The 27 Essential Things to Do in Joshua Tree

👉 Jump to: Things to Do | Outdoor Activities | Nearby Attractions | Hiking | Food & Drink

Joshua Tree is one of the most iconic places in the American West. From tranquil desert sunsets and hiking trails to Wild West towns and horseback riding — there’s no shortage of things to do in Joshua Tree. 

As a Southern California local, I visit Joshua Tree frequently and I’m here to help you find as much magic in your visit as I do! Your trip to Joshua Tree is sure to be unforgettable, whether you’re a die-hard U2 fan, an outdoor enthusiast, or a desert newbie.

And before you visit, make sure you bookmark our guide to where to stay in Joshua Tree. After reading this article, you may want to stay a few days.

27 Best Things to Do in Joshua Tree

Arch Rock

Walk beneath a gigantic rock naturally shaped like an arch.

📍 Google Maps | Hours: Open 24/7 | Entrance: $30 per vehicle

Arch Rock, the crown jewel of the Jumbo Rocks area, is one of the most visited attractions inside Joshua Tree National Park. The natural arch is nearly 30 feet across. 

The trail that takes you to Arch Rock is short and relatively easy, and it leads you through plenty of other whimsical formations on the way. Fit the whole family underneath for a unique vacation photo!

Town of Joshua Tree

Explore funky shops and old saloons in this tiny retro town just outside the national park.

📍 Google Maps

Blink and you might miss the tiny retro town of Joshua Tree. Nestled right outside the northern entrance to Joshua Tree National Park, this funky town gives off 60s vibes, with vintage shops, retro bars, and natural jewelry or crystal stores. 

The majority of the shops in Joshua Tree are owned by locals, so purchases you make help support the community. Swing by my favorite cafe, Joshua Tree Coffee Company, for a drink while you browse the quirky shops in town.

Barker Dam Nature Trail

Hike toward a historic dam on a relatively easy trail — and spot lots of desert wildlife on the way.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (760) 367-5500 | Website | Hours: Open 24/7 | Entrance: $30 per vehicle

Check out the mile long Barker Dam Nature Trail if you’re looking for a short nature trail with a big payoff. Along the trail, you’ll see swaths of Joshua Trees, a dam from the 1800s, and even ancient petroglyphs left by early humans.

The Barker Dam Nature Trail is relatively flat and is kid-friendly. There are informative signs posted along the way, offering information about the local flora and fauna. Check it out close to sunset for more wildlife sightings – jackrabbits and other critters come out at dusk. And keep your eye out for bighorn sheep – they’re known to visit the dam to drink!

Jumbo Rocks

Climb and admire massive rock formations at my favorite campground in the park.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (760) 367-3001 | Website | Hours: Open 24/7 | Entrance: $30 per vehicle

A sea of gigantic boulders awaits exploration at Jumbo Rocks! There are trails that wind through this area of the national park, or you can scramble over rocks on your own. These boulder formations are great for rock climbing.

Some of the boulder formations at Jumbo Rocks are so iconic that they have their own names. Visit Arch Rock and Skull Rock for some truly incredible views. Arch Rock Trail is an easy nature trail that will take you on a one-mile walk through the heart of these formations.

Ryan Mountain Trail

Ascend Ryan Mountain for panoramic desert views.

📍 Google Maps | Website | Hours: Open 24/7 | Entrance: $30 per vehicle

Check out the three-mile-long Ryan Mountain Trail if you’re looking for sweeping mountaintop views of Joshua Tree. It made our list of epic California hikes for a reason! 

Ryan Mountain is best to hike in either the early morning or evening. Avoid midday, as there is little shade on this trail and it will get quite hot. Pack a lunch to enjoy at the summit — there’s some nice rock piles you can rest on while you eat.

Stargazing

Joshua Tree’s dark desert sky is one of the best spots in California to look at the stars.

📍 Google Maps | Website

The night sky in Joshua Tree is perfect for stargazing. Far from hazy Los Angeles, the desert offers a crystal clear night sky that makes it easy to spot constellations.

Camping in the national park or staying nearby is the best way to witness these gorgeous nighttime views. Joshua Tree National Park is an International Dark Sky Park, meaning that artificial light is limited nearby to preserve the natural nighttime environment.

Stargazing in Joshua Tree gives visitors the opportunity to see the Milky Way – a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Avoid visiting during the full moon, as the light can decrease your visibility of the stars.

👉 Pro Tip: Stay at Cottonwood Campground if you’re searching for stars – this site is home to the darkest skies in the park!

Rock Climbing

Climb Joshua Tree’s epic quartz monzonite formations, which draw climbers from all over the world.

📍 Google Maps | Website | Hours: Open 24/7 | Entrance: $30 per vehicle | 👉 Book a Rock Climbing Tour on Viator

Climbers far and wide flock to Joshua Tree to challenge themselves and enjoy rock climbing at the park. After all, J-Tree is a world-class climbing location and one of the best rock climbing spots in California.

The national park provides opportunities for climbing, highlining, bouldering, and slacklining. There are over 8,000 different climbing routes in the park, in addition to 2,000 boulder problems for you to take on.

Experienced climbers can set out on their own, and beginners can book a rock climbing tour that provides all the equipment and instruction you need to get started.

Fortynine Palms Oasis Trail

Hike to a desert oasis surrounded by palm trees and keep your eye out for wildlife.

📍 Google Maps | Website | Hours: Open 24/7 | Entrance: Free

Finding a lush oasis in the desert is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and the Fortynine Palms Oasis Trail is exactly that. Since the trailhead is actually outside the park’s gates, this hike is free. The trail is just over three miles but can be challenging in some parts.

You’ll have panoramic views of the valley and geometric rock formations on the Fortynine Palms Oasis Trail. As you approach the oasis, you’ll see tall, shaggy palm trees that look a little out of place. At the oasis, keep your eye out for toads and other wildlife looking for a drink!

Pioneertown

Travel back in time to the Old West at this movie set from the 1940s.

📍 Google Maps | Website | Hours: Open Daily | Entrance: Free

Pioneertown is just the place to wear your cowboy hat. This classic Old West-style town was created in 1946 as a realistic movie set for Westerns. Pioneertown is home to fully functioning businesses like restaurants and small shops, and makes for a fun family day.

Stop by Pappy & Harriet’s for a bison burger, or sip on a cool cocktail at the Red Dog Saloon. Visit Soap & Goats to browse locally crafted goods like soap and scarves, and meet some adorable and friendly goats!

Joshua Tree Music Festival

Feed your soul with local music and mindfulness workshops.

📍 Google Maps | Website

The Joshua Tree Music Festival is an inspiring event where creatives and music fans can gather and relax in the desert. This is one of the best music festivals in California!

The festival is held in May and October and offers more than just live music. Check out a yoga class, sound bath, mindfulness workshop, or songwriting class while you attend.

Joshua Tree Hiking Trails

Contact Mine Trail

Trek to an abandoned mine in Joshua Tree National Park.

📍 Google Maps | Website | Hours: Open 24/7 | Entrance: $30 per vehicle

Just past the North Entrance to Joshua Tree National Park, this four-mile trail called the Contact Mine Trail leads you up the side of a mountain to an abandoned gold and silver mine.

You can still see the rusted remains of the mine, like tracks, winches, mine shafts, and abandoned equipment. This trail is perfect for a morning adventure before heading deeper into the national park.

Boy Scout Trail

Hike into the “Wonderland of Rocks” on one of my absolute favorite trails in the park. 

📍 Google Maps | Website | Hours: Open 24/7 | Entrance: $30 per vehicle

Joshua Tree’s Boy Scout Trail has something for everyone. The trail is 8 miles long round-trip, is relatively flat, and is an out-and-back, so you can make it as long or short as you want. However, the further into the trail you go, the better it gets. 

Once you’re about 2 miles in, you get into the “Wonderland of Rocks,” which is exactly what it sounds like. You’ll follow a small creek through massive boulder formations until you arrive at an oasis called Willow Glen. You really start to feel like you’re the only person in the park — it’s not crowded at all!

Hidden Valley Nature Trail

Observe unique rock formations in the heart of Joshua Tree.

📍 Google Maps | Website | Hours: Open 24/7 | Entrance: $30 per vehicle

Visiting strange, gigantic rocks is one of the most popular attractions in Joshua Tree, and the Hidden Valley Nature Trail provides just that opportunity. One of the shorter hiking trails in the park, this one-mile loop is surrounded by boulders and wildflowers in spring.

It’s one of my favorite trails for getting the highlights of Joshua Tree in just a short trail!

👉 Pro Tip: Stop by Keys Ranch on your way to the trail if you enter the park at the West Entrance. Here, you can tour a historic early settlement and learn about early ranching and mining efforts in the area.

Lost Horse Mine Trail

Take a challenging 7-mile hike up to an old gold mine.

📍 Google Maps | Website | Hours: Open 24/7 | Entrance: $30 per vehicle

Close to the Keys View lookout, you’ll find the Lost Horse Mine Trail. 

This challenging seven-mile hike leads to a historic abandoned gold mine and mill. The mill is extremely well preserved and is a great sightseeing destination for history buffs!

California Riding and Hiking Trail

Backpack through Joshua Tree on this 38-mile trail in the desert backcountry.

📍 Google Maps | Website | Hours: Open 24/7| Entrance: $30 per vehicle

Want to walk across all of Joshua Tree National Park? The California Riding and Hiking Trail offers the opportunity. This 38-mile backpacking trail can take 4 days to complete and stretches through the entire park.

Pack plenty of water and food if you plan to take on this hike – the desert backcountry is quite dry, and temperatures can climb rapidly. Know your limits and plan ahead!

Outdoor Activities in Joshua Tree

Camping

Sleep in the National Park in a tent or RV at one of the best places to camp in California.

📍 Google Maps | Website

Joshua Tree is one of my favorite places to camp in California. Camping in Joshua Tree National Park gives visitors easy access to the park and its trails. You can pitch a tent at Jumbo Rocks, or park your RV at Belle Campground and enjoy the stars.

There are 9 campgrounds inside Joshua Tree National Park. These sites have primitive restrooms and fire grates, but no water, so pack plenty of your own. Outside the park, you can reserve private campgrounds or camp on BLM land for free.

👉 Pro Tip: Joshua Tree summers can be extremely hot – camp out between October and April for a more comfortable experience. See our guide to the best time to visit Joshua Tree for more.

Offroading

Explore the park on rugged 4×4 trails and admire the rugged landscape.

📍 Google Maps | Website | 👉 Book an Offroad Tour on Viator

While exploring Joshua Tree on foot is an option, some prefer to take in the sights on wheels. There are ample options for offroading in Joshua Tree. The park has tons of dirt roads that are open to 4-wheel drive vehicles and mountain bikes.

Take on the challenging, rugged 20-mile road at Pinkham Canyon, or drive through Covington Flat where you’ll see some of the biggest Joshua Trees in the park. You’ll be able to cover more of the park and admire more desert landscapes on wheels than by foot!

Keys View

Enjoy sweeping views of the Coachella Valley and take the perfect sunset photo.

📍 Google Maps | Website | Hours: Open 24/7

Keys View is the best viewpoint in the park. Visiting during the day will give you panoramic views of the Salton Sea and the mountains. On particularly clear days, you might even see Mexico.

However, this viewpoint is best at sunset. Watch the horizon fill with rich reds, yellows, and cloud-streaked oranges. Make sure to get there early – the parking lot fills up fast with other people who want to take in the views!

Cholla Cactus Garden

Stroll through the cholla cactus-filled Pinto Basin that’s easy to access even with small children.

📍 Google Maps | Website | Hours: Open 24/7

While Joshua Trees tend to steal the show at this national park, the desert is also home to cholla cacti. The Cholla Cactus Garden is a place where teddybear cholla cacti naturally dominate the terrain.

The trail through the Cholla Cactus Garden is a short trail at only a quarter mile long, so it’s great for families with small children. The garden is also home to fragrant creosote bushes and wildflowers that pepper the desert with color during spring.

Horseback Riding

Explore Joshua Tree on horseback as you ride through the Mojave Desert.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (760) 821-7525 | Website | Entrance: $220 – 400 per person

Knob Hill Ranch is just west of Joshua Tree National Park and offers visitors the opportunity to ride horses through the Mojave Desert. The Ranch provides guided tours, which are open to all, even if you’ve never ridden horseback before.

To make sure you’re comfortable on your horse, Knob Hill Ranch encourages guests to warm up on their horses in the pen, and also offers lessons. Once you’re comfortable, you can ride into Joshua Tree and check out the desert and mountain views!

Attractions Near Joshua Tree

Desert Hot Springs

Soak and relax in natural mineral springs located just west of Joshua Tree.

📍 Google Maps | Website 

Just west of Joshua Tree, Desert Hot Springs is home to underground hot springs that well up and form pools. Searching for a relaxing, refreshing spot to visit? This is the place! There are many resort and spa options in the area where you can soak the stress away.

People travel to this city to soak in the healing waters of natural mineral springs. Mineral Springs Resort & Spa offers guests eight mineral pools to choose from at varying temperatures, all of which are open 24 hours a day.

Slab City

Experience art in “the last free place in America”.

📍 Google Maps

Slab City, also known as the Slabs, is an off-the-grid desert community near the Salton Sea — about 1.5 hours from Joshua Tree National Park. Just outside Slab City, you’ll find Salvation Mountain, a gigantic, colorful piece of art that is a popular destination for photographs.

In the neighborhood of East Jesus, you can check out tons of quirky art installations at the outdoor art garden. Stacks of old televisions, whimsically decorated cars, a towering mammoth constructed from blown-out car tires, and more creations await.

👉 Pro Tip: Slab City is an unincorporated community with many alternative, free-spirited individuals. It’s a beautiful and unique place, but keep your wits about you. Sometimes it can be unsafe at night.

Mecca Hills Wilderness

Climb through curvy slot canyons that look like something from another planet.

📍 Google Maps | Website | Hours: Open 24/7

The colorful canyons in the Mecca Hills Wilderness look like the surface of another planet. Located south of Joshua Tree, this wild area is home to trails where you can climb ladders through slot canyons.

Along these trails, walls of rock surround you as you navigate stratified red canyons. The trails here are sandy and can be challenging, so come prepared with hiking boots and plenty of water.

Food & Drink

Joshua Tree Saloon

Dine at an Old West-style saloon just minutes from Joshua Tree National Park.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (760) 366-2250 | Website | Hours: 11 am – 11 pm Sun-Thurs; 11 am – 12 am Fri-Sat

The Joshua Tree Saloon, in the town of Joshua Tree, is mere minutes from the West Entrance to the park. With beers on tap, savory appetizers, and a variety of sandwiches, burgers, and salads, this is the best place to chow down after a long day of hiking. 

The hearty fare at Joshua Tree Saloon will keep you fueled on your adventures. And, you can wind down at night with a game of pool or some live music — the bar often has bands playing in the back patio!

Joshua Tree Coffee Company

Sip on local, small-batch coffee made with organic beans.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (760) 974-4060 | Website | Hours: 7 am – 3 pm daily

Joshua Tree Coffee sources organic beans and roasts them in-house, where you can grab a cup to go or buy a bag of whole beans to go. 

The coffee is great, but the ambiance is even better. Sit out on the back patio in the sun, with plenty of seating to choose from. This place is always crowded. It’s one of the best spots in town for relaxing and having a cold drink in the desert heat.

Joshua Tree Country Kitchen

Savor country favorites – don’t miss the gravy!

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (760) 366-8988 | Website | Hours: 7 am – 3 pm daily

What could be better than a warm, homestyle meal on a cool desert morning? Stop by Joshua Tree Country Kitchen for classic comfort food. There’s also some Cambodian fare on the menu – the recipes were created by the prior owner!

Crossroads Cafe

Enjoy hearty diner meals in a cozy setting

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (760) 366-5414 | Website | Hours: 7:30 am – 8 pm Fri – Tues; 7:30 am – 2:30 pm Wed – Thurs

The Crossroads Cafe offers classic diner food in an Old West-style restaurant. They also have an in-house pastry chef who bakes up a variety of tasty treats that make perfect post-hike snacks!

Stop by for lunch and try their unique “Garfunkel” artichoke sandwich if you’re looking for something different.

👉 Read Next: Things to Do in San Diego, California

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That’s a wrap on what to do in Joshua Tree! Between hiking rugged trails, jamming at musical festivals, horseback riding, and sampling local food, it’s impossible to run out of fun things to do in Joshua Tree.

Looking for more in Southern California but prefer a coastal destination? Check out my guide to things to do in Long Beach next!