My family and I came to Joshua Tree for the first time and since we were unfamiliar with the area, I hired Ethan from Joshua Tree Adventures to be our guide inside the Joshua Tree National Park. It was the best decision I made!! The first day he took us on an amazing 4-hour hike inside the park, he showed us all of the extraordinary sites and also educated us about the very complex geological history of the park. On the 2nd day, he took us mountain climbing, which was the highlight of our trip!! Ethan's kind, encouraging and wise nature helped my son and I accomplish mountain climbing feats we thought were impossible! I HIGHLY recommend Ethan's services for anyone visiting Joshua Tree! The guided tours we took with him really made our trip adventurous, fun, educational and very memorable! Ethan has been guiding for many years and has a real passion for what he does! He's one of the BEST guides I have worked with! read more

I can't recommend Joshua Tree Adventures highly enough. My friend and I did a day of guided hiking with Ethan in Wonderland of Rocks. He took us to beautiful parts of the park that we would never have found on our own. We are in our late sixties and hike regularly. Ethan designed a route that was a good match for our abilities; some elevation gain, walking up and over granite faces and between boulders. He was there to provide help if we needed but was also willing to let us sort out our footing on our own. He regularly checked in to see how we were feeling about the route. As we walked, he gave us a lot of information about the geology, plants and history of the park and answered all of our questions. I wI'll definitely book another adventure with him on my next visit to the park. read more

Amazing! I can't say enough good stuff about Ethan and the adventure he took me and my boys on... history and geography lessons along the way... even made them hot chocolate in the shade on top of a rock, overlooking the Barker Dam valley. I highly recommend, friendly, accommodating and communicative! read more

Joshua Tree Adventures - Hot Chocolate in the shade! - Tours Near Me

We had a great tour today with Tom, he was an excellent guide, great stories! Highly professional. Our first trip to the park and we are looking forward for more! read more

Alicia was our guide - she is nerdy-smart about desert animals and plants, geology- all of it. Clearly she loves the desert and has inspired us to go back and learn more about the region. She listens well and can create a custom hike by gauging the group's interests and abilities. Four hours flew by. We 100% recommend them, especially if you only have one day to see Joshua Tree. read more

Joshua Tree Adventures - Our guide showing us a blooming Joshua tree. - Tours Near Me

We had a wonderful tour of the park with Alicia, who was extremely knowledgeable and has a great personality. We were amazed at the information she had on the plants, the animals, the geology, the history, she presented it very effectively and was great company. Highly highly recommend using this company. Ethan was also wonderful to deal with as we made the arrangements, he was very flexible and helpful with our plans. Can't say good things about JT Adventures... book immediately!! read more

Great experience. Ethan is a fantastic guide - great with adults and our kids. We'd happily hike with him again. Super highly recommended.

Our hike with Ethan took our trip to the next level! It was the perfect level of challenge and he kept it fun and interesting. We'll definitely do it again next time we are in town! read more

Great guided sunset hike- loved every minute of it and learned a lot! Very beautiful terrain- climbed on rocks I never would have attempted on my own read more

Alicia was amazing! Very knowledgeable about both trails and desert wildlife and the importance of the ecosystem. If in summer, start before 9 if possible and don't try a full day hike. But an amazing way for a solo traveler to experience the desert. They do kids camps and families also quite enjoy the adventure. read more

Ethan is a fantastic tour guide! A one person tour was a splurge for me but it was worth every penny.

Had the most amazing experience with Ethan in Joshua Tree National Park. He took us to multiple spots, which were perfectly suited to our group. He explained the local flora and fauna as well, and showed us many little hidden gems that we never would have noticed on our own. Maybe most impressive: my son and I love the movie "The Big Year" and there is a scene from that film shot in Joshua Tree. We showed Ethan one photo from the scene and he was able to take us there! Joshua Tree NP is the size of Delaware! Amazing. Ethan is the best, and I can not recommend him highly enough. read more

What a great experience! Six of us booked a sunset hike with Ethan. It was affordable and was way beyond my expectation. Ethan is a great guy. who knows so much about the park. As others have mentioned, he also does a fabulous job customizing the hike to your groups wishes and abilities. I would highly recommend booking a hike with Ethan! read more

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We had a great experience with Ethan and really enjoyed seeing the Wonderland of Rocks and other parts of Joshua Tree. He did a great job of sharing history and educating us on JTNP. Highly recommend a guided hike with Ethan! read more

Ethan led 7 of us on a half-day hike in Joshua Tree Park. He was knowledgeable, friendly, and good at customizing the hike to the interests and abilities of our group. Highly recommended. So is the Park! read more

My wife and 2 kids recently visited JT and wanted to get the full experience using a knowledgeable guide. Ethan was AMAZING! We signed up for a half day (4hr) hike that Ethan customized to our needs. After a brief email exchange Ethan came up with a wonderful experience in the "wonderland of rocks" section of the park. We did not see another person until the end when we were walking out. Ethan was very knowledgeable, fun, professional, nice, and flexible to our needs. He even stayed with us 45min beyond the 4hrs to show us the Hall of Horrors because our son really wanted to see it. Also, our son was a little hesitant/afraid to climb some of the steeper boulders at first - Ethan was very understanding and patient, taking extra time to help and encourage him along the way. By the end of the hike my son was climbing the rocks with ease. I enthusiastically recommend Ethan and JTA to anyone interested in a professional tour guide for this amazing place. Ethan's passion and love for this unique place is evident and contagious! I would definitely use JTA again when we come back. read more

This park is huge, but i didn't fully enjoy it. It just looks like desert without anything beautiful to look at. But if you like rocks, dry airs and bikes, this is definitely your place to go! read more

Joshua Tree Adventures - Tours Near Me

Ethan led our group on a really spectacular hike in Joshua Tree along with his friendly colleague. Everyone commented on how fun and amazing it was... the difficulty proved sufficiently challenging for all. Other than a couple of minor hand scrapes on the rock scramble portion of the journey there were consistent smiles ear-to-ear. Would definitely use them again and I understand they guide for rock climbs and overnight camping too. read more

My friend and I wanted to visit Joshua Tree but only had less than a day to explore the area. A week prior to our planned visit, we looked online for tours and ended up contacting Ethan via email. His rates (per person) for a half-day guided tour (4-5 hours) were reasonable, and since we had read good reviews about his tours on TripAdvisor, we decided to use his services. Ethan was friendly, professional, and clearly knew the park very well. Our first stop was the Wonderland of Rocks (North/Central area of Joshua Tree Park), where we spent the morning hiking through sanded and rocky areas. Along the way, he pointed out interesting sights, including hidden pictographs and an equinox that we would have missed had we hiked the area on our own. He also knew quite a bit about the geology and formation of the area, and pointed out a bunch of cool looking cacti, trees, and lizards! Midway through the tour, he gave us a few options for the remaining hours. Either we could scramble up onto the rocks for a better view of the valley or hike on over to a few other sites. Now, my friend and I are not super athletic people, but we decided to try scrambling. Luckily, it was much easier than we anticipated thanks to Ethan. Not only did he guide us up rocks that were secure and had good footing (so it was a matter of following his tracks), but he was also willing to give us a hand or a boost up for more difficult areas (gaps, crevices, or steep inclines). If you love hiking and can handle a few large steps, I highly recommend you try scrambling! Looking back, scrambling was really THE highlight of my JT experience. The views up there are incredible and you truly feel at one with nature! Ethan also takes you to areas with the most scenic views and doesn't mind taking photos for you. Don't forget to also bring a few snacks to enjoy while you sit and admire the view! Overall, if you have a short time in JT, Ethan's tour the best use of your limited time. I walked away from our 4.5 hr tour feeling like I truly explored the area and understood the history/background of the park. Definitely give him a chance, you won't regret it! read more

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My friends and I recently spent a day with Ethan in Joshua Tree National Park. I've climbed in the park before, but some of my friends had never top-roped outdoors. Ethan did an excellent job explaining the basics, from knot-tying and spot checking harnesses to providing advice (and encouragement) on specific climbs. We moved around the park a bit throughout the course of the day, and he setup anchors on routes of varying difficulty so that everyone had a chance to climb. Ethan knows the layout of the park very well it's obvious that he has spent his share of time there. If you're relatively new to climbing and/or the park itself, I'd highly recommend using his services. He'll cater everything to the experience level of your group, and you're sure to get the most out of your time in the park. read more

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If I could give 10 stars I would! What a great day in Joshua Tree National Park!! Ethan led us on a half day adventure that was out of this world. He is very knowledgeable about the park and educated us on the geology, animals and plants of the area. He is very professional! I have to say this is one of the highlights of our 5 month tour of the USA! Don't pass up the chance to hike/rock climb with Ethan. read more

Joshua Tree Adventures - Amazing day!! This is the type of personal adventure in Joshua Tree National Park that Ethan gives. - Tours Near Me

Ethan is great! If you want a hiking or climbing experience in Joshua Tree Park that is customized to what you are looking for and far away from tourists with selfie sticks I cannot recommend Ethan enough. I took my wife to Joshua Tree for her birthday and asked Ethan to show us some cool rock formations that we might not find on our own. I mentioned that we are active people but not experienced in the outdoors. Given these guidelines, Ethan planned a fantastic half day for us in the Wonderland of Rocks, where we explored some of his favorite spots in a mix between hiking and stopping to talk about the geology and surroundings. I will definitely repeat the Joshua Tree Adventure experience next time I visit the Park. read more

Ethan was a fantastic tour guide! We went on a half day hike and it was more than we expected. It was clear he was not only a skilled hiker, but he also knew a lot about the area and history. No matter your skill level, Ethan can provide a safe and fun hike for you. read more

Joshua Tree Adventures - Tours Near Me

So my wife, myself and my 14 yo daughter went to Joshua Tree recently. My wife was interested in a tour of sorts and I was not. She found JT adventures online and asked for me to check it out. I did and it looked like the half day adventure could be worth doing. We booked a half day and couldn't have been happier. Ethan was super knowledgable about the geology, plants, animals, and history of JT and pointed out to us many of these things with some great information about them. Every one of us had fun (including the teenager) and really enjoyed the exploration and rock scrambling. You won't just stumble on to the places Ethan takes you as he seems to get a feel of his customers and give them a customized experience. I am usually one to explore by myself but found this the be a truly awesome time and would highly recommend. Ethan is great! read more

Ethan was awesome - I can't tell enough of my friends about how terrific he is and how they have to go to Joshua Tree to experience the park with him. Our family of four - two adults, 12 year old son and 10 year old daughter - spent the day with Ethan exploring some of his favorite parts of the park including rock formations, petroglyphs, caves and high spots with great vistas. We had great weather - warm and sunny but not too hot - and learned a ton about the landscape, trees, cacti, rocks, while also covering a lot of ground climbing, hiking, scrambling. We felt totally comfortable with Ethan right away since he's very easy-going, knowledgeable and downright nice, and throughout the day he impressed us with his patience and encouragement, especially when helping us through some tough rock areas that were awesome challenges, both physical and mental. We asked for some good challenges and he found them and throughout we felt totally safe and in very capable hands. Joshua Tree is just magnificent and we got to see some really special places in the park that were away from other tourists and that showcased the area's unique beauty. I can't imagine visiting the park without such a helpful and fun guide and I look forward to going back and seeing other areas with Ethan in the future. Bottom line: visit Joshua Tree with Ethan, it'll be the highlight of your trip. read more

We wanted to get an introduction to exploring hiking and scrambling at Joshua Tree. We contacted Joshua Tree Adventures after reading great reviews on Trip Advisor. He promptly answered our emails, great communication. We (4 adults) did a half-day guided tour with Ethan on our first afternoon in the area. He did a great job of tailoring the outing to our fitness level (experienced N. Cascades hikers) and the weather (windy) - and we spent an awesome afternoon scrambling above the Indian Cove area exploring canyons (rattlesnake canyon) and caves. Ethan has a terrific background on the geology, history, plants, and animals of the park and is a great educator. He took time to engage each person in our party, and he fielded every odd question and comment with good humor and grace. He provided help when needed with footholds and directions, and encouragement. We saw much more with our off-trail exploring with Ethan than we would have seen on our own, and we leveraged the experience on subsequent days in the park. Highly recommended. read more

Top-notch tour of Joshua Tree. I went with my 70+ year old dad on a day-long tour. Ethan got just the right mix of sights and physical activity for us, and he had an impressive knowledge of the area. He was great at gauging our interests. If you're wondering why bother with a guide when you can just wander around the park yourself: Ethan takes you to out-of-the way spots that you wouldn't be likely to find on your own. We also went to some of the more popular areas, and--if the popular spots were the only ones that I had visited--I wouldn't have enjoyed myself or appreciated the park nearly as much. Highly recommended. read more

Ethan did a great job guiding me to spots without hordes of tourists. It was a great day!

We were looking for a personalized tour for an active couple outside the normal mass-produced tours where 10 people are showed in a van and moved around like cattle. JT Adventures friggin nailed it! After speaking with Ethan and giving him a benchmark (we hike the Lost Palm Oasis in 3 hours) he was able to pick the best "off the beaten path" hikes for us. We hiked Queen Mountain (not good if you prefer a path or if you are afraid of rock scrambling) which provides a panoramic view of JT! Ethan was able to tell us about the type of animals and fauna found throughout the desert. He also provided recommendations for future hikes. Ethan is laid back but a great hiking partner who is fit and can assist in the more challenging climbs. The great part of Ethan's tour is you have him to yourself for the entire day (or half day is you choose). We finished our tour with the Chasm of Doom-not for the faint of heart or unfit but that experience alone was worth the fee. read more

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I have never seen someone truly in awe and knowledgeable about a place! Ethan was such a great guide. Not only did he show us a great hike but he knew about all the plants and rock formations as well as the history of Joshua Tree. He encouraged us to climb around on the rocks to get a better view and was very laid back yet very enthusiastic about everything to do with the park. read more

Fast forward two and half years...We have been to Joshua Tree three more times since I wrote this first review. We came with various combinations of friends and family, and every time we hired Ethan to take my husband and son and some of our friends/family for a day or two of rock climbing. Since that first visit my husband and our now-14-year-old son have really embraced rock climbing. Ethan adapted every experience so that each day was a good fit for everyone involved. Ethan has a good sense of humor, and he's a relaxed and pleasant person to spend time with. His knowledge of the park is fantastic. Ethan has been an important part of making Joshua Tree a really special place for our family. We'll be back. Probably soon. Joshua Tree is magical, and we're grateful to Ethan for sharing his love of the place. read more

Ethan rocks! I don't think we would've known about Wonderland or had the confidence to go so deep into the rocks by ourselves, but with Ethan as our guide we had a fantastic day of hiking and scrambling in Joshua Tree. He is simultaneously educational and entertaining, explaining the region's unique geology and pointing out all kinds of flora and fauna. He also gave us some tips for other parts of the park to visit, and each one totally paid off. If you are coming to Joshua Tree and want to feel like a real insider you should check him out. Highly recommended. read more

Ethan is a true local expert and a wonderful guide. We first used his services when my future in- laws were visiting. We took a leisurely hike away from the crowds, among some gorgeous rock formations, while Ethan pointed out various plants and regaled us with information about the history of the park. He is very knowledgable. We stopped for a healthy snack he provided, and enjoyed the view. My fiance climbed some rocks in view while we chatted and relaxed. We had such a good experience, we chose to use his services again to entertain our crew of about 20 out of town wedding guests who traveled to our wedding in Palm Springs. His day rate was inexpensive! To entertain so many people for a full day, I would have paid more. Especially given the value of not getting lost in the desert! We paid his rate and asked people to tip in addition to that. He provided two hikes that day, one a.m. and one p.m., both starting from Barker Dam. He provided excellent, detailed instructions for meeting up, and was willing to accomodate the skill levels of the groups. He is a true professional. I know he works with groups of kids and teens, and has expertise in teaching and guiding various levels of climbing, so I can't wait to take more trips with him in the future! read more

I had the pleasure of having Ethan take me and my friends out into Joshua Tree National Park for a full day of rock climbing. I have been a handful of times but did not have the equipment or knowledge of routes in the area. My friend's daughter, who is five, also came with us to climb. Ethan showed the same degree of patience and reassurance with all members of our party, while imparting his extensive knowledge of climbing to us. With his help, I was able to get up routes that I didn't think I would be able to climb. Ethan's pleasant demeanor combines with his passion for the sport and his familiarity with the National Park to create a wonderful experience. I highly recommend him! read more