The Best Hikes in Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park is the reason most people come to the high desert, and from Stargaze Escape the west entrance in the town of Joshua Tree is about 25 minutes away. The park is huge and the trails run from ten-minute leg-stretches to half-day climbs. Here are the ones worth your time, shortest to longest, and how to hike them without cooking.

Start early, carry water

The single rule that matters: go at dawn. Mornings are cool, the light is soft on the rock, and the popular trailheads still have parking. Bring far more water than feels reasonable — a gallon per person on a warm day is not overkill — plus a hat, sunscreen and real shoes. There's no water and little shade once you're out on the trail, and cell service inside the park runs from patchy to none. One more thing: dogs aren't allowed on park trails, so the hikes are a humans-only affair and the dog stays back at the house.

Quick stops and easy loops

• Hidden Valley — a 1-mile loop through a bowl of giant boulders once used to hide stolen cattle. The classic first hike, and good for kids.
• Barker Dam — an easy 1.3-mile loop past a small historic cattle dam (it holds water after rain and dries to a flat in high summer), with a short spur to Native American petroglyphs.
• Cap Rock and Skull Rock — five-minute nature-trail loops right off the road; both good for a stretch and a photo.
• Keys View — not a hike but a short paved walk to a 5,000-foot overlook of the Coachella Valley and the San Andreas Fault. Best before the midday haze rolls in.

The half-day climbs

• Ryan Mountain — the big-payoff hike: about 3 miles round trip with roughly 1,050 feet of climbing to a summit with a view of the whole park. It's uphill the entire way, so start it early.
• 49 Palms Oasis — about 3 miles round trip over a ridge to a real fan-palm oasis tucked in the rock. The park lists about 300 feet of climbing each way; the trailhead is on the park's north edge, a little closer to Twentynine Palms. The trail is closed every year from June 1 through September 30, so check the park's alerts before you go.
• Lost Horse Mine — about 4 miles round trip to one of the best-preserved gold-stamp mills in the park, or roughly a 6.5-mile loop if you keep going. History and views in one walk.

Which entrance

Three gates lead in. The West Entrance at the town of Joshua Tree is closest to us and to the headline sights, but it's also the busiest — arrive before 8am on weekends or expect a line. The North Entrance at Twentynine Palms is a good alternative and handy for 49 Palms Oasis (closed in summer, June 1 through September 30). The South Entrance off Interstate 10 is the back door to the Cholla garden and Cottonwood, and rarely busy.

Save the far south for its own day

The Cholla Cactus Garden and the park's quiet south end sit a long way in — worth a dedicated day rather than a quick morning. If it's your first visit, our first-timer's route in the Journal maps a single good day without the long drive.

Practical notes

The park charges an entrance fee per vehicle, good for seven days (an America the Beautiful annual pass covers it). There are no gas stations or restaurants inside, so fuel up and grab snacks in town first. By late morning the heat builds fast — loop back to the house to swim through the hottest hours, then head out again for sunset if you've got the energy. Or just watch the sky change from the fire pit. Nobody will judge you.