Parking
Use the paved Creosote Trail pullout on Park Boulevard, about 0.6 mile south of the Maze trailhead. A January 2026 account describes space for roughly ten vehicles. There is no restroom at the pullout; Quail Springs has vault toilets.
Overview
About Samuelson Rocks via Creosote and Bigfoot Trails
Why go
- Carved inscriptions and homestead remains make this a different kind of desert walk.
- Named paths cover most of the approach before the short off-trail finish.
Heads up
- The unmarked final approach is easy to miss.
- No restroom at the paved trailhead pullout.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Joshua Tree map
Full mapElevation3,734–4,039 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
5 active Joshua Tree alerts
- ClosureOasis of Mara Trail closed past the OasisMentions Oasis of Mara Trail, referenced in this guideThe 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 Samuelson Rocks via Creosote and Bigfoot Trails, 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
Samuelson Rocks from Creosote Trail0:00 / 0:25
“You're nearing the Creosote Trail pullout, an access point for Samuelson Rocks.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Joshua Tree Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Maze Loop Through the Boulder Country
- The Life Between the Plants
- The Bird That Plants Mistletoe
- Quail Springs for a Picnic or Stars
- 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 Samuelson Rocks via Creosote and Bigfoot Trails
A different kind of Joshua Tree walkSamuelson Rocks is a roughly 4.
Samuelson Rocks is a roughly 4.8-mile out-and-back from the paved Creosote Trail pullout on Park Boulevard. The route follows the Creosote and Bigfoot trail network, then leaves the mapped path for a short, unmarked approach to an inscribed granite mound. Allow about two to three hours, including time to look around. The grades are modest, but the rocky footing and final turn make this a route-finding walk. Go if you like desert history and are comfortable following an indistinct approach; this is not a continuously signed trail to a marked attraction.
Follow the paths, then look for the moundCreosote starts among rocky rises, boulders and Joshua trees.
Creosote starts among rocky rises, boulders and Joshua trees. Around half a mile in, a warning sign marks the transition to longer routes. Continue toward Bigfoot and stay on Bigfoot where Samuelson West branches away. The rock mound blends into the taller peaks until you get close. Near the end, a small corral, fencing or a fallen water tank can help you recognize the area; then veer left off Bigfoot. The last few dozen yards are unmarked and cross rocky ground, so download the route before you go and pay attention to the terrain around you.
The inscriptions and the viewSeveral dark granite slabs carry carved messages.
Several dark granite slabs carry carved messages. One signed face includes John Samuelson's name and 1927. The carvings are scattered around the mound, and some sit higher on the rock sides, so finding them can mean scrambling over uneven boulders. Leave the stones and nearby homestead remnants undisturbed. For a photo, include both an inscription and the Joshua tree dotted valley behind it; a tight shot of lettering misses the setting that makes this place unusual.
Access, heat and petsThe paved pullout is described as having room for about ten vehicles, but there is no restroom…
The paved pullout is described as having room for about ten vehicles, but there is no restroom there; Quail Springs has vault toilets. Pets are not allowed on park trails except on the paved Oasis of Mara Trail, so this is a no-dogs walk. Joshua Tree National Park advises avoiding hikes from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in summer and bringing plenty of food and water. There are no known food or water stops along this route.
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.
