Hondo Canyon Trail is a well maintained section of the Backbone Trail that crosses fields of grains and forests of bays as it climbing 1,550 feet over 3.8 miles. The trail passes through a quiet section of the Santa Monica Mountains west of Topanga Canyon. Hondo Canyon Trail meets roads at both ends and can be hiked as a one-way trek with a car shuttle or a 7.6-mile out and back hike without... Read more.

The hike to Lost Palms Oasis departs from Cottonwood Spring on the east side of Joshua Tree. A smaller oasis, Cottonwood Springs Oasis, is actually right at the trailhead. From there, the trail heads east on a 7.2-mile round trip track to Lost Palms Oasis. The trail leaving Cottonwood Springs Oasis The short trek to Mastodon Peak can be visited in combination with this hike as they... Read more.

Cholla Cactus Garden is one of Joshua Tree National Park's one-of-a-kind features. Located at the merger of the upper Mojave Desert and the lower Colorado Desert, this level quarter-mile loop provides access to an intense concentration of cholla cacti. The trail through Cholla Cactus Garden Perhaps the cutest cactus on the planet, the cholla has been nicknamed the teddy bear cactus,... Read more.

The ten-stamp mill and foundation of Lost Horse Mine stand at the end of a gradual 4-mile round trip trail. Lost Horse Mine has one of the best-preserved mills under National Park protection. Unlike less fortunate nearby efforts, Lost Horse Mine was one of the few mineral speculations in Joshua Tree National Park to be productive. According to the NPS, The mine yielded approximately 10,000... Read more.

Ryan Mountain offers a fairly straight forward out and back hike to a round summit at the center of Joshua Tree National Park. The 3-mile round trip trail climbs 1,050 feet up a dirt trail with numerous stone steps. The sun-exposed trail crowns a 5,457-foot mountain with impressive panoramic views of the jumbled rock formations and Joshua tree forests that surround the peak. The summit of... Read more.

For an introduction to plant and wildlife in Joshua Tree National Park, visit Hidden Valley. This one-mile loop circles a small valley that is surrounded by tall boulders. Hidden Valley Trail shows off Joshua Tree's rocky landscapes and is a great place to climb around. Hidden Valley Nature Trail Take the path from the parking lot between rock walls into Hidden Valley. After climbing... Read more.

Beyond its 101-site campground, Indian Cove offers a 0.6-mile long interpretive trail, a picnic area, and plenty of rocks for climbers. The picnic area serves as the starting point for an unmaintained trail up Rattlesnake Canyon. The rock formations around Indian Cove are perfect for bouldering, rock hopping, and more serious climbing. Have some fun in the sun and burn some calories leaping... Read more.

A secluded palm tree oasis is tucked away on the north end of Joshua Tree National Park. To reach the awesome oasis, you'll hike 3 miles round trip with 350 feet of elevation gain, passing through a variety of desert scenery and panoramic views. The trail leads to a collection of palm trees wrapped around a rare spring, an out-of-place desert destination that's a perfect target for hikers. ... Read more.

The New York Mountains are a micro-range in the northeast corner of Mojave National Preserve. The highest peak in the range (7,533 feet) offers a sprawling desert vista, and is considerably easier to reach than other peaks in Mojave, which require slower hiking around cacti and other obstacles. Those driving a low clearance vehicle will not be able to make it all the way up the dirt road... Read more.

Teutonia Peak is a rocky 5,755-foot mountain on the edge of Cima Dome in Mojave National Preserve. The dome, which is 1,500 feet tall and covers seventy square miles, is the most symmetrical dome of its type in the United States. If that geological geometrical fact doesn't strike your fancy, the hike to the panoramic rocky summit will. It is 3.4 to 4 miles round trip with 700 feet of... Read more.