Hikes in Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree protects over 1,200 square miles northeast of Palm Springs. The park contains a meeting of the higher Mojave Desert to the west and the lower Colorado Desert to the east. The result is a diverse mixture of vegetation that includes the park's namesake tree. Withing the rocky landscapes of Joshua Tree National Park, you'll find a variety of great hiking trails. ... Read more.
Arch Rock in Joshua Tree National Park
Want to see a natural arch in Joshua Tree National Park? Take a short hike to Arch Rock within the granite formations surrounding White Tank Campground. An easy and enjoyable 0.3-mile loop leaving the campground is a must-do stroll for anyone staying at White Tank Campground. Other park visitors can now enjoy a 1.3-mile lollipop loop hike that begins from a trailhead along Pinto Basin Road. ...Read more.
Tagged with · Arches · National Parks · Nature Trails
Distance: 1.3 miles · Elevation change: 100 feet
By: Published: December 3, 2010 Last updated: April 10, 2026
Darwin Falls in Death Valley National Park
Darwin Falls should not be part of Death Valley National Park. In fact, the year-round waterfall does not belong in the California desert at all. The hike starts as innocently as so many nearby trails, at the mouth of a gravel-bottom canyon, but after 0.7 miles the canyon closes and the trail enters a lush oasis of cottonwoods and willows. The next 0. ...Read more.
Distance: 2 miles · Elevation change: 275 feet
By: Published: May 25, 2010 Last updated: December 5, 2025
Sidewinder Canyon in Death Valley National Park
Sidewinder Canyon is located at the base of the Black Mountains on the east side of Death Valley National Park south of Badwater Basin. The canyon is fairly wide with a gravel bottom and forty-foot stone walls on both side. Within these walls lie tight slot canyons with pour-overs, carve outs, and dark passages that beg to be explored. There are three slot canyons off the south wall of the canyon and other slightly wider side canyons worth experiencing. ...Read more.
Distance: 7 miles · Elevation change: 750 feet
By: Published: May 24, 2010 Last updated: April 19, 2026
Ashford Mill in Death Valley National Park
The Ashford Mill ruins are visible to those driving up route 178 to Badwater Basin and Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park. The ruins rest on the valley floor at an elevation of 121 feet below sea level. They serve as a picturesque example of the rigors of life in this harsh desert. In 1914, Ashford Mill was built to process gold from the Ashford Mine, located in the mountains to the east. ...Read more.
Tagged with · Mines · National Parks · Ruins
By: Published: May 24, 2010 Last updated: April 15, 2026
Wildrose Peak in Death Valley National Park
Wildrose Peak resides on the northern end of a group of peaks that form the top of the Panamint Mountain Range, which runs down the west side of Death Valley National Park. The 9,064-foot peak is about seven miles north of Telescope Peak, the highest point in the park at 11,049 feet. Wildrose sports an expansive view of the Panamint Mountains, Badwater Basin, and the surrounding desert landscape. ...Read more.
Tagged with · National Parks · Summits
Distance: 8.4 miles · Elevation change: 2200 feet
By: Published: May 22, 2010 Last updated: April 18, 2026