Parking
Park at Black Rock Backcountry Trailhead, or use Black Rock Nature Center and start near campsite 30. Parking is limited; the horse parking area may be used for overflow on busy days.
Overview
About Burnt Hill Trail
Why go
- A varied circuit through a wash, narrow canyon and open valley
- Pinyon and Joshua trees add character to the low hills
Heads up
- Very little midday shade makes heat the deciding factor
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Joshua Tree map
Full mapElevation3,967–4,892 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
5 active Joshua Tree alerts
- ClosureOasis of Mara Trail closed past the OasisThe Oasis of Mara Trail is closed past the Oasis due to a heavy flooding event; do not continue beyond the Oasis. Check current park conditions before visiting.Official details
- ClosureSR 62 and US 95 closed by floodingFlooding has closed portions of SR 62 and US 95; avoid the closed segments.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Joshua Tree Tour Guide
Your drive to Burnt Hill Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Joshua Tree National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Joshua Tree audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Black Rock Canyon and Its Jellystone Past0:00 / 0:37
“You're approaching Black Rock Canyon, a separate corner of the park with dense Joshua trees and its own trail network.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Joshua Tree Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Fox with Several Homes
- The Ant Colony’s Living Pantry
- The Raven's Aerial Games
- The Roadrunner's Morning Warm-Up
- 89 audio storiesacross Joshua Tree’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Bighorn Sheep, Golden Eagle, Desert Tortoise, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 60 trails, 64 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Burnt Hill Trail
The loopBurnt Hill Trail is a 7.
Burnt Hill Trail is a 7.3-mile loop from Black Rock Backcountry Trailhead, with a short shared approach that you retrace at the end. Follow the Black Rock Canyon access to Burnt Hill, then return by Eureka Peak Trail, Short Loop and Black Rock Canyon. Allow 4–5 hours; the payoff is a longer, varied walk through the Black Rock hills rather than a single destination.
Across the hillsThe route passes pinyon and Joshua trees, a wash, a narrow canyon and an open valley.
The route passes pinyon and Joshua trees, a wash, a narrow canyon and an open valley. Those shifts in terrain are the point of the hike. Keep the park map handy at the trail junctions; several named trails connect to make this circuit.
Time and heatThere is 910 feet of elevation gain.
There is 910 feet of elevation gain. The park puts this with its strenuous hikes and warns visitors not to attempt it in summer or whenever it is hot. The higher elevation can be a little cooler than much of Joshua Tree, but there is very little midday shade. Carry enough food, water and sun protection for the whole outing.
Optional Eureka Peak extensionAt the Eureka Peak junction, you can add a separate 2.4-mile round trip to the summit and back.
At the Eureka Peak junction, you can add a separate 2.4-mile round trip to the summit and back. That side trip is not part of Burnt Hill’s 7.3-mile loop, so decide on it before you set out.
Start and rulesUse the Black Rock Backcountry Trailhead, or park at the Black Rock Nature Center and start…
Use the Black Rock Backcountry Trailhead, or park at the Black Rock Nature Center and start near campsite 30. Parking is limited; the horse parking area may serve as overflow on busy days. Pets are not allowed on Black Rock Area trails.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Joshua Tree
129 sightingsBighorn SheepMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
15 sightingsGolden EagleMost seen around 10 AMSighting map
413 sightingsDesert TortoiseMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
275 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
47 sightingsBobcatMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
32 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 6 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Joshua Tree. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
