Pudgy Buffalo

Joshua Tree National Park’s nature trails offer visitors unparalleled access to the park’s unique biodiversity, spectacular desert landscape, geological wonders, and cultural history. These special interpretive trails span the park’s interior, from the northern Mojave Desert to the southern Colorado Desert, allowing park goers a convenient way to embrace Joshua Tree’s most captivating features. The best nature trails of Joshua Tree National Park include:

Indian Cove Nature Trail

Indian Cove Nature Trail is a very easy .6-mile (1 km) loop in northern Joshua Tree National Park that explores a key hub of human history and an intriguing desert alcove brimming with life. Handy information placards along the trail give hikers an inside look into the region’s unique desert ecosystem, its surprisingly diverse biome, and how its hardy inhabitants thrive in this exceptional region. This short, relatively flat trail dips into a dry wash for an easy-going interpretive stroll that can also serve as a warm-up hike for later adventures.

Discovery Trail

Discovery Trail is a fun and easy .7-mile (1.1 km) loop hike designed especially for young explorers. Discovery Trail loops around the boulder fields opposite Skull Rock, sharing easy-to-understand details along the way about Joshua Tree’s unique and unusual features. Great for families, the trail was developed by local kids from the Morongo Unified School District under guidance from park rangers in 2012, and built by high school students from the Youth Conservation Corps in 2013. Discovery Trail gives visitors of all ages an opportunity to stretch their legs, have fun exploring, and learn about Joshua Tree’s best highlights.

Arch Rock Trail

Let your imagination run wild as your eyes feast upon a smorgasbord of boulders of all shapes and sizes on this hike to Arch Rock! Arch Rock Trail is an easy 1.4-mile (2.3 km) out-and-back hike with a small lollipop loop at the end which leads to famous Arch Rock. The relatively flat trail ambles down a sandy path and then loops up in a scramble over rocks to the arching 30-foot (9 m) rock. Along the way, educational placards spotlight the area’s unique geology. This trail is great for casual explorers, adventurous families, photo bugs, night owls, and anyone who wants to see a really cool desert landscape.

Barker Dam Loop

Discover an old-timey dam flowing with western history, a birding paradise, a major bighorn sheep habitat, ancient petroglyphs, and Hollywood movie-making gone awry on this moderately easy 1.1-mile (1.8 km) loop hike to National Register of Historic Places standout Barker Dam. Although this popular trail has minimal elevation gain, it puts adventurers up close and personal with boulders as it scrambles through the Mojave Desert to the turn-of-the-century dam. Along the way, informative placards spotlight the area’s fascinating history, ecosystem, and inhabitants.

Hidden Valley Nature Trail

Rustle up a good time on the Hidden Valley Nature Trail! This moderately easy 1-mile (1.6 km) loop trail slips through a secret passageway between rocks to explore a fascinating valley once used as a hideaway by thieves and bandits to stash stolen livestock. Interpretive signs along the trail showcase the area’s cool flora and fauna, and Joshua Tree National Park’s famous monzogranite formations provide excellent challenges for rock climbers and boulderers. With plenty of interesting things to discover, Hidden Valley Nature Trail is a visitor favorite.

Skull Rock Nature Trail

Ahoy, desert pirates! Prepare to come about and steal some great views on this moderately easy 1.7-mile (2.7 km) loop around Joshua Tree’s spookiest roadside attraction—Skull Rock! Skull Rock, the biggest “rock” icon in the park, guards a loop trail around a trove of natural wonders in the heart of Joshua Tree. Way signs along the nature trail reveal the park’s best surprises.

Bajada Nature Trail

Bajada Nature Trail is a short-and-sweet .3-mile (.5 km) loop through a magical low-desert garden. Interpretive plaques along the way highlight the extraordinary plants sprouting from this unusual swath of desert. This nature trail is particularly special in the springtime when much of the flora is in bloom, though dormant seasonal plants also hold many secrets for budding botanists. The dirt path is flat and easy, and the trail includes benches for relaxing. The path, however, is not shaded, and sits fully exposed to the powerful desert sun. The trail’s location near the park’s southern border makes it a great place for a quick leg-stretch while traveling in or out of the park, and an excellent sunset walk.

Cap Rock Trail

Country meets rock-and-roll with very easy spins around desert rabblerouser Cap Rock! A .4-mile (.6 km) nature loop and optional .3-mile (.5 km) memorial loop visiting one of Joshua Tree’s most infamous “rock stars” transports visitors deep into the soul of the place that inspired a creative genius and spurred a whole lotta shenanigans in this life—and the next. Interpretive placards along Cap Rock Trail spotlight the area’s distinct features, while strategically placed benches around the nature loop encourage park enjoyers to take it easy. The informal memorial loop at the other end of the wayside stop explores the legendary rock formation that once presided over the burning casket of country-rock icon Gram Parsons.