Pudgy Buffalo

From Lazy Hiking: Joshua Tree National Park:

The Black Rock area is nestled in the northwestern corner of Joshua Tree National Park, at boundary’s edge, where Black Rock Canyon slips through the Mojave Desert and into the Little San Bernardino Mountains. There are no main roads which connect Black Rock to the rest of the park, although backcountry trails ramble eastward to meet larger interior trail networks. The California Riding and Hiking Trail, which accommodates horseback riders and backpackers alike, makes its entry in Joshua Tree National Park at Black Rock and then travels over 35 miles through the northern region of the park to North Entrance Station.

At over 4,000 feet (1219 m) in elevation, Black Rock Campground is located here within dense, lush stands of Joshua trees, and has a rare park commodity—running water. In the heart of the campground is a nature center, which is open intermittently. Many beautiful trails leave from the campground, most with excellent views of Southern California’s big peaks which surround this part of the park. It’s important to note that because Black Rock is situated in a hilly area there are no super easy hikes here.

1. Hi-View Nature Loop

Marvel at the curious Joshua trees that make this national park famous and climb to a lovely overlook on this moderately difficult 1.3-mile (2.1 km) loop trail. Hi-View Nature Loop is one of the first trails explorers will encounter when approaching the park from the west (say, traveling from Los Angeles.) While the trail is inside the park boundary, one of High View’s main entry points sits outside the park gates, making it easy for excitable park trippers to overlook this delightful trail. Fortunately, this also makes Hi-View Nature Loop perfect for hikers who prefer a less-crowded experience. Common trail enjoyers include campers from nearby Black Rock Campground, as well as birding enthusiasts.

2. West Side Loop

Delve deep into a forest brimming with Joshua trees and uncover a mountainside full of big peak vistas on this difficult 4.5-mile (7.2 km) hike on Mojave Desert treasure West Side Loop! This weathered gem explores the hills above Black Rock Canyon on an outlying circuit that dodges park crowds while scoping out the park’s famous flora and cool wildlife. It’s a great way to get to know Joshua Tree’s northern desert-mountain wilderness, and is within convenient proximity of Black Rock Campground.

3. Panorama Loop

Panorama Loop hike rambles along a sandy tract full of Joshua trees in the park’s quiet Black Rock Canyon wilderness to fully embody its name via a mountainside loop with 360-degrees of shutter-worthy views of Joshua Tree National Park and beyond. At a respectable 6.6 miles (10.6 km), the hike through the park’s northwestern interior isn’t overly long, but the loop itself is very steep, gaining over 1,100 feet (335 m) in elevation, with over 600 feet (183 m) of that ascent occurring on the first part of the loop section. Expect steep, strenuous terrain with very little shade on a path that sometimes is not well defined but offers an abundance of beautiful views and extra-special sunsets.

4. The California Riding and Hiking Trail

The California Riding and Hiking Trail is a 35-plus-mile (56+ km) point-to-point hike through Joshua Tree National Park’s wild backcountry. Once part of a multi-state network of trails, the historic California Riding and Hiking Trail (CRHT) travels mostly west-to-east through the wild and remote Joshua Tree outback, attracting backpackers, thru-hikers, and horseback riders yearning for sprawling wildlands, unique desert views, and open-air desolation. This trail is part of the park’s backcountry zone, requiring overnight users to obtain easy-to-get permits (online as of March 2023) before embarking on journeys.