BEST HIKES IN JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK + MAP
EASY - MODERATE HIKES
Cholla Cactus Garden:
- Distance: 0.2 mile loop
- Elevation gain: 9 ft
- Difficulty: Easy
- Average time: 15 minutes
- Highlights: The dense concentration of teddybear cholla cacti (Cylindropuntia bigelovii). These cacti are known for their distinctive appearance, with densely packed spines that give them a soft, fuzzy appearance. Don’t touch it because it’s sharp! The Cholla Cactus Garden provides breathtaking views, especially during sunrise and sunset.
Keys View:
- Distance: 0.1 mile loop
- Elevation gain: 13 ft
- Difficulty: Easy
- Average time: 15 minutes
- Highlights: Keys View is a popular and spectacular viewpoint which offers stunning views of the Little San Bernardino Mountains, the Coachella Valley, the Salton Sea, and the San Andreas Fault especially during sunrise and sunset.
Hidden Valley:
- Distance: 1 mile loop
- Elevation gain: 118 ft
- Difficulty: Easy
- Average time: 30 minutes
- Highlights: The Hidden Valley Trail is well-known for both the aptly named “hidden valley” and its unusual rock formations. The trail winds through a stony terrain with sheer rock faces all around. Joshua trees, cacti, and other hardy plant species that have adapted to dry conditions can be found in the area surrounding Hidden Valley Trail. It’s possible to see wildlife, including birds and small mammals.
Barker Dam Trail:
- Distance: 1.3 mile loop
- Elevation gain: 59 ft
- Difficulty: Easy
- Average time: 30 minutes
- Highlights: Originally built by early cattle ranchers, Barker Dam (sometimes called Big Horn Dam) is a tiny reservoir that was later enhanced by homesteaders. The trail passes through a landscape of sizable boulders and rock formations on its way to the dam, offering chances for exploration and taking photographs. It displays the distinctive flora of Joshua Tree National Park, which includes creosote bushes, Joshua trees, and other desert flora. You can see wildlife, including birds, reptiles, and sometimes bighorn sheep. Barker Dam’s surrounding area is historically significant because cattle ranchers utilized it in the late 1800s. The area is home to Native American tribes’ pictographs and petrographic drawings, which enhance the area’s historical charm.
Skull Rock Trail:
- Distance: 1.7 mile loop
- Elevation gain: 147 ft
- Difficulty: Easy
- Average time: 15 mins to 1 hr
- Highlights: Skull Rock is a spectacular rock feature that is the main draw of the Skull Rock Trail. Because of the rock’s inherent skull-like appearance, visitors frequently love capturing pictures with it. Skull Rock Trail’s trailhead is situated in Joshua Tree National Park’s Jumbo Rocks section along Park Boulevard, the park’s major road. It is simple to find Skull Rock because it is visible from the road, which means you do not really have to hike the trail if your main purpose of stopping is just to visit or take pictures of the skull rock.
Arch Rock Trail:
- Distance: 1.2 mile out & back
- Elevation gain: 88 ft
- Difficulty: Easy
- Average time: 30 minutes
- Highlights: The trail’s primary highlight is Arch Rock, a naturally occurring rock arch. Visitors can reach this distinctive rock formation via the trail. It is particularly a magical spot for sunrise and sunset.
Cap Rock Nature Trail:
- Distance: 0.5 mile loop
- Elevation gain: 19 ft
- Difficulty: Easy
- Average time: 15-30 minutes
- Highlights: Cap Rock, a distinctive rock formation, is the trail’s primary highlight. A massive boulder known as “Cap Rock” is perched atop a rocky formation. It is a noteworthy feature in the park and offers some unique photo ops.
Hall of Horrors Trail:
- Distance: 0.6 mile loop
- Elevation gain: 26 ft
- Difficulty: Easy
- Average time: 30 minutes
- Highlights: Best place if you love rock scrambling and squeeze in between narrow slot!
MODERATE TO HARD HIKES
Mastodon Peak Loop Trail:
- Distance: 2.4 miles
- Elevation gain: 406ft
- Difficulty: Easy
- Average time: 1.5 hr. to 2 hrs.
- Highlights: Mastodon Peak is a rocky outcrop with unique geological formations. The trail provides views of the surrounding desert and allows visitors to explore the peak’s features.
Fortynine Palms Oasis Trail:
- Distance: 3.1 miles out & back
- Elevation gain: 636 ft
- Difficulty: Moderate to hard
- Average time: 1.5 hr. to 2 hrs.
- Highlights: The oasis, a remote location with fan palms and other flora, is the trail’s main draw. In contrast to the surrounding arid terrain, the oasis offers a unique sight.
HARD TO STRENUOUS HIKES
Ryan Mountain Trail:
- Distance: 3 miles out & back
- Elevation gain: 1,062 ft
- Difficulty: Hard to Strenuous
- Average time: 2 hours
- Highlights: The magnificent panoramic views from the peak of Ryan Mountain are among the hiking experience’s highlights. Visitors can enjoy views of the surrounding Joshua Tree environment from the elevated vantage point.
MAP OF BEST HIKES IN JOSHUA TREE
Using This Map: To access the layers (driving routes and places to go), click the tab located in the upper left corner of the map. To reveal or conceal layers, click the checkboxes. You may learn more about each point of interest on the map by clicking on the icons. This map will be added to your Google Maps account if you click the star next to the map’s title. Open Google Maps on your computer or phone, select “Your Places” from the menu, then click Maps. This map will appear on your list.