Ultimate Joshua Tree Hiking Guide: 24-hours in Joshua Tree National Park

Larger than the state of Rhode Island, Joshua Tree National Park is an iconic park in California. Since the park is so big and there’s so much to see, planning a trip to Joshua Tree can be a little overwhelming. If you only have 24-hours in the park this family-friendly Joshua Tree hiking guide includes the best hikes in Joshua Tree National Park.

The adventure starts stargazing from your campsite at Cottonwood Campground and ends by hiking four of the best nature areas in Joshua Tree National Park. As you explore this vast park you’ll move from the flat plains of the Colorado Desert, filled with cholla cactus and yucca plants, to the Mojave Desert surrounded by towering rock formations and the gangly Joshua Trees.

In this 24-hour Joshua Tree hiking itinerary you’ll enter through the South Entrance (off of Hwy 10) and exit at the West Entrance Station on the opposite side of the park.

Tips for Visiting Joshua Tree

The best time to visit Joshua Tree National Park is from October-May. The desert gets really, really hot (over 100 degrees Fahrenheit) in the summer, and it can be unsafe to hike in Joshua Tree at the peak of the day in these extreme temperatures. If you’re visiting in the winter (December and January) the night time temperatures can dip below freezing, so be sure to bring your heavy sleeping bags and insulated sleeping pad if you’re camping.

Dogs are not allowed on the trails, but are allowed on leash in Cottonwood campground. If you are traveling with your best four-legged friend you’ll need to stick to walking on the roads. And if you’re visiting the park on a warm day don’t leave your dog unattended in the car. Honestly, it’s probably best to leave your pet at home for this trip.

Please respect the Joshua Trees and the delicate desert vegetation. The iconic Joshua Tree only grows 3-inches a year. This means that the tall Joshua Trees that you see in the West side of the park are hundreds of years old, some trees are even thousands of years old. These delicate trees are declining in number. Please refrain from climbing the Joshua Trees or hanging hammocks from them. If you climb on the trees you not only hurt these delicate plants, but you risk being ridiculed on the Instagram page Joshua Tree Hates You, and no one wants that!

Here are a few other tips to be an awesome park visitor at Joshua Tree:

• 1. Campfires are only allowed in established campsite fire pits.
• 2. Do not drive off of established roads.
• 3. Camp in designated sites only. Backcountry camping is allowed only in designated areas.
• 4. Carry out your toilet paper and dispose of waste properly, or better yet, stick to using the park bathrooms.
• 5. Never touch a tortoise. The tortoise has a very delicate system and if  you touch one you can kill it!
• 6. Let wildlife be wild! Do not feed, approach, or touch any wildlife.

Joshua Tree Entrance Fee

The park and campgrounds are open 24/7, 365-days a year so you can come and go as you please. If you’re camping you’ll need to pay the park entrance fee in addition to the campsite fees. If you pass through one of the park’s five entrance stations when it is closed know that you may need to pay on your way out of the park.

In 2020 the Joshua Tree National Park entrance fee was $30 for those without a National Parks pass. The fee is charged per car (not per-person) and the pass is good for 7 days. If you love our parks as much as I do it is totally worth it to get a America the Beautiful annual pass. The annual pass is $80 and it can be used for national parks and national forests throughout the country.

If you’re on a budget the park has multiple free entrance days every year. In 2020 the free entrance days are:

January 20th

April 18th

August 25th

September 26th

November 11th

Preparing for Desert Hikes

Water is hard to come by in the desert and Joshua Tree National Park is no different. Most stops along this route don’t have water fountains or spigots so you should bring extra water in the car with you. It is recommended to pack 2-gallons of water per person.

The desert seems to suck all moisture out of your skin and the sun is extra strong. In addition to extra water, you’ll want to pack a hat and slather on the sunblock. I hate the greasy feeling of sunblock so I choose to wear a light colored, lightweight long-sleeve shirt to protect my skin. I typically wear something like this Columbia button down shirt or this cute, but inexpensive lightweight long-sleeve shirt with UPF 50 protection.

There’s no wifi or cell service in the park. Be prepared with a full tank of gas and a map of the park so you don’t miss any of the sites.

Hiking Map

The free map that the park provides is a good reference guide, but if you are going to do any significant hiking you’ll want a map of all of Joshua Tree’s trails. The National Geographic Trail Illustrated Guide for Joshua Tree is a great map. It’s what we used and it helped us navigate the trails as well as navigating through the park. And since the park doesn’t offer any wifi or cell service a paper map is essential.

Joshua Tree Hiking Guide

This guide starts with an overnight at Cottonwood Campground and ends by exiting the park’s west entrance station near the artsy, old-west style town of Joshua Tree. But, it is just as easy to do trip in reverse. Since the drive to Joshua Tree is a few hours from San Diego I prefer to make the drive and get a good night’s sleep at camp before exploring the park.

Spend the Night at Cottonwood Springs Campground

Start your Joshua Tree National Park adventure by stargazing and swapping stories around the campfire. Cottonwood Campground is a short distance from the south entrance of Joshua Tree National Park and just down the road from the Cottonwood Visitor Center. The night sky is the main attraction at this campground, and the sky is so dark here that you can often see the milky way.

The campground has 62-sites and advance reservations are required through Recreation.gov to camp during the busy season (October through May). The campground has running water and flush toilets, but it does not have a camp store (if you want a campfire you’ll have to bring your firewood with you). Sites are small, but each site comes with a picnic table, a fire ring, and space for two or three tents (RVs are also allowed in the campground). Campers are not allowed to use hammocks in the campground.

Hike the Mastodon Peak Loop

Start your morning by taking an early morning stroll after breakfast, or hit the trail after packing up camp. This easy 3-mile loop begins at the Cottonwood campground and is the first hike in your 24-hour Joshua Tree itinerary. At three-miles this is the longest hike of the day.

The hike features an abandoned mine, a palm oasis, and spectacular views of the Salton Sea and the Coachella Valley. Since this trail begins from the campground you don’t need to move your car (this also means that you’ll be hiking the trail in the opposite direction from most other hikers). Check out the Mastodon Peak hiking guide for a full description of this trail.

After the hike, pack up the car and head out on Pinto Basin Road to see the rest of Joshua Tree National Park.

Visit the Cholla Cactus Garden

There will be a number of viewpoints and pull-outs along Pinto Basin road before you reach the Cholla Cactus Garden. This is the dividing line between the Mojave Desert and the Colorado Desert. In the middle of this wide desert valley there are thousands of fuzzy-looking cholla cactus. Even though these plants may look friendly, if you touch them your hands will be covered in spiky needles. Stretch your legs on a short quarter-mile nature trail through the garden.

See Arch Rock

Just past the White Tank Campground you’ll see a large parking lot on the left side of the road (Twin Tanks Parking Area).

The trailhead for this half-mile hike begins at the far side of the parking lot and meanders through the wide desert valley a short distance before the trail crosses the road at a crosswalk. Continue straight on the Arch Rock Nature Trail following signs for Arch Rock. As you head into the rocks you’ll pass several interpretive signs about the natural geology of the area. After you pass by The Arch continue on the trail a short distance until it brings you back to path that leads back to the parking lot.

If you want to spend more time around these amazing rocks you can take a quick detour and follow the path toward White Tank Campground (P.S. there’s a bathroom here too).

Cruise by Skeleton Rock

After leaving the Arch Rock you’ll head back on the road and continue on Pinto Basin before you make a left onto Park Boulevard. Skeleton Rock is a popular Instagram spot and it can be mobbed on the weekends. Luckily for you, the rock is visible from the road. Since there is usually some slow-moving traffic you can admire the rock while you slowly cruise by, knowing that another awesome hike is just down the road.

Walk the Barker Dam Nature Trail

The Barker dam loop trailhead is located at the turnoff for Hidden Valley. This hike is an easy 1.5-mile nature trail to a natural desert reservoir. The path goes through a narrow canyon with towering rock walls before reaching the Barker dam and reservoir. If it has been a wet winter the small pond in the middle of the desert can be quite a sight when it is filled to capacity.

Originally called the Big Horn Dam the dam itself was constructed by early pioneers as a watering hole for cattle. As you continue on the trail, and begin to loop back to the parking lot, you’ll walk through a wide valley passing by several interpretive plaques and even some petroglyphs.

This area is popular with climbers and hikers and the small parking lot can be quite busy on the weekend. The trailhead is located at the turnoff for Hidden Valley. Go past the Hidden Valley Camp and continue until the end of the road. To begin the hike, look for the trail leading from the restroom towards the large boulders.

Enjoy the Desert Sunset

A Joshua Tree sunset is absolutely magical. The best part is that you can get amazing views from anywhere in the park. The sky lights up with vivid streaks of pink, red, and orange and the rocks seem to glow. As sunset approaches cars will start to pull over into any available turnout. Believe me, the sunset is definitely worth pulling over for because you’re going to want to watch every minute of it. As you watch the sunset take a moment to reflect on all your amazing adventures.