker Dam Trail is a relatively flat, 1.1-mile loop through the Mojave Desert. This trail will take you by monzogranite rock formations and boulders, Joshua trees, a wide range of plant life, the Barker Dam, and a rock art site. After periods of heavy rainfall, the Barker Dam reservoir will occasionally fill with water. Otherwise, the reservoir is typically dry most of the year.

Interpretive signs along the trail provide information about Barker Dam and the plants, animals, and people that call the desert home. The rock art site, a highlight of the trail, tells a story of the desert's human history. Do not climb on or otherwise disturb the rock art and the boulder the rock art lives on. Much of the rock art is not immediately visible and may exist on any portion of the rock, so please refrain from stepping on, climbing on, or touching any part of the rock formation. View the rock art from a respectable distance at the signage for the site.

Explore the Wonderland of Rocks on the Boy Scout Trail. The Boy Scout Trail is 8 miles, but many hikers complete shorter sections of the trail and turn around early. Hikes of any length can be a great way to experience the Wonderland of Rocks along the Boy Scout Trail. Start from the Keys West Wilderness Backpacking Board along Park Boulevard and enjoy a hike for as long as you would like.

This trail has little shade and unreliable cell service. Always check the weather forecast before heading into the park and consider changing plans if the weather conditions are too extreme. Before hiking, tell a safety buddy where you are going and when you plan on leaving the park.

This trail is an easy 0.4-mile (0.6-km) loop with minimal elevation change. It winds through Joshua trees, Mojave yuccas, and spectacular granite rock formations. Along the trail, there are benches to rest on and interpretive signs showing information about plants and wildlife.

There are picnic tables and a bathroom near the trailhead.

This trail has minimal shade and no cell service. Summer hikers should start this trail before 10 am and bring water. Always check the weather forecast before heading into the park and consider changing plans if the weather conditions are too extreme. Before hiking, tell a safety buddy where you are going and when you plan on leaving the park.

Cholla Cactus Garden is an easy quarter mile walk with minimal elevation gain along Pinto Basin Road. This walk meanders through a dense patch of teddy bear cholla on the edge of the Pinto Basin and provides views of the basin and surrounding mountains. Even though this is a short and easy hike, it is strongly recommended to wear closed shoes for protection from the cholla.

This trail has no shade and no cell service. Summer hikers should start this trail before 10 am and bring plenty of water. Always check the weather forecast before heading into the park and consider changing plans if the weather conditions are too extreme. Before hiking, tell a safety buddy where you are going and when you plan on leaving the park.

The Contact Mine Trail is an out-and-back hike to a historic mining site. It is 4-miles round trip with 700 feet of elevation gain. The trail begins in a sandy wash then ascends a rocky mountainside to the mine. The hike features expansive views of the surrounding mountains and a chance to view mining artifacts used a century ago. Do not handle or remove any historic artifacts from the site.

This trail is a great option if you are looking to get away from the crowds and enjoy more solitude. After abundant winter rains, this trail offers a vibrant springtime display of wildflowers.

Enjoy a short 0.1-mile stroll to a spring-fed oasis filled with cottonwood trees and California fan palms, the only native palm tree in the Western US. Joshua Tree is home to five fan palm oases. This is a great place to observe multiple species of birds and enjoy the shade of the palm trees.

Cottonwood Spring was an important water source for Native Americans, prospectors, and miners in the area. Just past the oasis is a bedrock mortar, a Native American milling site used to grind seeds, nuts and acorns. Look for the interpretive sign along the trail just past the wash. Cottonwood Spring was first mentioned in a gold mining claim filed in 1875. The remains of an arrastra, a primitive type of gold mill, can also be found near the spring. It is illegal to take any cultural artifacts from the national park.

Much of the oasis is closed off to visitors to help protect the fragile ecosystem and allow wildlife to have undisturbed access to this rare and vital water source. Please do not go beyond the established boundaries.

The trail can be continued past cottonwood spring to mastodon peak (3 miles roundtrip) and lost palms oasis (7.5 miles roundtrip).

The Indian Cove Trail is an easy .6 mile loop with 50 feet of elevation gain. The trailhead located at the west end of the Indian Cove Campground. Interpretive panels are located along the path with information on local plants and their traditional uses by Native Americans.

This trail has no shade and unreliable cell service. Always check the weather forecast before heading into the park and consider changing plans if the weather conditions are too extreme. Before hiking, tell a safety buddy where you are going and when you plan on leaving the park.

The Lost Horse Mine Trail is a 6.8-mile loop with 900 feet of total elevation gain. The trail showcases the rich mining history of Joshua Tree. Along the trail, you will see a stamp mill, mining equipment and artifacts, and the remnants of an old cabin. Please stay out of the fenced-off milling site and any closed-off mines. It is illegal to remove any historic artifacts from the area.

The hike can be shortened by walking to the stamp mill site then back down to the parking lot instead of completing the loop. This variation is 4 miles roundtrip with 550 feet of elevation gain.

The parking lot at the trailhead is small and fills quickly during busy weekends, holiday times, and spring break. Start early and have a backup hike ready. Do not park alongside the 1-mile dirt road leading to the trailhead.

This trail has limited shade and unreliable cell service. Summer hikers should start this trail before 8 am and bring plenty of water. Always check the weather forecast before heading into the park and consider changing plans if the weather conditions are too extreme. Hikers should always tell a safety buddy where they are going and when they plan on leaving the park.

The Lost Palms Oasis Trail is a difficult 7.5 mile out and back hike with 500 feet of elevation. Starting from Cottonwood Spring, most of this hike is on rolling hills through the desert before climbing down into the Lost Palms Canyon to reach the oasis. This last section of the trail to reach the oasis gets rocky and is a strenuous climb to get back out. Hikers that make it to the oasis are rewarded with a unique desert oasis full of fan palms and a high number of desert plants that can attract an array of wildlife.

This hike can be combined with Mastodon Peak for a longer hike.

Mastodon Peak is a moderate three mile loop with 375 feet of elevation gain. This hike starts from the Cottonwood Spring Oasis parking lot and starts on the Lost Palms Oasis Trail by Cottonwood Spring before splitting off to the left on the Mastodon Peak Loop. This hike provides great views of the southern portion of the park and includes an option scramble up to the top of the craggy granite peak.

This hike can be combined with the Lost Palms Oasis Trail for a longer hike.

This trail has no shade and no cell service. Always check the weather forecast before heading into the park and consider changing plans if the weather conditions are too extreme. Before hiking, tell a safety buddy where you are going and when you plan on leaving the park. Summer hikers should start this trail before 9 am and bring plenty of water.

Hidden Valley Trail is an easy one mile hike. The trail starts near the Hidden Valley Picnic Area and gains 100 feet of elevation as it makes a loop around Hidden Valley, which was rumored to have once been used by cattle rustlers. There are interpretive signs along the way providing information on the area and its plants and wildlife.

This trail has little shade and no cell service. Always check the weather forecast before heading into the park and consider changing plans if the weather conditions are too extreme. Before hiking, tell a safety buddy where you are going and when you plan on leaving the park.

The Minerva Hoyt Trail is an out-and-back hike to the Hidden Valley picnic area. It is 3 miles roundtrip with 100 feet of elevation gain. From the parking lot, the trail follows an old road before it takes a sharp right towards Hidden Valley. The hike goes through a valley of Joshua trees with excellent views of unique rock formations and mountains in the distance. It can be combined with the 1-mile Hidden Valley Nature Trail to create a 4-mile “lollipop” loop.

The trail is named after Minerva Hoyt, the founding force behind Joshua Tree National Park. She lobbied congress and President FDR to preserve the area. Her efforts helped the park become designated as a National Monument in 1936. It later became a National Park in 1994.

The Oasis of Mara is an easy half mile loop on a paved trail with minimal elevation gain. This trail begins at the Joshua Tree National Park Headquarters in Twentynine Palms and provides an easy opportunity to visit a desert oasis and the increased chance to see desert wildlife with the rare water source that the oasis provides. There are interpretive panels along the way to learn about the oasis.

Hike up a sandy wash, then follow the ridgeline of the Little San Bernardino Mountains. Enjoy scenic views, dense Joshua tree forest, and pinyon-juniper woodland. This trail is 6.6 miles and has over a 1,000 feet of elevation gain. Warren Peak can be reached from a spur-trail off of the Panorama Loop. Bring a good map when hiking in the Black Rock area because there are many trails that crisscross and intersect.

There are a few parking areas around the Black Rock Campground and Nature Center for hikers. Parking in the campground area can fill up on busy days. Hikers cannot park in a campsite unless they have reserved that campsite. To find the trailhead, hike south from the Black Rock Nature Center, in the uphill direction. At the end of the campground, find the trail sign for panorama loop and start up the washy trail.

This trail has limited shade and unreliable cell service. Always check the weather forecast before heading into the park and consider changing plans if the weather conditions are too extreme. Hikers should always tell a safety buddy where they are going and when they plan on leaving the park.

Hike up a sandy wash, then follow the ridgeline of the Little San Bernardino Mountains. Enjoy scenic views, dense Joshua tree forest, and pinyon-juniper woodland. This trail is 6.6 miles and has over a 1,000 feet of elevation gain. Warren Peak can be reached from a spur-trail off of the Panorama Loop. Bring a good map when hiking in the Black Rock area because there are many trails that crisscross and intersect.

There are a few parking areas around the Black Rock Campground and Nature Center for hikers. Parking in the campground area can fill up on busy days. Hikers cannot park in a campsite unless they have reserved that campsite. To find the trailhead, hike south from the Black Rock Nature Center, in the uphill direction. At the end of the campground, find the trail sign for panorama loop and start up the washy trail.

This trail has limited shade and unreliable cell service. Always check the weather forecast before heading into the park and consider changing plans if the weather conditions are too extreme. Hikers should always tell a safety buddy where they are going and when they plan on leaving the park.

The Pine City Trail is a moderate four mile out and back trail. This is a fairly flat trail that goes through a dense stand of pinyon pines and juniper trees before arriving at an old mining site. For safety do not try to enter the mining site. The trailhead is located at the end of the Desert Queen Mine Road.

Though named after the large populations of pinyon pines that grow in the area, the trail is an excellent place to view many desert plants. Classic Mojave Desert flora speckle the landscape including creosote, Mojave yucca, and a wide variety of cactus. The trail also passes by some small rock formations that can be fun to scramble over and explore for all ages.

This trail has no shade and no cell service. Always check the weather forecast before heading into the park and consider changing plans if the weather conditions are too extreme. Before hiking, tell a safety buddy where you are going and when you plan on leaving the park.

Ryan Mountain is a difficult three mile out and back hike with 1,050 feet of elevation in the central part of Joshua Tree National Park. The first section of the trail is relatively flat, but quickly gains in elevation up the mountain. This is one of the most popular hikes as it provides sweeping panoramic views of the park.

The trailhead for Ryan Mountain is located along Park Boulevard between Ryan Campground and Sheep Pass Campground. There is a secondary trailhead for campers at Sheep Pass Campground, but there is no parking available at Sheep Pass for non-campers.

Hike through the large, granite boulder fields around the Jumbo Rocks area, including the namesake rock near Park Boulevard that closely resembles a skull. The trail meanders through boulders, washes, and the Jumbo Rocks Campground. This is an excellent trail for anyone who wants to get up close to the rough granitic rock formations that Jumbo Rocks Campground was named after.

Hikers can pick up the trail in a few areas, but the most common trailhead is the one at the Skull Rock Parking Area. The loop can be hiked in either direction, but we'll describe the trail in the clockwise direction starting from the Skull Rock Parking Area. The first highlight, only about 70 feet from the road, is the namesake Skull Rock. This large boulder has a few cavities that resemble the eye and nose sockets of a skull and is hard to miss. Next, the trail moves past the southwest (right) side of Skull Rock and turns towards the right, eventually meeting up with a road in Jumbo Rocks Campground. Hikers should turn right onto this campground road and head toward the campground entrance, where the trail intersects with Park Boulevard. The trail crosses Park Boulevard, meandering back into the desert landscape, and eventually turns back towards the east (left), heading back to the parking area. The trail is mostly sandy and occasionally crosses a hard rock surface.

The Discovery Trail connects The Skull Rock Trail with the Split Rock Loop for approximately 5-6 miles of hiking for those who enjoy longer hikes.

This trail has no cell service and almost no shade. Summer hikers should start this trail before 10 am and bring plenty of water. Always check the weather forecast before heading into the park and consider changing plans if the weather conditions are too extreme. Hikers should always tell a safety buddy where they are going and when they plan on leaving the park.

Split Rock is a 2.5 mile loop trail with 150 feet of elevation gain. The trail moves through washes, over rocks, and past large boulders. The rock formations highlight the park's geologic forces and can be fun for hikers of all ages.

Hikers looking for a longer trail experience can take the Face Rock Spur Trail to the Discovery Trail and all the way to the Skull Rock Trail. Linking up the Split Rock, Discovery, and Skull Rock Trails creates an approximately 5-6 mile hike. Hikers should only link trails if they have a map and good navigation skills.

This trail has no shade and no cell service. Summer hikers should start this trail before 9 am and bring plenty of water. Always check the weather forecast before heading into the park and consider changing plans if the weather conditions are too extreme. Hikers should always tell a safety buddy where they are going and when they plan on leaving the park.

Wall Street Mill is a moderate two mile out and back hike to an old mill site. This mill was used to process gold from local mining operations. At the end of the trail the homestead and mill still stands and there are several old rusted cars around the area. Please leave all artifacts for future visitors to enjoy as well.

The trailhead starts just east of the Barker Dam area from a dirt parking lot off of Queen Valley Road.

This trail has little shade and no cell service. Always check the weather forecast before heading into the park and consider changing plans if the weather conditions are too extreme. Before hiking, tell a safety buddy where you are going and when you plan on leaving the park.

The Hi-View Trail is a 1.3-mile loop hike in the Black Rock area. The hike ascends 400 feet of elevation gain and reaches a high point with sweeping views of the surrounding mountains. Along the trail, you will see large Joshua trees, pinyon pine, and juniper trees. This area of the park tends to be slightly cooler and less busy than other areas of the park.

To access the trailhead, take the road west from the campground entrance (past the horse camp and water tank) to the parking area/trailhead at the end of the road. On busy days when parking is limited, visitors may use the horse camp area as overflow parking. Hikers cannot park in a campsite unless they have reserved that campsite.

Alternatively, hikers can add more mileage to their trek by starting from the parking lot between Black Rock campground sites 20 and 21. This would turn the hike into a “lollipop” loop and be a total of 3 miles.

Bring a good map when hiking in the Black Rock area because many trails crisscross and intersect.

This trail has limited shade and unreliable cell service. Summer hikers should start this trail before 8 am and bring plenty of water. Always check the weather forecast before heading into the park and consider changing plans if the weather conditions are too extreme. Hikers should always tell a safety buddy where they are going and when they plan on leaving the park.

The West Side Loop Trail is a moderate, 4.7-mile loop hike in the Black Rock area of Joshua Tree. The trail meanders through stands of large Joshua trees and pinyon-juniper woodland and ascends 785 feet of vertical gain. The hike offers stunning views of San Gorgonio, the tallest peak in Southern California. This area of the park tends to be slightly cooler and less busy than other areas of the park.

There are multiple places to park and start/finish this trail. The most common are the Black Rock Nature Center and the trailhead for the Hi-View Nature Trail. The Black Rock Nature Center is located in the center of the Black Rock Campground. Park at the nature center and walk west to where the trail begins from the parking area between campsites 20 and 21. To access the Hi-View Nature Trailhead, take the road west from the campground entrance (past the horse camp and water tank) to the parking area/trailhead at the end of the road. On busy days when parking is limited, visitors may use the horse camp area as overflow parking. Hikers cannot park in a campsite unless they have reserved that campsite.

Bring a good map when hiking in the Black Rock area because many trails crisscross and intersect. This trail has limited shade and unreliable cell service. Summer hikers should start this trail before 8 am and bring plenty of water. Always check the weather forecast before heading into the park and consider changing plans if the weather conditions are too extreme. Hikers should always tell a safety buddy where they are going and when they plan on leaving the park.

The Willow Hole Trail is an out-and-back hike that ventures into the Wonderland of Rocks. It is 7 miles roundtrip and has 246 feet of elevation gain. The hike begins at the Boy Scout Trailhead and initially follows the same path as the Boy Scout Trail. After 1.2 miles, the trail splits off to the right (northeast) and heads 2.3 miles to Willow Hole. Look for cottonwood and willow trees in this area. Occasionally, Willow Hole will have a small pool of water during and after periods of rainfall. If you spot wildlife at the water souce please observe from a distance and do not approach.

The first part of the trail to Willow Hole features expansive views of the desert and distant mountains. The second part of the trail follows washes into the Wonderland of Rocks, a labyrinth of cliffs, canyons, domes, and unique rock formations. During this section, pay close attention to following the trail signs and correct wash.

Overnight camping is not allowed at Willow Hole or in the Wonderland of Rocks area as they are an important and sensitive wildlife and vegetation area. Backpacking is permitted on the west side of the Boy Scout Trail.