Place
Places
Places in Joshua Tree National Park
Viewpoints, landmarks, trailheads, and useful stops.
Place
Keys View
Drive-up ridge with vast Coachella Valley and Salton Sea views
Place
Ryan Mountain
Short, steep climb to the park’s best 360-degree summit views
Place
49 Palms Oasis
A true desert palm oasis at the end of a rewarding hike
Place
Arch Rock
Short hike to a photogenic granite arch amid boulder playground
Place
Barker Dam
Short loop to a rare desert reservoir, history, and rock art
Place
Cholla Cactus Garden
A glowing forest of teddybear cholla on a 0.25-mile loop
Place
Desert Queen Ranch (Keys Ranch)
A preserved homestead visited only on ranger-led tours
Place
Hidden Valley Campground
Iconic climbers’ campground tucked into granite and Joshua trees
Place
Hidden Valley Overlook
Classic short loop of boulders and basin views
Place
Hidden Valley Picnic Area
Rock-ringed picnic spot beside the park’s best 1‑mile loop
Place
Indian Cove Campground
Campsites tucked into boulders with starry skies and climbing next door
Place
Joshua Tree National Park Visitor Center
Modern gateway for passes, exhibits, water, and EV charging
Place
Jumbo Rocks Campground
Big-boulder camping with easy Skull Rock access and starry skies
Place
Real Hidden Valley
Short loop through towering granite, with classic bouldering and history
Place
Ryan Campground
Small, scenic base camp beside boulders with trails and dark skies
Place
Warren Peak
Quieter summit hike with big 360-degree desert and mountain views
Place
Hall of Horrors
Short loop to hidden slot canyons and fun granite scrambling
Place
Lost Palms Oasis
A lush fan-palm canyon reached by a long, exposed desert hike
Place
Skull Rock
Iconic skull-shaped boulder right off the main park road
Place
Fortynine Palms Oasis
A rare palm oasis reached by a short exposed ridge hike
Place
Joshua Tree Visitor Center (Oasis of Mara)
Visitor center beside a real palm oasis with easy loop trail
Place
Lost Horse Mine
Historic mine ruins via a scenic, moderately challenging hike
Place
Lost Horse Valley Overlook
Roadside panorama of dense Joshua trees and granite outcrops
Place
Wall Street Mill
Easy walk to the best-preserved historic gold mill
Place
Wonderland of Rocks
A vast granite maze for scramblers, climbers, and solitude seekers
Place
Belle Campground
Tiny, scenic first-come campground tucked among boulders with stellar night skies
Place
Cap Rock
Easy loop around a photogenic boulder stack topped with a “cap”
Place
Black Rock Campground
Joshua tree forest campground with water, trails, and easy town access
Place
Cottonwood Visitor Center
Quieter southern gateway with water, exhibits, and Cottonwood Springs access
Place
Eagle Cliff Boulder House
A hidden miner’s cabin ingeniously built into desert boulders
Place
Headstone Rock
Iconic balancing boulder with classic easy-moderate climbs and big views
Place
Indian Cove
Secluded boulder maze with reservable camps and easy climbing access
Place
Intersection Rock
Central monolith and social hub for climbers with easy access
Place
Mastodon Peak
Short summit loop with 360 views and mining relics
Place
Split Rock
Granite playground on a mellow 2.5-mile loop
Place
The Blob
Iconic Hidden Valley climbing dome with beginner cracks and big views
Place
White Tank Campground
Boulder-ringed, dark-sky campground steps from Arch Rock
Place
Willow Hole
Shady willow oasis tucked deep in the Wonderland of Rocks
Place
Cottonwood Campground
Dark-sky, no-frills base near the south entrance and spring hikes
Place
High View
Short loop to wide 360-degree views above Black Rock Canyon
Place
Pine City
Quiet pine–juniper oasis with mining relics and canyon views
Place
Quail Springs Picnic Area
Convenient picnic stop among boulders with trailheads and night skies
Place
Sheep Pass Campground
Group-only sites among boulders with big desert skies
Place
Eureka Peak
Quiet summit with big views via 4x4 road or long hike
Place
Geology Tour Road
Self-guided 18-mile dirt drive through Joshua tree rock country
Place
Mastodon Mine
Historic gold mine ruins on a short, view‑packed loop
Place
Astro Dome
Remote twin domes with legendary climbs and big Wonderland views
Place
Black Rock Nature Center
Small hub for hikes, art, and info amid dense Joshua tree forest
Place
Cottonwood Spring
Shady fan palm oasis and trailhead near the south entrance
Place
Desert Queen Mine
Historic gold mine ruins with big views and few crowds
Place
Rattlesnake Canyon
Short canyon, big adventure through boulder mazes and seasonal pools
Place
Contact Mine
Quiet historic mine hike with relics and big desert views
Place
Queen Mountain
Remote off-trail summit with sweeping desert panoramas
Place
Cyclops Rock
Granite dome with the Eye window and easy, crowd-pleasing climbs
Place
Indian Cove Overlook
Quiet granite views on a short loop with sunrise and wildlife
Place
Pinto Basin view
Remote desert vistas and some of the park’s darkest night skies
Place
Quail Mountain
Remote summit and the park’s highest point with big desert views
Place
The Old Woman
Iconic Hidden Valley crag steps from camp with classic cracks
Place
Twin Tanks
Quiet rock basins and petroglyphs beyond a low-key trailhead
Place
Live Oak Picnic Area
Shady oak and boulders make an easy, scenic picnic stop
Place
Indian Cove Ranger Station
Quick stop for water, maps, and Indian Cove camping logistics
Place
Oasis of Mara
Shady fan palms and a quick, interpretive stroll in town
Place
Oasis of Mara Overlook
Easy palm oasis loop with history and desert wildlife
Place
Petroglyphs
Film-brightened rock art in a shaded alcove off Barker Dam
Place
Ryan Ranch
Easy walk to photogenic 1896 adobe ruins in open desert
Place
Samuelson's Rocks
Desert boulders etched with 1920s philosophy, found by treasure hunt
Place
Ocotillo Patch
Roadside ocotillo grove that erupts in red after rain
Place
Silver Bell Mine
Quiet mine ruins with twin tipples and Pinto Basin views
Place
Gram Parsons
Unmarked Gram Parsons pilgrimage tucked behind scenic Cap Rock
Place
Cow Camp
Remote outlaw-era ruins with Keys-era ranching relics
Place
Malapai Hill viewpoint
Roadside pullout with a stark view of dark basalt Malapai Hill
Place
Worth Bagley stone
A blunt, macabre marker on the Wall Street Mill trail
Place
West Entrance Station
Busiest gate with restrooms and water just inside the park
Place
North Entrance Station
Often shorter lines if arriving from Twentynine Palms
Place
North Entrance Sign
Quick photo stop at the Twentynine Palms gateway sign
Place
South Entrance Park Sign
Quick photo stop marking the south boundary amid open desert
Place
