Exploring Joshua Tree National Park with Kids
Photo Credit: Jacob Hoover (IG: @jhooverphotography)
Joshua Tree is one of our favorite trips we have taken in recent years. We are fortunate enough to be within driving distance (albeit a very long drive), so we were able to visit in Spring 2021 when travel was still a challenge for many. This post is a summary of our two-day itinerary at Joshua Tree and includes recommendations on how to make the most out of this National Park.
A few general tips to prepare for your Joshua Tree visit:
- Consider buying your entrance pass online. We did and expedited our entry into the park
- Most campsites require reservations and first come, first-serve sites are in high demand. There are no hotels within Joshua Tree National Park. If you are looking to stay at a hotel, we recommend the Palm Springs or Palm Desert areas. They are both urban towns with plenty of amenities and are within an hour’s drive of the park
- There is limited access to water in the park, so make sure you pack water before entering. It is hot and dry most of the year so you will need lots of water. The NPS website states there are water bottle filling stations located at the Black Rock Nature Center, the West Entrance Station, and the Joshua Tree Cultural Center
- There are no restaurants, stores, gas stations, or other places to buy food within the park. Pack in and pack out what you need for your adventures
- Must have gear for day access: sunscreen, water bottles, coolers, hiking boots, cameras, hats, sunglasses, change of clothes (layers), food, Junior Ranger booklets (available at the visitor center)
- Review the weather before planning your trip. Summers can be prohibitively hot!
Our Itinerary
At the time of our visit our children were four and six years old so that impacted our level of adventure when exploring the park. Both kids were used to hiking with mom and dad, so we were more worried about their endurance versus their ability to independently hike for most of each trail.
Day 1
The first day in the park we entered via the West Entrance through the town of Joshua Tree. We got to the Joshua Tree Visitor Center around 9am and it was already VERY busy so our advice is to arrive early. Considering March was still a low travel period with no tour buses, we can only imagine how busy it would be during peak season today. Before leaving the visitor center, we grabbed a map (our kids love having their own trail maps) and used the restrooms.
From there we headed into the park. The drive into the park is great as you see the gorgeous Joshua Trees and the Mojave Desert landscape. We headed directly to the Hidden Valley trailhead, which is easily accessible from the West Entrance. By the time we got to the trailhead, the main parking area was full, but we were able to find a spot across the main road through the park in another lot. It worked out great as there were some rock climbers right near the parking lot and our kids watched in awe while eating a quick snack and getting their hiking boots ready.
The Hidden Valley Trail is a one-mile loop. It is a popular spot based on our experience, so we recommend heading there as early as possible and as your first destination. This short trail has everything you want to see. Joshua Trees, monzogranite boulders, cacti, and wildlife. The highlight for our kids was climbing the boulders toward the start of the trail. We would recommend this trail for anyone visiting with kids.
Quick Tip: It gets hots quickly, even when we visited in March, so we suggest dressing in layers, packing lots of water, snacks, and having some 'motivation’ if you have little ones (we use gummy bears and starburst candies).
After hiking Hidden Valley we decided to find a picnic table and eat some lunch. We hopped in the car and stopped along the way to Skull Rock where we found a less busy location and ate while watching more rock climbers.
Once we were reenergized, we headed to Skull Rock. Parking was along the road, and we hiked along a trail parallel to the road to get to Skull Rock proper. Skull Rock is worth seeing but is also very busy. Our little guy in particular thought it was cool. We took some pictures and then let the kids explore the rock formations in the area and slowly (and indirectly) worked our way in the direction of our car. Rock jumping became the activity favorite of the Skull Rock area and the views were great so no complaints.
If you are staying in Palm Springs or Palm Desert, we recommend doing the loop through Joshua Tree vs backtracking from Skull Rock. So, even though the kids were losing energy, we decided to power through to the Cholla Cactus Garden. I personally wanted to check it out so I convinced everyone to participate in one more adventure for the day. It was a bit of a drive through the park, but we were on the lookout for a horned sheep so that kept everyone busy and enjoying the changing landscape.
The Cholla Cactus Garden area was very unique. It had a clearly marked, flat trail to follow. There were signs everywhere with “Do Not Touch” so I have to admit I was a bit nervous for our 4-year old. Another name for the cholla cactus is “teddy bear” cactus so you can image my worry, but he did great.
The Cholla Cactus Garden Trail is very accessible. It is a flat loop that leads visitors through almost 10 acres of landscape with teddy bear cholla. Some of it is a dirt path while other sections are wooden boardwalks.
From there we stopped at the Visitor Center at the Cottonwood exit. We poked around their shop, but the highlight here was when our kids received their Junior Ranger packets. The booklets had information about the park, including what animals and plants to be on the lookout for. This became helpful when we returned for Day 2. And, it helped motivate the kids to want to return for a second day in the park. If you are only heading to the park for one day, be sure to ask about the Junior Ranger booklets at the Visitor Center you enter!
Quick Tip: When visiting any National Park always ask the Park Rangers at the Visitor Center about Junior Ranger opportunities. Each park has its own unique Junior Ranger program and opportunity to earn a Junior Ranger badge.
Day 2
We headed back into the park to visit Barker Dam. Again, we entered through the West Entrance since it was closest to us and the trailhead. Barker Dam is a 1.1 mile loop. This trail was great since it had a mix of Joshua Tree’s iconic monzogranite boulders, Joshua trees and Mojave yucca, and the historic Barker Dam.
It quickly got hot so with two little ones we slowly worked our way along the loop. Fortunately, we found a shaded boulder area that was great for a break and snacks near the actual dam. From there we kept going and while the landscape change was beautiful, shade was lacking so the kids ran out of energy quickly. Another reminder to bring your own shade: hatsare a must!
After getting back to the trailhead everyone was tired and ready to rest. We ate some lunch and decided to not push the kids to do another trail. We had the time, but decided it was the best decision for our family. While we always want to see as much as we can, we also want our kids to remember our outdoor adventures positively and sometimes you need to respect and sense everyone’s limits.
We explored a bit more by car and were still on the hunt for the big horned sheep, but no luck this visit. Joshua Tree National Park is definitely worth a visit. We haven’t been anywhere quite like it and plan to visit again soon.
We hope sharing a bit about our trip was helpful. Please let us know if you have any questions in the comments below.
As always, we hope to see you outside.