There are no shortage of hikes in Joshua Tree. But what are the best ones if you have just a few days to explore? Joshua Tree is an easy 2 hour drive from Los Angeles. Since COVID hit, we’ve been spending a lot of time hitting the hiking trails. In fact, Kevin and I are probably in our best shape of our lives with all this social distancing during quarantine. It’s time to get ‘quaran-toned‘! Plus, with twin babies strapped to us, we’re burning a few more calories these days.
Getting our hike on with the babies.
The babies are getting big! And like carrying weights on our hikes now.
We recently put together the best 5 day Joshua Tree itinerary to escape from LA. While some of these hikes are on this 5 day itinerary, not all of them are. In total, we’ve done nearly 30 hikes in the Joshua Tree area. So clearly, we’ve done our homework. After careful consideration, we ranked our top 5 hikes in Joshua Tree based on their beauty and uniqueness. We also included hikes ranging from easy to difficult. So strap on those hiking boots (or sneakers if you’re like us) and get ready to hit the best hikes in Joshua Tree.
5. The Maze Loop – Easy
Kevin was concerned. We’re doing a hike through a maze in the desert?
The Maze Loop remains one of the most popular hikes in Joshua Tree. What isn’t there to love? There is no shortage of Joshua Trees throughout the hike as well as plenty of desert flowers and plant life along the sandy trail.
Watch out for the sharp cactus – this is desert hiking at its best.
However, one of the best things about this trail is how quick it is to get here. The Maze Loop trailhead is a 5 minute drive from Joshua Tree’s main west entrance. Though, parking can be a little bit of a challenge on a busy day. There is a small parking area right off of Park Boulevard with spaces for about 3 to 4 cars. Clearly, those go fast. While we didn’t have any issues locating the trailhead, some people think it’s a maze all in itself to find it. To ensure there is no confusion, load up Google Maps before entering Joshua Tree National Park. Service inside the park is spotty at best. And that way, you won’t miss the trailhead unless you’re really bad with maps!
Several blogs and guidebooks mark this hike as moderate. Though, we felt this was certainly one of Joshua Tree’s easiest hikes. It is a 4.7 mile loop trail that remains pretty much flat throughout making it a great option for families. And don’t worry — trail markers make this trail less confusing than it sounds.
Selfie time on the Maze Loop Trail.
Make sure you watch your surroundings to stay on track. Also, bring plenty of water. It’s easy to forget that the desert can be a dangerous place if you’re not prepared. In fact, there was a pretty infamous incident on this trail a few years back where a 20-something-year-old couple went missing after going off trail. Though, with that said, it’s pretty difficult to get lost if you follow the well-marked trail signs. The “maze” weaves throughout miles of granite jumbles, Joshua trees, cactus gardens, and fields of desert wildflowers. You will likely see some wildlife here as well including Jackrabbits. But hopefully you won’t see a big rattlesnake like we saw at our cabin. Eek!
Rattlesnake! Okay, clearly I’m not cut out to live in the desert.
4. Wall Street Mill – Easy
Wall Street Mill Hike Joshua Tree National Park.
If there is one thing I love, it’s a hike with a big payoff at the end. That is exactly what you’ll get with the Wall Street Mill hike. This is another easy one — just a 2.8 mile out and back trail that will take you to a historic mill used to refine gold ore. Along the way, you’ll find other abandoned objects scattered throughout the desert… a great spot to check out or maybe just dump the sand out of your shoes!
An old windmill and the remains of a water pump and reservoir.
This trail is fairly flat, and there is no shortage of scenic spots along the way to take in some shots of the towering Joshua Trees.
But it’s the story behind this trail that makes it one of Joshua Tree’s most unique hikes. The story goes that the owner of the Mill, Bill Keys, got in a battle with his neighbor over who controlled the road access to the mill. Long story short, Mr Keys shot his neighbor in a good o’l western shootout. He ended up getting convicted of murder and spent 5 years in San Quentin for his crime. Oopsy. Though, Keys claimed he was innocent. In fact, he even went as far as erecting a marker at the very spot of the gunfire claiming it was self-defense. Today, there is a replica of the marker (since vandals destroyed the original one). It is located about .8 miles into the trail. But it’s the eerie buildings in the middle of nowhere that makes this hike worth the quick journey. Imagine what life was like more than 100 years ago. Luckily today, you likely won’t find yourself in a wild west shootout (hopefully).
3. Fortynine Palms Oasis – Easy/Moderate
This hike takes a little more driving time to reach, located closer to the town of Twentynine Palms, or about 25 minutes from Joshua Tree’s main west entrance. Since this one takes a little more effort to reach, you’ll likely have this trail all to yourself.
The 3 mile trail is moderate in that it climbs about 350 feet in elevation and has several climbs up throughout the hike. We find these to be a little more challenging since you have to hit the hills on the return. Though, we think the hike is still a great option for families since it’s fairly short and has a great payoff at the end — a collection of palm trees surrounded by a spring. In fact, you might blink your eyes thinking you’re seeing a fake oasis given there is zero vegetation around for miles.
It’s said that the palm trees were planted by miners in the early 1900s who wanted to mark a small spring that ran through the area. While there is very little shade along the trail, you can escape the powerful sun rays once you get to the oasis. Bring along a lunch and some water to enjoy and refuel before you head back to the parking lot.
2. Lost Horse Mine Trail – Moderate
Looking over the old mining site at Lost Horse Mine Trail in Joshua Tree.
Without a doubt, one of the best hikes in Joshua Tree National Park is the Lost Horse Mine Trail. See what remains of this slice of desert history on an easy, 4-mile round-trip hike. Above and below the mill are several fenced-off mine shafts; look for the winch that lowered men and machinery into the main shaft.
The mining site is marked with signs giving background on the mine’s history.
We were planning to do just the out and back trail to the mine (4 miles). But we accidentally missed the mine. Oops! And yes, we ended up turning back around and found the mine. I tried to play it off by telling Kevin that I wanted to get in more mileage. He didn’t buy it. In case you’re wondering, you’ll know you went too far when you see rusted cables cross the trail. These cables lead up directly to the mining site.
You’ll know you went too far when you cross over these old rusted cables.
The trail follows the old mine road to a massive wooden stamp mill, still standing and in remarkably good shape; it was used to crush ore to extract the gold. If you want to do a longer hike, the Lost Horse Mine Trail continues along the mountain crest as a 6.8 mile trail, looping back to the parking lot. The trail gets tougher after the mine, reaching 1,215 in elevation. But the views are pretty spectacular.
1. Ryan Mountain Trail, Our #1 Pick for Hikes in Joshua Tree – Challenging
Who’s up for a challenge? Okay, this isn’t exactly how I framed it with Kevin before we set out on this hike that essentially climbs 1,050 feet up a mountain. But we both agreed, out of all the trails, this 3.1 mile hike was a doozy. But even though it was tough, it was well worth it for those views.
You’ll jump right into the action on this trail by climbing the stone steps, constructed out of the very rocks in the area. About a mile of the way up, we could feel our legs burning, cursing out what could only be nature’s personal StairMaster. However, it eventually does level out a little…well, before climbing up once again.
Making our way up, up and away.
We also liked that the trail continued to trick us. Just when we reached what we thought was the top, it wrapped around only to climb up more. At one point, I tried pretending I was a Joshua Tree to blend into the background and confuse Kevin. Where did Phil go? Oh he must have reached the top…
I’m a Joshua Tree…Trying my best to channel the Joshua Tree.
But keep on powering through since it’s the view that makes it all worth it. And best of all? No more uphill climb. The return is a breeze and you’ll feel so good — especially as you see others huffing and puffing their way up the mountain as you skip on by.
Now you’re officially ready for Joshua Tree and all its stunning beauty. We also highly recommend you download the AllTrails app, which comes in handy when following the trail maps (for the navigationally challenged!). Looking for other travel ideas in Joshua Tree? Be sure to check out all of our coverage for your next Josh Tree adventure. Have a few extra days out in the desert? Consider spending a full day exploring the wild west film set of Pioneertown. Or visiting a hidden llama farm near Joshua Tree where you can put these cuddly creatures to bed. And of course, who could pass up a trip to Palm Springs to see where Elvis went on his honeymoon hideaway?
Inside Elvis’ Honeymoon Hideaway in Palm Springs
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