Frail is easy to follow. It isn't too steep and it's a solid 1.6 miles to the spot from the parking…read morelot. Once at the palms, the temperature cools out dramatically under the shade. Pretty neat!

I could rave and rave about this hike. I almost didn't do it because it's a little out of the way -…read morethe trailhead entrance is off the main road past the first entrance if coming from Palm/desert hot springs. The hike itself probably only took me 45 mins or so to get to the oasis, and BOY was it worth it!! It's a shallow step/Rocky path most of the way, and right at the end you suddenly emerge over this hill and get an incredible view of a valley full of California fan palm trees! I came on a clear day with mild temps in the mid 70': and it was comfortable, and TOTALLY stunning. The volunteer @the welcome center said in summer they get some rain and it doesn't drain fast so water can pool and make it like a true oasis (don't swim in or drink that water). Overall, between Ryan mountain and this hike - it truly MADE my experience @J tree. Anybody going to visit the park I would recommend doing this trail :)

. The trail is almost completely well marked. You can see in my Strava route I got lost before…read moreretracing my steps. + Good family hike for novices and intermediate. + You'll likely see a lot of topropers who can't get enough adrenaline. xD + Plenty of parking along the trail entrance. - Wish there were signs or a mark on the map pointing to Cow Rock.

About a 10-minute drive from the entrance, and one of the most popular spots in the park. The loop…read moreis about one mile and takes you through incredible rock formations. There's a bit of climbing involved so definitely wear proper shoes. It took us around 30 minutes, but some people took closer to an hour, likely stopping for photos and to soak it all in. You'll also see rock climbers, which is fun to watch.

We've been to this National Park before, but it was our first chance to try some of the hikes, and…read morethey were really beautiful. If you just do the drive, you might not really see everything this park has to offer, so it's worth doing the hikes, even if only the easier ones. We did the Hidden Valley hike, which is only around a 1 mile loop. It can get pretty crowded though and the parking gets filled fast, so it's better to go early. We also went on the Barker Dam hike, which is also just a bit over a mile. This one was my favorite of the two and you get to climb some nice rocks on this hike. We did the other typical stuff like see skull rock, but didn't do this hike, and saw keys view, which is also really nice, but if you do go, it's definitely worth to do some hiking since it makes the experience of this park so much better.

Honestly, the park itself is a 5 star experience. The views are unreal -- the kind of place that…read moremakes you stop and just take it in. I went on a Monday thinking it would be calm, but it was still pretty busy. Parking was tough in a lot of spots, which definitely slowed things down. I did the Arch Rock Trail and checked out Heart Rock on the same route -- both were gorgeous and totally worth it. Then I tried heading to Skull Rock, but parking was basically impossible unless I parked far and walked close to 50 minutes. On top of that, there was a line of like 30 people just to take a picture. I skipped it, but even driving by, it was still impactful. Hidden Valley Trail ended up being another highlight -- super scenic and probably my favorite overall. Weather was "okay" -- around 90°, but going early in the morning made it manageable. Both trails are kid-friendly, probably 4 and up, but there are some slippery areas so you still have to be careful. I went with my wife and 4 yr old kid and did very well. I held his hand for some parts. We did everything in about 3.5 hours -- driving, hiking, finding parking, bathroom stops, and walking farther than expected because spots were full. The park itself is a 5 but the surrounding areas like Twentynine Palms and Joshua Tree just don't offer much in terms of food options or social life. After an amazing nature experience, it kind of falls flat when you're looking for something to do or somewhere great to eat. If I could, I would give the surrounding area a 2 out of 5. So yeah -- the park is 5 stars, but the overall experience I would give it a 3.

Hiked Barker Dam Trail in January 2026 and it ended up being one of my favorite spots in Joshua…read moreTree National Park. The dam was filled with water (which apparently isn't always the case), and I had most of the trail completely to myself. Peaceful, scenic, and classic Joshua Tree views the entire way. Easy hike, big payoff, and felt like discovering a hidden gem. Loved it.

Fun hike in Joshua Tree, the payoff is water in a desert. The dam was first built as a water…read morereservoir in 1900 and still works. When we went the lake toward the center of the hike was much more impressive than the dam itself. Along the path there are little signs that explain some of the sights you see on the way. It's an easy 1.1 mile hike out and back and you see many highlights of the Mojave desert including plant life, boulders, and lush greenery and birds near the water. It starts off flat but soon you'll be climbing through rocks and curving through exciting changes in the landscape. Some unique stops along the way are: -the lake/oasis, beautiful reflections in the water if you come at the right time. -theres a stone spiral at the dam that's not explained on the sign, if anyone knows what it is let me know, you can scramble to the left of the mountain here and make your way all the way to the spiral. -there is ancient cave art and petroglyphs that are much easier to see than some others ive been to, unfortunately someone in the past tried to make them easier to see by tracing paint on some of them.

Seemingly short but a pretty far walk from the parking lot. Once you get to the Arch rock trail…read moreit's 1.4 miles and winds through some great rock formations, all of which you can scramble on. Our favorite parts were all the "off-trail" moments where you could get up and close with the desert. In summer it's recommended to do this trail before 10 am, it gets hot even in Spring! It was by far the hottest we were because of the long walk from parking with no shade at all. I believe the elevation is lower here so it felt warmer than the other Joshua Tree hikes. The iconic stops are whale rock, heart rock, and the large arch near the beginning of the trail. I'm not sure what it was but there is also a cliff you can walk to the edge of and there is some great rock formations in a canyon. It is popular also if you come too late there will be no parking, when we left we saw people walking from pretty far to get here since the parking lot was full.

Well Coming to Joshua Tree National Park and trying to hit up all the beautiful spots in This park…read moreso Arch Rock is one of them and we had to see what this rock was all about !! It's a good hike to the rock and not hard at all !! It's all flat land with a lot of sand and Gravel but you will enjoy it !! We parked and walk about a mile and a half and you will reach this beautiful Rock . We got to the top of the rock and it makes beautiful pictures and under the Arch of the rock it looks cool and we of course took a lot of pictures here !! Just remember to bring a lot of water and some snacks you might need it . Because we did and you can sit on the rock and enjoy the amazing Views here . I highly recommend you check it out it is amazing and we had a lot of fun here .

About 20 minutes away from Desert Hot Springs. My mother in law and I were awake way before the…read morerest of the family and both of us like exploring and nature so I asked her if she wanted to go hiking with me at 6:30 am. Both of us got ready in 10 minutes and were out the door. The gate is closed and there is even a sign that says "parking lot closed" but we saw other people parking on the street and walking over so we did the same. The RV/campsite you can see from a distance is for the staff that works there, don't be alarmed by it! If you head on the trails toward the RV its very short but brings you into the giant palms and a wooden staircase that goes down to water and palms growing out of it. You can finish this very quickly. When you head out and head to the right there are branching paths here that lead to more hikes in palms, along the river oasis, and more into the mountains. The visitor center looked excellent and had a home made log cabin vibe, we could see some interesting artifacts inside but because the entrance was chained we didn't want to go in without permission even though it would have been easy to just duck under the chains.

Nice little gem of a place. Good for kids to run around. Nice little trails. Docents are…read morethere to answer questions and teach about the tectonic plates and underground water.

At the north edge of Joshua Tree National Park, the Oasis of Mara doesn't try to impress you. It…read morejust is. And somehow, that lands deeper. What makes it special isn't just the pocket of life in the middle of all that desert, it's how thoughtfully it's been preserved and shared. The paved loop trail is an open invitation, designed so almost anyone can experience it, which matters. Beauty shouldn't be gatekept by steep inclines and perfect knees. When we visited, most of the loop was closed for repairs. The kind of moment where you think, "well, that's that." But then, plot twist, kindness showed up. A staff member took the time to talk with my husband and, seeing his mobility challenges, gave him permission to walk the full trail. That small act? It meant everything. We didn't just see the oasis, we experienced it. And what an experience it was. A slow, easy walk, the kind your body thanks you for. Quiet learning along the way. A desert iguana making a cameo like it had somewhere important to be. The soft, unmistakable call of a quail echoing through the stillness. No big show, just little moments stacking up into something meaningful. It's peaceful, beautiful, and layered with history you can feel even if you don't read a single sign. The kind of place that doesn't demand your attention but earns it anyway. Go. Walk it slowly. Let it sink in. It's one of those places that leaves a quiet mark and somehow stays with you longer than the louder stops.

Nothing very pretty. Plants looked burnt and neglected! One area was closed off for repair…read more Random info with history signs but not with cohesive storytelling. So sad that the Maaryam and other tribes were driven off this land. And worse that the water was depleted by 1940 so it had to be pumped in mechanically. Yuck- all around. The brush in the park looked much healthier than this. The only thing nice was that I could walk my dog in.

Ramona & Conan made our experience unforgettable. The walk/hike portion was very educational about…read morethe land we were on, its history, etc. The sound bath was in a special cave with immense energy. It opened our minds & hearts in an unexplainable way. A true off the grid experience. This is not for everyone but if you feel called, do it! A very worthwhile experience. The land is precious and full of wonderful energy.

I recently went here to get away from everything, it turned out to be just what i needed. The…read moregrounds here are beautiful, they gave us a tour and really explained in detail the history of the place from the petroglyphs, to the plants, and wildlife. The sound bath with Ramona was other worldly, it was held in a Cave made from an ancient rock structure, it was very powerful. It feel like a prehistoric wonderland. I was able to camp in my truck tent, but there are super cool tents and structures you can rent. I highly recommend to going here to detach from the normal fast paced life, its an enchanting experience.

As an avid National Park experiencer - there is a lot to experience here…read more I always love a good tree and the Joshua tree looks so cool. Especially with the sun behind it. The rock formations feel like great secrets. The staff here are extra helpful. Tell em what you want and they can point you in the right direction. Get your national Park passport and get to more parks and take me with you. Try to eat more pizza if you want to be like me.

We arrived at Joshua Tree National Park on a Friday around 12 PM. There was a line of about 20 cars…read moreat the entrance, but it moved quickly. We waited less than five minutes. They offer discounts for military members, veterans, and individuals with disabilities. You can also purchase an annual pass. If you're driving in, it's $30 per vehicle and the pass is valid for seven days. First stop, Hidden Valley Nature Trail: about a 10-minute drive from the entrance, and one of the most popular spots in the park. The loop is about one mile and takes you through incredible rock formations. There's a bit of climbing involved so definitely wear proper shoes. It took us around 30 minutes, but some people took closer to an hour, likely stopping for photos and to soak it all in. You'll also see rock climbers, which is fun to watch. * Cap Rock: an easy stop right off the road. You can drive by or pull over briefly to see this unique rock formation that looks like a hat perched on top of a boulder. * Skull Rock: another must-see right along the main road with no hiking required. It's exactly what it sounds like and a popular photo spot. * Keys View: a stunning panoramic viewpoint. From here you can see the Coachella Valley, the San Andreas Fault, the Salton Sea, and on a clear day, even parts of Mexico. It's especially beautiful around sunset. You can either exit the park the way you came or continue through to one of the other exits depending on your next stop.

Split Rock Trail is a 2.5 mile loop hike in Joshua Tree National Park. It's a relatively easy hike…read morewith no much elevation. You start off with a bumpy road driving in and end at a parking lot with restrooms at the trailhead. We did the hike in the counter clockwise direction which was a little confusing at first because there weren't a lot of obvious markers leading you along the trail so we almost gave up. Eventually we followed other people and figured it out but I wonder if it would've been a little more clear had we gone clockwise instead. It was a pretty easy hike other than some incline. Of course, there's not much shade here so bring plenty of water and take breaks if needed.

I enjoyed this trail a lot! It has multiple kind of rock shapes ( face rock, fish eye rock, hidden…read moreegg rock, engineering rock, funny rock etc... ) And hike can be as short of 30 minutes to 2 hours. We went on weekend in Feb. weather was perfect and not much busy. No issue with parking and trail was equipped with restroom same as other trials.