Joshua Tree National Park is made up of 794,000 acres that combine the Mojave and Colorado deserts. The park offers unique landscapes, incredible views, desert life, and, an otherworldly feel. Hiking in Joshua Tree is an amazing experience. If you don’t have a lot of time to explore the park, you can still do some of the easy hikes. In this article we’ll share with you some of the best and easy hikes in Joshua Tree National Park.
5. Cholla Cactus Garden
Distance: 0.25 mi round-trip
Elevation Gain: 5 feet
Time: 15-30 mins
Cholla Cactus Garden is one of Joshua Tree National Park’s wonders. The Cholla Garden is located where the upper Mojave Desert and the lower Colorado Desert meet. This hike can be considered an easy walk. You can walk on a dedicated trail and stay away from the cacti. Cholla, also known as the teddy bear cactus, is covered in spines that will stick to your skin, shoes and clothing. So make sure to stay on the trail.
Also, grab a pamphlet at the trailhead. It provides more information about this unique plant and the surrounding ecosystem, where it thrives. This short and easy hike through Cholla Cactus Garden is definitely worth your time!
4. Arch Rock Trail
Distance: 1.4 mi
Elevation Gain: 100 feet
Time: 30 mins – 2 hours
Another easy hike in Joshua Tree is Arch Rock Trail.This hike is one of the most popular hikes in the park. It’s nice and short and the views are fantastic. The trail starts at the White Tank Campground and is well marked. You can do the hike in about 30minutes, or you can explore the boulders for as long as you’d like!
Once you’ve arrived at the beginning of the trailhead, walk Arch Rock Trail along white tank granite. You’ll come across a variety of rock formations and Yucca plants. At some point you’ll see a beautiful arch that you can easily climb under. There’s usually a line of people to take a picture of this rock formation, so make sure to take turns!
This is a great place to have a picnic and look out at the other rock formations. After your picnic you can either scramble the rocks or head back. If you decide to scramble off-trail, make sure to remember the path that you came from so you don’t get lost!
3. Skull Rock Nature Loop
Distance: 1.8 mi round-trip
Elevation Gain: 120 feet
Time: 1-3 hours
The Skull Rock Nature Loop takes you through a maze of incredible rock formations and scenic washes. You can start this loop trail from several points along Park Boulevard and within the Jumbo Rocks Campground. The Skull Rock has vegetation from the high, mid and low Mojave deserts, including Joshua Tree, Mojave yucca, creosote bush, juniper, oak, jojoba, various cacti and cholla. As for animals, you may meet chuckwalla, jackrabbits, snakes, bobcats, coyotes and bobcats. This short hike is perfect for watching the wildlife.
2. Hidden Valley Nature Trail
Distance: 1.0 mile
Elevation Gain: flat
Time: 30 minutes to 3 hours
The next short hike is Hidden Valley Trail. It’s located off of Park Boulevard 12 miles southeast of the west entrance. While this trail is only 1 mile long round-trip, you can easily spend hours exploring the rock. These rock formations are easy to climb and they look like they belong on another planet. There were rumors that Hidden Valley Trail is had been a hideout for some cattle rustlers. And, as you hike through this trail you will see why. There are some huge piles of boulders that can create distracting sounds and will make it difficult to determine where anyone is.
1. Barker Dam
Distance: 1.3 mi round-trip
Elevation Gain: 65 feet
Time: 40 mins – 2 hours
Barker Dam Loop is an incredibly scenic and easy hike. The well-marked loop is easy to follow and is fun to hike. Take the trail heading northwest toward Barker Dam from the parking lot. As you follow the trail, you’ll see mounds of boulders rise on either side. Then you may see the shore of a small blue lake. The water can disappear during the summer and fall, so make a point to visit this trail in the winter and spring. After taking a break by the lake, turn left and follow the shoreline toward the Barker Dam. This Dam was build about a century ago by ranchers, who wanted to save some water for their ranching needs. Then the trail leaves the lake, turns west, and enters a flat part of this hike. This area may remind you of a botanical garden. It’s home to several tall Joshua trees and other desert plants. If you wish to finish your hike, follow the sandy track. It’ll bring you back towards the start.
Final Thoughts
Joshua Tree National Park is absolutely amazing and you could spend weeks camping, hiking and just driving around! There’s also some amazing boondocking near it, so you can explore that area too. However, if you’re short on time, check out these hike to get to know the park. We hope this article was helpful! Scott and I also made a video about easy hikes and you can watch it below.