Eagle Cliff Mine Trail

Eagle Cliff is an unofficial out-and-back to an abandoned mine and a small miner's shelter built among boulders. The full route is about 3.5 miles round trip, with roughly 500 feet of climbing; allow around three hours, and longer if you spend time looking for the cabin. The first stretch follows a clearer track to Desert Queen Mine, then the route continues over rougher ground to Eagle Cliff. I'd do it only if you're comfortable navigating from an offline GPS track. If you want the shorter historic walk, turn around at Desert Queen Mine for about 1.8 miles round trip; that leaves out the Boulder House.

The small dirt lot is at the end of Desert Queen Mine Road. From there, follow the more defined approach to the mine. Desert Queen is a separate historic stop with old shafts and equipment; it is the midpoint of this hike, not the Eagle Cliff destination. Continuing east is what makes this route less straightforward.

Beyond Desert Queen Mine, the tread gets faint and the line crosses rocky, open ground. There are no signs to guide you to the shelter, and it can be easy to miss among the boulders at the cliff base. The Boulder House is a small three-wall shelter built into the rocks, with a little window and a sleeping cave behind it. There is also a short mine opening and a shaft at the site. Look around from the surface, leave every object where it is, and stay out of all mine openings. The shelter is the signature view here; include the surrounding boulders in a photo so its setting makes sense.

This is not a designated, signed park trail. The National Park Service warns that crowd-mapped routes in Joshua Tree can involve remote scrambling and advanced off-trail navigation, and have led to rescues. Download the route before you leave service and be ready to turn back if you lose it. Pets are prohibited on trails and in the backcountry. Summer heat can be dangerous; the park advises avoiding hikes from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in summer.