Best of Joshua Tree, CA

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Just two hours inland of LA, Joshua Tree National Park is popular with daytrippers and backpackers alike. Featuring a variety of landscapes from wide arid desert to striking rock formations and oases of hardy plantlife. Though a very popular destination, you can still find your own peace of solitude here. If you're lucky you may even spot desert bighorn sheep, particularly on the cusp of daylight.

We've hiked all of the most popular day hikes in the park. We list some favorites below, or you can scroll down to the regional map at the bottom of the page.

	5★ Wall Street Mill 2 mi · Easy · Gain 100ft The best short trail and is highly representative of the park. Very popular, so arrive early if possible. Shares trailhead with Barker Dam nature trail.
	5★ Lost Horse Mine 4-7 mi · Moderate · Gain 550-1,090ft One of the best preserved mills on National Park property. Excellent views from the top of the hill. The shorter out-and back route is best, but there are joshua trees on the longer looping trail.
	5★ Split Rock Loop 2 mi · Easy · Gain 260ft Sublime two-mile looping tour of otherworldly weathered stone landscape made even better at dawn or dusk. Quieter and possibly better than the neighboring roadside skull rock & jumbo rocks.
	5★ Lost Palms Oasis 7-9 mi · Moderate · 1030-1230ft Cross arid desert past yucca plants and wildflowers to reach a sheltered palm tree oasis.
	4★ Skull Rock Nature Trail 2 mi · Easy · 140ft Pleasant and mostly flat trail that provides a scenic park overlook as well as a trip to the extremely popular Skull Rock.
	4★ Ryan Mountain 3 mi · Moderate · Gain 1,070ft Hike up one of the most prominent mountains in the park for the excellent view. Especially hard on the knees though.
	4★ Barker Dam Nature Trail 1 mi · Easy · Gain 70ft Easy trail featuring typical joshua tree park landscapes, historic features, great interpretive nature signs and even ancient petroglyphs.

. Regional Trail Review Map

 5★   4★   3★   Expand Map 

External links:
National Park Service website

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