Joshua Tree National Park offers a variety of stops and hikes, each showcasing the park's unique natural beauty.
Whether you enjoy hiking through the desert, exploring fascinating rock formations, identifying desert life, or just soaking in the view, Joshua Tree’s got you covered.
So, what should you do when you visit Joshua Tree?
Explore the Desert on a Hike
1. Explore Bajada Nature Trail's Unique Flora
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- Distance: 0.3 miles
- Time: 15 minutes
- Route: Loop
Not even a half-mile round trip, this small nature trail is very easy and flat.
People interested in identifying desert plants or some passing birds will find this a quaint, and quiet trail.
2. Discover Rock Formations in Hidden Valley
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- Distance: 1 mile
- Time: 30 minutes
- Route: Loop
A popular and relatively easy one-mile loop trail surrounded by towering rock formations.
It was once used by cattle rustlers to hide stolen livestock. Today, it’s a wonderland of rocks and desert plants.
3. Hike Barker Dam for a scenic desert oasis
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- Distance: 1.3 miles
- Time: 45 minutes
- Route: Loop
A personal favorite! This easy scenic trail leads to Barker Dam, an old water storage facility.
The trail offers views of the surrounding landscape and often features wildlife.
You’ll also find a small petroglyph site.
4. Explore Wall Street Mill's historic gold mine
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- Distance: 2 miles
- Time: 1 hour
- Route: Out & Back
Only two miles long and considered generally easy, the Wall Street Mill trail takes you to a piece of the park’s old mining history.
You can combine this trail with the Barker Dam Trail.
5. Summit Ryan Mountain for panoramic views
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- Distance: 3 miles
- Time: 2 hours
- Route: Out & Back
A strenuous, 3-mile round trip hike to the summit of Ryan Mountain, providing panoramic views of the park. It's challenging, but popular!
Be prepared for 1,000 feet of elevation gain. It's especially beautiful during sunrise or sunset.
6. Hike Split Rock Loop for iconic landscapes
- Distance: 2.5 miles
- Time: 2 hours
- Route: Loop
This 2.5-mile round-trip hike takes you through rock gardens to an unusual cliff with a crack down the middle. Half the fun is exploring the rocks on the way!
7. Trek to Lost Palms Oasis for a desert oasis
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- Distance: 7.5 miles
- Time: 4 hours
- Route: Out & back
At 7.5 miles round trip, this one’s a long one. But, the destination is a beautiful oasis, and the evocative desert scenery on the way is also worth the trek. This one's a bit more challenging, with some elevation gain.
8. Uncover the history of the Lost Horse Mine trail
- Distance: 4 miles
- Time: 3 hours
- Route: Out & back
A moderate, 4-mile round trip hike to the well-preserved ruins of the Lost Horse Mine, with panoramic views of the surrounding desert.
Climb Unique Rock Formations
9. Wander around Cap Rock's surreal landscape
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- Distance: .4 miles
- Time: 15 minutes
- Route: Loop
An easy stop featuring the namesake cap rock and a short nature trail. It's a good place to explore the unique rock formations.
10. Capture Arch Rock's natural beauty
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- Distance: 1.2 miles
- Time: 30 minutes
- Route: Out & back
Another personal favorite, with lots of enticing rocks to climb and explore. This is a short hike to see Arch Rock, a natural arch formed by erosion. The trailhead is located in the White Tank Campground area.
11. Photograph the iconic Skull Rock
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- Distance: 1.7 miles
- Time: 45 minutes
- Route: Loop
An iconic rock formation shaped like a skull. It's easily accessible from the main road and makes for a quick and interesting stop. There are a small number of parking spots directly next to Skull Rock.
12. Scale rocks at Intersection Rock
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No hike required! Located next to a busy intersection in the park, Intersection Rock is a 150-ft tall hunk of rock that’s easy on the eyes and a fun challenge for rock climbers.
13. Explore the Hall of Horrors' unique formations
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- Distance: 0.6 miles
- Time: 30 minutes
- Route: Loop
This small slot canyon is a popular rock climbing spot. But you don’t have to climb anything to enjoy the unusual rock formations.
Enjoy the Iconic Plant Life
14. Stroll through the enchanting Cholla Cactus Garden
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A unique area with a dense concentration of cholla cacti. It's a short, easy walk with stunning views, especially during sunrise and sunset.
15. Explore the Ocotillo Patch in bloom
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There’s no hiking required to enjoy this patch of whimsical Ocotillo plants, a large shrub with spiny stems.
Just pull off on the side of the road and enjoy the view.
16. Hike the Oasis of Mara Nature Trail for desert tranquility
Image from Jacob Stills
If while hiking throughout Joshua Tree, you frequently find yourself asking the question “What is that plant?”, then make some time for the half-mile-long Oasis of Mara Nature Trail.
Along the paved walkway, you’ll find signs identifying the desert flora.
Check Out Some Visitor Centers
17. Visit the informative Cottonwood Visitor Center
Image from Jacob Stills
Cottonwood Visitor Center is small, but a handy place to use the restroom and to pay for your park pass before going further into the park.
18. Immerse yourself in the culture at the Joshua Tree Cultural Center
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Joshua Tree’s biggest visitor center includes displays of local indigenous culture and wildlife. You can also browse the bookstore.
19. Gather information at the Joshua Tree Visitor Center
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Stop to use the restroom or grab a quick bite to eat, and check out the exhibits while you're in there.
Enjoy the View
20. Experience breathtaking vistas from Keys View
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Drive or hike to Keys View for breathtaking panoramic views of the Coachella Valley, Salton Sea, and the San Andreas Fault.
This is a fantastic spot to end the day with a bang.
Final Thoughts
There’s enough to do in Joshua Tree National Park to last a few days.
As always, check trail conditions, weather, and any park alerts before heading out, and be prepared with plenty of water, no matter what time of year.
But with some planning ahead, you might find Joshua Tree one of the most rewarding national parks.
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We hope that we’ve given you all the information you need to make the most of your day. Your vacation is extremely important to us so if you have any questions feel free to reach out at aloha@shakaguide.com.
For more detailed information to help you plan, check out our Joshua Tree National Park Itinerary and Know Before You Go article.
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Matt Caracciolo is a travel writer based in Ohio and author of the Shaka Guide tour for Yosemite. Born and raised in Columbus, Matt fell into travel writing while teaching English abroad in South Korea.
He has written two travel books, including the Moon Ohio guidebook, and enjoys writing and editing tours for Shaka Guide. Matt follows Mark Twain’s belief that “travel is fatal,” embracing travel as a way to learn more about the world and ourselves.