Preserving a portion of two distinct desert ecosystems—the Mojave and Colorado deserts—Joshua Tree National Park is dotted with striking geological formations, iconic vegetation, historic sites, and scenic views.
There’s plenty to see and do in this popular park, from hiking and rock climbing to camping and stargazing. Among the top attractions in Joshua Tree National Park are the spectacular views you can enjoy at various locations throughout the park.
Below, I’ve compiled an overview of the best views in Joshua Tree National Park. Some of them, such as the Cholla Cactus Garden and Keys View, are easily accessible from the park’s roads.
Others require a short walk, for example Hidden Valley, or a more strenuous hike, like the Wonderland of Rocks and Ryan Mountain.
In short, whatever activity you’re planning on doing in Joshua Tree, you’ll always have the opportunity to take in some of the park’s famous views.
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Top 10 Best Scenic Views in Joshua Tree National Park
10. Jumbo Rocks Campground
Situated in the heart of Joshua Tree National Park’s northern portion—where most of the Joshua trees are—the Jumbo Rocks Campground is a fantastic place to spend a couple of nights. It’s one of my favorite national park campgrounds I’ve ever stayed at.
Jumbo Rocks Campground is near a number of popular attractions, including Skull Rock and Split Rock, and a short drive from many other highlights in the park.
The campground itself consists of 124 campsites, which are scattered throughout a collection of large boulders, the Jumbo Rocks. You can climb these boulders for great views of the rock formations in the area, which are especially amazing at sunrise and sunset.
9. Hidden Valley
Hidden Valley is easily one of the most scenic areas in Joshua Tree National Park. Featuring an easy loop trail, bouldering and rock scrambling opportunities, and a campground, it’s popular among visitors of all kinds and ages.
The Hidden Valley Nature Trail is a mile long, loops around Hidden Valley, and is one of the park’s nicest hiking trails.
Interpretive signs along the way provide information about the area’s fauna and flora, while hikers can also enjoy some of the most iconic views in Joshua Tree National Park—vast boulder fields and desert flats dotted with Joshua trees.
8. Wonderland of Rocks
Although it’s not easy to get there, the Wonderland of Rocks is well worth the effort. Situated just north of Barker Dam in a designated wilderness area, it comprises a dense amount of so-called monzogranite formations.
There are no official trails through the Wonderland of Rocks, but you can get there via the Barker Dam, Willow Hole, or Boy Scout trails.
However, I should note that this is an expansive area with lots of boulders, rock formations, canyons, and gullies. It’s very easy to get lost there, so make sure you know what you’re doing.
If you do venture into the Wonderland of Rocks wilderness, numerous spectacular views await atop the boulder formations. The views of Hidden Valley are particularly breathtaking.
Additionally, because the Wonderland of Rocks is crucial wildlife habitat, it’s closed between sunset and sunrise.
7. High View
The High View Nature Trail is one of many scenic trails in the Black Rock area, located in the far northwestern corner of the park.
This moderate loop trail is either 1.4 miles (from the parking area) or 2.1 miles (from the Black Rock Campground or Nature Center). It runs through the Little San Bernardino Mountains, providing beautiful views of the surrounding mountains, vegetation, and distant peaks like San Gorgonio Mountain.
There are several benches along the way allowing you to take a break, have a snack, and enjoy these spectacular Joshua Tree views.
6. Eureka Peak
One of the remotest hiking destinations in the Black Rock area, Eureka Peak is a difficult, approximately 10-mile out-and-back hike from the Black Rock Nature Center.
This first section follows the California Riding and Hiking Trail before turning onto the Eureka Peak Trail to the summit.
Rising 5,516 feet above sea level, Eureka Peak offers magnificent 360-degree panoramic views of the Mojave Desert and nearby mountain ranges.
See this page on the park’s website for a map of the Black Rock area hiking trails, including both High View and Eureka Peak, as well as many others. For instance, another hike with great views in this part of Joshua Tree National Park is the Panorama Loop/Morongo View Trail, which also starts at the Black Rock Nature Center.
Top 5 Best Scenic Views in Joshua Tree National Park
5. Lost Horse Mine
One of my personal favorite hikes and views in Joshua Tree National Park is the Lost Horse Mine. You’ll find the trailhead on the road to Keys View and the trail itself is a 4-mile out-and-back hike. (You can also make this a 6.5-mile loop.)
The Lost Horse Mine is one of the coolest sights in the park, allowing you to explore the general area around one of the park’s most successful gold mines. Note that the actual mine and millsite are fenced off—stay outside the fence to protect this valuable historic site.
The mine sits on a hillside, which offers fantastic panoramic views of the Mojave Desert landscape in the northern part of Joshua Tree National Park.
4. Lost Palms Oasis
Fan palm oases are one of the unique sights in Joshua Tree National Park. “There are only 158 desert fan palm oases in North America. Five are located in Joshua Tree National Park,” the National Park Service says.
One such fan palm oasis is the Lost Palms Oasis. It is located in the far south of the park, near the southern boundary in the Colorado Desert.
You can get there via the strenuous 7.5-mile roundtrip Lost Palms Oasis Trail. After hiking through sand washes and across rolling desert terrain, you’ll arrive at the top of a canyon that shelters this remote oasis.
The view of the desert fan palms below is absolutely beautiful, made even more memorable by how rare these oases actually are. The trail continues down into the canyon and oasis, which is a wonderful spot for a picnic lunch before hiking back out of the canyon.
TIP: For even more scenic views in Joshua Tree National Park’s southern part, you can include Mastodon Peak on your hike to Lost Palms Oasis, too. This rock scramble takes you to the top of a granite peak that provides commanding views of the Colorado Desert.
3. Cholla Cactus Garden
While there are no panoramic overlooks here, the Cholla Cactus Garden is without question one of the most extraordinary and scenic places in Joshua Tree National Park. It’s a must-see for first-time visitors.
An easy 0.25-mile trail loops through this area filled with teddy bear cholla, a type of cactus characterized by its hundreds of tiny but extremely sharp spines. It’s also known as the “jumping cholla” because their spines easily become dislodged and fall off.
Therefore, it’s strongly recommended that you wear pants and closed shoes when walking through the Cholla Cactus Garden!
In addition to these beautiful cacti themselves, there are also excellent views of the Pinto Basin and surrounding mountains.
2. Ryan Mountain
One of the most popular hikes in Joshua Tree National Park leads to a mountaintop that offers sweeping views of the park’s magnificent landscapes.
Although relatively short at 3 miles roundtrip, this hike is pretty strenuous. After first crossing relatively flat terrain, the trail quickly gains 1,050 vertical feet as you climb the steep slope of Ryan Mountain.
At the summit, you’re rewarded with truly sensational views of Joshua Tree National Park’s Mojave Desert. Hidden Valleys lies to the northwest, while the sprawling expanse of Queen Valley beckons to the east.
1. Keys View
The undisputed best view in Joshua Tree National Park is at Keys View. It’s an incredibly popular destination in the park, both for its panoramic vistas and easy accessibility.
Situated at the crest of the Little San Bernardino Mountains, Keys View overlooks the Coachella Valley, while the San Andreas Fault is clearly visible as well.
Other major landmarks you can see include the Salton Sea, the Santa Rosa Mountains, and San Gorgonio Mountain. Facing west, it’s a phenomenal sunset spot, too.
You’ll find Keys View at the end of Keys View Road, which is about a 20-minute drive from Park Boulevard.
TIP: If you’d like to watch the sunset from Keys View, I strongly recommend arriving there well before the sun actually sets. The parking lot fills up almost on a daily basis for sunset.
Map of the Best Views in Joshua Tree National Park
This map shows the approximate locations of each of these amazing views in Joshua Tree National Park.
More About Joshua Tree National Park
- Park Website
- Travel Guide
- Topographic Map
- Best Joshua Tree Hikes
- Top Things To Do in Joshua Tree National Park
- Accommodation