Hikes and walks (25)
| Hike | What it is | Time, season, pets |
|---|---|---|
| Hike Cholla Cactus Garden | An easy quarter mile hike through a cholla patch along Pinto Basin Road. | 15 to 30 Minutes · All year · No pets |
| Hike Skull Rock | A relatively flat, 1.7-mile loop trail. Hike through the large, granite boulder fields around the Jumbo Rocks area, including one near Park Boulevard that closely resembles a Skull. | 1 to 2 Hours · Winter, Spring, Fall · No pets |
| Hike Boy Scout Trail | Explore the Wonderland of Rocks on the Boy Scout Trail. | 1 to 10 Hours · All year · No pets |
| Hike Fortynine Palms Oasis | A difficult three mile hike to a desert oasis. | 2 to 3 Hours · Winter, Spring, Fall · No pets |
| Hike Barker Dam Trail | Enjoy an easy 1.1 mile hike on the Barker Dam Nature Trail. | 30 to 60 Minutes · All year · No pets |
| Hike Indian Cove Trail | An easy .6 mile loop in Indian Cove. | 30 to 45 Minutes · All year · No pets |
| Hike Hidden Valley Trail | Enjoy an easy one mile hike on Hidden Valley Trail. | 30 to 60 Minutes · All year · No pets |
| Hike Hi-View Trail | A moderate 1.3-mile loop hike. | 1 to 2 Hours · Winter, Spring, Fall · No pets |
| Hike Bajada Trail | Enjoy this short, easy trail through the Colorado desert. | 15 to 30 Minutes · Winter, Spring, Fall · No pets |
| Hike Oasis of Mara | An easy half mile walk to a desert oasis. | 30 to 45 Minutes · All year · Pets OK |
| Hike Panorama Loop Trail | 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. | 3 to 5 Hours · Winter, Spring, Fall · No pets |
| Hike Minerva Hoyt Trail | Information on the Minerva Hoyt trail. | 1 to 2 Hours · Winter, Spring, Fall · No pets |
| Hike Willow Hole | Enjoy a scenic hike into the Wonderland of Rocks. | 3 to 5 Hours · Winter, Spring, Fall · No pets |
| Hike Contact Mine | Enjoy a secluded hike to a historic mining site. | 2 to 3 Hours · Winter, Spring, Fall · No pets |
| Hike Lost Horse Mine | Lost Horse Mine Trail | 2 to 4 Hours · Winter, Spring, Fall · No pets |
| Hike West Side Loop | Enjoy a moderate loop hike in the Black Rock area | 2 to 3 Hours · Winter, Spring, Fall · No pets |
| Hike Cottonwood Spring | A short, easy 0.1 mile walk to an oasis. | 5 to 20 Minutes · All year · No pets |
| Hike Cap Rock | An easy .4-mile loop hike | 15 to 45 Minutes · All year · No pets |
| Hike Arch Rock | Hike the Arch Rock Trail, a lollipop trail through sandy and rocky terrain. A .6-mile trail leads to a .2-mile loop. The arch is located halfway along the loop. The full hike is 1.4 miles. | 45 to 90 Minutes · Winter, Spring, Fall · No pets |
| Hike Wall Street Mill | A moderate two mile out and back hike to an old mill site. | 45 to 120 Minutes · Winter, Spring, Fall · No pets |
| Hike Pine City Trail | A moderate four mile out and back hike. | 2 to 3 Hours · Winter, Spring, Fall · No pets |
| Hike Mastodon Peak | A moderate three mile loop with 375 feet of elevation gain. | 2 to 3 Hours · Winter, Spring, Fall · No pets |
| Hike Split Rock | Split Rock is a 2.5 mile loop trail with 150 feet of elevation gain and beautiful desert views. | 90 to 150 Minutes · Winter, Spring, Fall · No pets |
| Hike Ryan Mountain | A popular, steep, three mile out and back hike with wide panoramic views. | 2 to 3 Hours · Winter, Spring, Fall · No pets |
| Hike Lost Palms Oasis | A difficult 7.5 mile hike to an oasis. | 4 to 6 Hours · Winter, Spring, Fall · No pets |
Other things to do (23)
| Activity | What it is | Time, season, pets |
|---|---|---|
| Stargazing at Joshua Tree | Enjoy Joshua Tree National Park's amazing night sky. | All year · No pets |
| Attend a Ranger Stroll | Join a ranger on an educational stroll. | 30 to 45 Minutes · No pets |
| Birding at Joshua Tree | Joshua Tree National Park offers a wide range of birds for birders to discover. | All year · No pets |
| Drive Park Boulevard | A scenic drive through Joshua Tree National Park. | 1 to 10 Hours · All year · Pets with limits |
| Attend an Evening Ranger Program | Attend an evening program at Joshua Tree National Park. | 45 Minutes · Pets with limits |
| Visit the Universal Threads Exhibit | Visit the Universal Threads Exhibit and learn about the intertwining relationships between plants, animals, earth, sky, and human life. | 15 to 60 Minutes · All year · No pets |
| Horseback Riding in Joshua Tree National Park | Horseback riding designated trails in Joshua Tree National Park. | 1 to 10 Hours · Winter, Spring, Fall · No pets |
| Boy Scout Trail Zone Backpacking | Experience Joshua Tree National Park's wilderness by backpacking along the Boy Scout Trail. | 2 to 15 Days · All year · No pets · Reservation needed · Fee |
| Biking in Joshua Tree National Park | Biking in Joshua Tree National Park | 1 to 10 Hours · Winter, Spring, Fall · Pets OK |
| Pine City Zone Backpacking | Backpack through the Joshua Tree wilderness in the Pine City Zone. | 2 to 15 Days · All year · No pets · Reservation needed · Fee |
| Maze Zone Backpacking | Backpack the Joshua Tree wilderness in the Maze Zone. | 2 to 15 Days · All year · No pets · Reservation needed · Fee |
| Juniper Flats Zone Backpacking | Backpack in the Juniper Flats Zone | 2 to 15 Days · All year · No pets · Reservation needed · Fee |
| Black Rock Zone Backpacking | Backpack in the Black Rock Zone at Joshua Tree National Park. The Black Rock Zone features a wide variety of hiking trails through mountains, washes, ravines, and valleys. | 2 to 15 Days · All year · No pets · Reservation needed · Fee |
| Eagle Mountains Zone Backpacking | Backpack through the Joshua Tree Wilderness in the Eagle Mountains Zone. | 2 to 15 Days · All year · No pets · Reservation needed · Fee |
| Drive 4x4 Roads | Joshua Tree offers many miles of backcountry dirt roads for four-wheel drive vehicles to explore. | 1 to 10 Hours · All year · Pets OK |
| Attend a Keys Ranch Tour | Take a tour of Keys Ranch with a park ranger. | 90 to 120 Minutes · Winter, Spring, Fall · No pets · Reservation needed · Fee |
| Visit the Black Rock Art Gallery | Visit the Black Rock Art Gallery | 15 to 45 Minutes · All year · No pets |
| Photographing Joshua Tree | Photography at Joshua Tree National Park. | All year · No pets |
| Bouldering Near Barker Dam | Barker Dam offers a wide range of popular bouldering problems. | Winter, Spring, Fall · No pets |
| Rock Climbing in Indian Cove | Indian Cove offers a wide range of popular technical rock climbing routes. | Winter, Spring, Fall · No pets |
| Rock Climbing at Echo T | Echo T offers a wide range of popular technical rock climbing routes. | Winter, Spring, Fall · No pets |
| Rock Climbing at Hidden Valley Nature Trail | Hidden Valley offers a wide range of popular technical rock climbing routes. | Winter, Spring, Fall · No pets |
| Become a Joshua Tree Junior Ranger | Become a Junior Ranger at Joshua Tree National Park. | 30 to 120 Minutes · All year · No pets |
Before you set out
Trail conditions change with snow, fire and storms. Check the park’s current alerts, carry the ten essentials and read know before you go.
Sources
- National Park Service: things to do in Joshua Tree National Park (Data API, public domain)
Last checked 1 November 2026.