Joshua Tree National Park has plenty of hikes and walks for the whole family to enjoy. Trail-side exhibits, easy trail gradients, incredible scenery, jaw-dropping geology and fascinating history keep park explorers engaged, from young to young-at-heart. Whether you’re on a spirited adventure, taking time to stretch legs, or are looking for ways engage active imaginations, these hikes are great for both young and senior hikers alike. Take a look at these seven favorite park trails and walks:
1. Cap Rock Trail
Two very easy spins explore 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 creative musical genius Gram Parsons. 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.
- .4 miles (.6 km), nature loop / very easy &
.3 miles (.5 km), memorial loop / very easy - Interpretive nature trail
- Gram Parsons Memorial site, intriguing music history
- Terrain not suitable for some motorized wheelchairs
2. Keys View Overlook Walk
A leisurely stroll along a mountain crest offers visitors stunning Southern California panoramas and an exceptional opportunity to experience the powerful forces of nature at work at long-standing park favorite, Keys View. A very easy .12-mile (.2 km) path gently loops around the beautiful vista point, making this much-lauded “Best View in the Park” a great place for travelers of all ages to stretch their legs while drinking in the sights. The picturesque overlook, with its glowing mountains at sundown, is also a spectacular place to savor the light and color of the desert. Informative signs along the loop spotlight Southern California’s incredible geography, modern enterprise, and environmental challenges.
- .12 miles (.2 km) / very easy
- Overlook of the Coachella Valley, the Salton Sea, the San Andreas Fault, and Mexico’s Signal Mountain
- Interpretive exhibit
- Great sunset spot
3. 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.
- 1.4 miles (2.3 km) / easy
- Arch Rock formation
- Nature trail with interpretive signs
4. Cholla Cactus Garden Walk
Walk on the wild side at the Cholla Cactus Garden! Treacherous “jumping teddy bears” wait to strike with spiky spines on this precariously easy (or easily precarious!) path through a precious garden of desert dangers. This flat quarter-mile (.4 km) loop takes thrill-seekers and curious passersby through a prickly stand of dangerously cute cacti and other vegetation fascinations on a short-and-spiky nature walk. The Cholla (pronounced choy-yah) Cactus Garden nature walk is perfectly safe… so long as you resist the urge to cuddle the adorable succulents!
- .25 miles (.4 km) / very easy
- Jumping teddy bears (cholla cacti)
- Mojave Desert–Colorado Desert transition zone
5. Hidden Valley 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.
- 1 mile (1.6 km) / moderately easy
- Cattle rustler’s hideaway
- Nature trail with interpretive signs
6. 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.
- .7 miles (1.1 km) / easy
- Nature trail for young explorers
- Skull Rock views
- Slot canyons
- Viewing binoculars
7. Indian Cove 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.
- .6 miles (1 km) / very easy
- Nature loop with interpretive signs
- Desert wash ecosystem
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