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.

Easy and idea spot for light hiking just after you park your car. Trail leads to some key spots in…read morethe park including the the remnants of the Barker Dam that once served the area. Surrounding area are steep cliffs and bluffs offering some really epic views. Be sure to keep an close eye out for infamous Big Horn Sheep that often adorn the sides of the canyons on top of rocks and steep terrain.

The Lost Horse Mine Trail is a hike in Joshua Tree National Park where the end destination is the…read moresite of an old gold mine. It was named after a man who was trying to find his lost horse. There's a long dirt road to the trailhead and there's not much parking. If you want to only go to the gold mine and back it's about 4 miles total. If you want to do the whole loop it's 6.2 miles. It's a long trail with no shade so bring plenty of water and take breaks as needed. Unfortunately the gold mine is fenced off for safety but you still get to read about the history of it. Out of all the hikes and trails we did this was my favorite. It's the most like a traditional hike and has a pretty unique end destination.

What a fun and well-marked hike in Joshua Tree national park! From the parking lot it's 2.2miles…read moreto the mine ruins (4.4 there and back) or 6 miles to do the entire loop. I would say this is a beginner hike, but there are certainly a few hills that will get the heart rate going! The trial itself is super scenic- full of rolling hills, rock formations, Joshua trees and depending on the season there lots of wildflowers. What's keeping it from a perfect review is the super small parking lot, with maybe 15 spots, which fills quickly. Due to its tight nature, turning around in the lot is near impossible (though we saw a few cars try). Pro tip: you can park at a turn out just short of the lot and walk in via dirt road or side trail. It gets you there all the same!

Joshua Tree National Park: Since there are no address numbers anywhere in the park, I'll start the…read morereview with directions to the trail head. Enter the park via the west entrance, which is Park Blvd in the town of Joshua Tree. Remain on this road until you enter the 25 MPH zone, then at Intersection Rock (Barker Dam Rd) make a left. Follow the signs (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/wall-street-mill-trail-twentynine-palms?select=gZoHS2p1xMRiV0AKNErk1Q&userid=q3MkBcfG_g8gZ4aLUX4GJw#gZoHS2p1xMRiV0AKNErk1Q) & (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/wall-street-mill-trail-twentynine-palms?select=gZoHS2p1xMRiV0AKNErk1Q&userid=q3MkBcfG_g8gZ4aLUX4GJw#8a1S6WlAOZL0_8n4mbd71w) to the parking lot for Barker Dam. Left of the restrooms is the trail head for Barker Dam. The trail head (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/wall-street-mill-trail-twentynine-palms?select=gZoHS2p1xMRiV0AKNErk1Q&userid=q3MkBcfG_g8gZ4aLUX4GJw#6O_1Gw9HvG4L7ldKOvJZCQ) & (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/wall-street-mill-trail-twentynine-palms?select=gZoHS2p1xMRiV0AKNErk1Q&userid=q3MkBcfG_g8gZ4aLUX4GJw#_z0qyFdJBgtvaBpsz-FzQw) for Wall Street Mine is on the right of the restrooms. Use the restrooms now. No peeing in the bush. The hike is just 2.2 miles out & back (a bit longer if you take the detours suggested here), mostly on flat land. Much of the trail traverses along sandy washes, so it can be slightly strenuous. Don't forget water! As much of a history lesson than it is a nice little hike, there are several points of interest along the way, none of which are marked, so you'll have to keep an eye out. Just don't forget to put it back. The first is the remnants of a house (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/wall-street-mill-trail-twentynine-palms?select=gZoHS2p1xMRiV0AKNErk1Q&userid=q3MkBcfG_g8gZ4aLUX4GJw#OWeUSd_iW1sBcTPxek-GZA) on the left of the trail; a little past the quarter-mile mark. It's about 75 yards off the trail and it's hard to miss if you're looking for it. The walls are made of adobe and are pink... stands out like a sore thumb in the brown desert. This is the Ohlson House. There are relics stacked atop one of the walls (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/wall-street-mill-trail-twentynine-palms?select=gZoHS2p1xMRiV0AKNErk1Q&userid=q3MkBcfG_g8gZ4aLUX4GJw#1FUV-l5fOP3Rakvbnjw5Jg) and also a well (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/wall-street-mill-trail-twentynine-palms?select=gZoHS2p1xMRiV0AKNErk1Q&userid=q3MkBcfG_g8gZ4aLUX4GJw#L0wl-PhDctTTpTgW26omBg) in the front. Little pink houses... Return to the trail and continue for another hundred yards or so and look to the left again. There is an old abandoned truck (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/wall-street-mill-trail-twentynine-palms?select=gZoHS2p1xMRiV0AKNErk1Q&userid=q3MkBcfG_g8gZ4aLUX4GJw#XlHd4Bj4x2htuX5Q0wgkKw) sitting in the middle of nowhere. This blends into the scenery a little better than the pink house, so it's easy to miss if you're not looking for it. Do not attempt to drive the truck. I think the brakes are shot. The next item of interest is the windmill (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/wall-street-mill-trail-twentynine-palms?select=gZoHS2p1xMRiV0AKNErk1Q&userid=q3MkBcfG_g8gZ4aLUX4GJw#Ws1CYak8xP9ol9z1nxgNPA). It's hard to miss as it's just a few feet from the trail and on the right. Much of it has been sabotaged by vandals and weather, but it still stands tall. Soon after the windmill you'll enter a wash. Follow it to the old stamp mill (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/wall-street-mill-trail-twentynine-palms?select=gZoHS2p1xMRiV0AKNErk1Q&userid=q3MkBcfG_g8gZ4aLUX4GJw#vdVFr9Y39NN9rBVLwb0rvg) & (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/wall-street-mill-trail-twentynine-palms?select=gZoHS2p1xMRiV0AKNErk1Q&userid=q3MkBcfG_g8gZ4aLUX4GJw#9HmrKmiPxUZRA0xlj9d3Tg). A well and a well pump (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/wall-street-mill-trail-twentynine-palms?select=gZoHS2p1xMRiV0AKNErk1Q&userid=q3MkBcfG_g8gZ4aLUX4GJw#uJF8KlXUFKAyfV9BwM-T1w) remain nearby. A plaque (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/wall-street-mill-trail-twentynine-palms?select=gZoHS2p1xMRiV0AKNErk1Q&userid=q3MkBcfG_g8gZ4aLUX4GJw#69y354rf4KDymcScw-3s5A) & (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/wall-street-mill-trail-twentynine-palms?select=gZoHS2p1xMRiV0AKNErk1Q&userid=q3MkBcfG_g8gZ4aLUX4GJw#v2LOSk4CWT20ICEAzGvNhw) gives visitors a brief history lesson of the area. Just beyond the mill is another abandoned truck (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/wall-street-mill-trail-twentynine-palms?select=gZoHS2p1xMRiV0AKNErk1Q&userid=q3MkBcfG_g8gZ4aLUX4GJw#fsFJfOFaHLj6u-GkIIvQvg), this one a little more intact than the previous one, but I still wouldn't try to drive it. Find a nice shady spot near the rocks just beyond the mill. Sit down, have a bite to eat, guzzle some water, and return the way you came. "What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Neat place at Joshua's tree national park! The trail is a flat and easy 1.5 miles in which you can…read moresee Bill's old cars along the way to the Wall Street stamp mill. The wind was wild but the sun shining and was able to capture some cool photos.

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 :)

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.

This is probably one of the most popular attractions at the park. It does get busy so my suggestion…read moreis to come early. It's located next to the campground, but the campground is strictly for campers. There is no parking there. For the visitors, there is a small parking lot right before you get to the campground check all trails app. You may want to download it because there's no reception in the area. The trail has the arch and heart shaped rock. But what I found more interesting was the area near the shape rock where there were tons of rocks and boulders of different sizes and shapes. It was surreal. It was really cool. climb and walk-through it all. Very kid friendly. Come early and it does get hot. It's all exposed. Definitely little shade.

This place is really cool. A nice place for an easy walk or hike. The oasis is amazing…read more Definitely recommend.

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.

. 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.

This review is for Ladder Canyon & Painted Canyon Trail which was a ~4.4 miles round trip that took…read more~2.5 hours to complete. Ladder Canyon & Painted Canyon Trail was a popular and crowded hike near Mecca, California. Trail was flat and sandy while you're at the bottom of the canyons. Started the loop clockwise; look for the ladder on your left. Requires a little bit of rock scrambling at this part and some ladders to get to the slot canyons. Trail becomes a bit more rocky with a slight incline towards the top of the canyons. Furthermore, there was a rope and ladder near the end of the loop. Overall, this was unique trail with stunning views throughout the hike! Required to drive on a well maintained dirt road for ~4.6 miles. Low clearance cars could make it; go slow and dodge the bigger bumps as you get closer to the parking. No restroom at the trailhead! Short video of the hike for those interested! https://youtu.be/7HECQHARzvs

I went there on April 6, 2025. There's 7 cars at parking area. I ran into 6 hikers while I was on…read morethe trail. It's quiet and really enjoyed the nature. Gloves and hiking boots are game changers. Last 2 miles are very rocky and sandy, so it's hard to walk. I forgot my sunscreen and sunglasses.

This is a beautiful trail, but a little tougher than expected! There seem to be quite a few…read moredifferent trails/routes you can take, but I'd plan for about 2-3 miles minimum (in the altitude it feels longer lol). They recently added a parking lot, which made it so much more convenient for parking and to find the start of the trail! I'm so glad they did this. I'd still say the earlier arrival, the better, so you can get a parking spot. For the trail itself, it's a good workout - there are both uphills & downhills. Once you get to the top, there are beautiful views of the lake.

We took this hike with our pups and it was awesome! It was definitely a work out with lots of steep…read moreand uphill hiking. We made it to the big rock at the very end, unfortunately with our pups we were unable to climb all the day to the tippy top. Overall an awesome hike, saw lots of trees, rocks, and little streams along the way! Trail is dog friendly, and has a lot of spots to stop for great views of the lake

Indian Cove Campground is hands down one of the most unique and peaceful places to stay in Joshua…read moreTree National Park. Surrounded by massive rock formations, it feels secluded, quiet, and incredibly raw -- like you're camping inside a natural stone cathedral. The campsites are well spaced, giving you privacy and that true desert solitude. No RV hookups, no noise, no distractions -- just rocks, sky, wind, and silence. This is real camping, not a parking lot with tents. Sunsets here are unreal, and at night the stars are absolutely breathtaking. If you're into hiking, climbing, photography, or just disconnecting from everything, this place is perfect. You can step out of your tent and immediately feel like you're deep in the wilderness. Facilities are basic but clean and well maintained, which is exactly what you want in a place like this. Indian Cove isn't for everyone -- and that's why it's special. Highly recommended for anyone who wants an authentic Joshua Tree experience

This is a very nice Campground places to book up and weekends to fully book up so try to plan early…read morelike really early different spots have different benefits some are shady and some are not some are more roomy and some are not some have parking for more than one person While others the parking is extremely tight also need to look at the proximity to the pit toilets pit toilets meaning that it's just a hole in the ground but it isn't closed with the door overall the Ambiance and the environment is amazing and well maintained frequently I see that there are Ranger Patrol vehicles that drive by to check and the many times that we have visited we have always been very impressed with the cleanliness and the order and how well the park is maintained many people come here over and over again because of the amazing Ambience and the environment it is so quiet here and unclear nights you can definitely see all the stars and you are one with them this is far enough to be away from the daily hustle and bustle but close enough to be able to do a weekend trip