Joshua Tree National Park: Kid-Friendly Hike Recommendations + Tips
One of the best parts about living in California is being driving distance to SO many beautiful national and state parks. Joshua Tree National Park ranks high on the list of kid-friendly national parks and is a great one to visit with toddlers!
We decided to start the new year off strong with a day trip to Joshua Tree NP on New Year's Day this year. We had been pre-kid but hadn’t taken our toddler yet, so we were excited to venture out there and cross it off our “Places to Visit” list for 2024 with her.
How we routed our visit to Joshua Tree NP. “Split Rock” is Heart Rock/Arch.
Getting There
The West Entrance at Joshua Tree NP is the most popular and can get crowded. I highly recommend mapping yourself to the North Entrance for faster entry, sometimes there’s no wait at all at this entrance! The North Entrance is located in Twentynine Palms and there is a 30-minute drive time distance between the North and West Entrances, with West being the one you pass first. No worries though- the North Entrance will actually bring you closer to the popular, kid-friendly trails (included below).
Fees
The entrance fee varies, but for a personal vehicle it is $30. You can find a full list of park entrance fees here.
Where to Stay (if you’re not doing a daytrip)
There are a TON of Airbnbs near the national park. I found this website that lists the Airbnbs owned by locals, if you feel inclined to support local businesses!
You can also camp if you’re up for it and plan accordingly. I’ve read great things about the Jumbo Rocks and Ryan campgrounds, both require reservations that book up quickly. Hidden Valley is another good location, and is first-come first-served. You can read more about Joshua Tree NP campgrounds here.
Kid-friendly Hikes
Start early if you can! Parking lots can become full by 10am on busy weekends (like New Years Day when we went).
1.7 miles, out & back
Mostly flat, marked trail. Some loose gravel to be cautious on.
Average hiking time is 36 minutes. It took us 1 hour to complete with stops, rock scrambling and my toddler’s pace.
Parking fills up fast at this trail. The parking lot is located across from the trail so you will need to cross the street (there is a designated crossing). No restrooms at this trail. Heart rock is easily accessible and can be seen up close. Arch rock requires scrambling to see it well, but you can still slightly see it from the bottom of the rocks.
.5 mile, loop (yay!)
Flat, marked trail
Average hiking time is 10 minutes. It took us 15 minutes to complete with stops and reading the placards.
This is a very quick and easy trail with placards along the way to read with your kids, if they are interested. There were plenty of visitors rock climbing and scrambling. There is a restroom and a few picnic tables at the trailhead.
We got a later start than anticipated so we weren’t able to hike the following ourselves and added them to our list for next time (I’ll update this blog post as we complete them!).
Here are more kid-friendly hike recommendations based on research I did:
1 mile, loop
Some steps and climbing on open rock. It is a dirt and rock trail through a rock-enclosed valley.
Average hiking time is 24 minutes.
1.7 miles, loop
Skull Rock is visible from the road, but the trail is popular with visitors with many interpretive signs, sights to see and rocks to climb.
Average hiking time is 1 hour.
.6 mile, loop
Claustrophobics be advised! Hall of Horrors has an easier loop and slot canyons with more of a challenge. It is a popular spot for rock scrambling and climbing. This blog has a detailed review of the trail.
Average hiking time depends on the trail you do.
1.3 miles, loop
Mostly flat with some rocky and sandy sections, marked trail. There are petroglyphs on this trail!
Average hiking time is 26 minutes.
Other things to check out at Joshua Tree NP:
Become a Junior Ranger (ages 5-13)
If you have a 4x4 vehicle, we have done Geology Tour Road in the past. It’s not a difficult trail if you are new to off-roading, in my opinion. Worth checking out!
I hope these tips and recommendations help plan your visit to Joshua Tree National Park! Be sure to tag Raising Little Explorers on Instagram when you check out one of these trails.
