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Ultimate Guide to Joshua Tree National Park with Kids

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Welcome to the ultimate guide for families seeking tips and inspiration on exploring Joshua Tree National Park with kids!

If you are looking to spend just a half day to one whole day in Joshua Tree National Park, you can definitely do it.

With this guide, you will feel very satisfied that you saw and experienced most of the best sights and hikes with your family. 

Here is an overview of the most kid friendly hikes and the looped drive that will be most efficient for making the most of your day at Joshua Tree National Park.

Desert with large boulders in the background at Joshua Tree National Park.
Desert views in Joshua Tree National Park

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When to go to Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park is best to visit either in the spring between March and May or in the Fall between October and November. 

I think wintertime is a decent time to visit too, as the temperature is fairly temperate during the day.

Temperatures in the winter can get below freezing at night but during daytime hours, the average is in the 60s during December, January, and February.

Summer is definitely sweltering so if you are visiting during this time, I would make sure to be prepared for extreme heat. 

How to get to Joshua Tree National Park

It is important to note that Joshua Tree National Park has three entrance stations– West, North, and South entrances. 

The West Entrance is considered the main entrance

To determine which entrance you want to use, you will need to take into account where you are coming from as well as what your plan is once inside the park. 

Expert Tip

I highly recommend for you to plan your route in the park in advance to the destinations that you want to see. This will keep you from needing to backtrack and do tons of extra driving.

Typically visitors coming from Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Diego, and the Palm Springs area either enter through the North or West Entrance.

Visitors from Phoenix would most likely use the South entrance which will take you through the entire park.

Expert Tip

During busy times, it is advised to consider using the North Entrance in Twentynine Palms instead of the main West Entrance in Joshua Tree.

Joshua Tree National Park entrance sign
Entrance sign for Joshua Tree National Park.

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Which entrance to use for your visit to Joshua Tree National Park with Kids

Unless you are coming from Phoenix or anywhere else from that direction, most people will want to make a decision between the Twentynine Palms North Entrance or the Main (West) Entrance in Joshua Tree. 

The two towns are about 16 minutes from each other on Highway 62 so depending on where you are coming from, choosing the West entrance over the North or vice versa will add about 20 minutes on to your drive. 

Each entrance has its own advantages.

The West entrance is the Main entrance.

The North Entrance is less busy which means that you will sit in less traffic.

When choosing which entrance to use, also consider where you plan on going while in the park.

Expert Recommendation

Our plan was to do a loop drive in order to limit driving time with the kids. That meant that the North Entrance in Twentynine Palms made the most sense for us as it was closest to the things we wanted to see. We then exited the park via the main (West) entrance.

Driving in the park from the North Entrance and exiting through the West Entrance via Park Boulevard would take about 40-45 min without any side trips.  

Also, the views driving the loop in this direction are even more stunning as you are driving downhill towards the Main Entrance.

Doing this loop with a couple of side stops makes it completely possible to do Joshua Tree National Park with kids easily in one day.

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What you need to bring for a day in Joshua Tree with Kids

Both the Main Visitor Center in Joshua Tree (West Entrance) and the Oasis Visitor Center in Twentynine Palms (North Entrance) are located about 5 miles outside of the park.

The Cottonwood Visitor Center near the South Entrance is inside of the park.

That said, inside the park there is absolutely no food or drink available.

The absolute most important things to bring to Joshua Tree National Park with kids is lots of water, snacks, and even a lunch or dinner depending on the time of day you are visiting. 

Also, I recommend making sure you have on good hiking shoes or at least some kind of athletic shoes.

Depending on the temperatures, make sure to dress in layers. If it is cool in the morning, it will definitely heat up as the day goes on.

If you have a baby or toddler, you will want to make sure you have a baby carrier for your hikes. 

Alternatively, if you want a little bit bigger one for toddlers or small children, this hiking backpack carrier is perfect!

Additionally, make sure to bring sunscreen as there is little to no shade in the park. 

You will also want some sunglasses and/or a hat

Expert Tip

Make sure to bring some bandaids or even a small first aid kit. When the kids are climbing all over the rocks, it is easy to scrape a knee. We had a couple of scrapes on our visit.


Three boys hiking to the top of a large rock at Joshua Tree National Park.
Climbing up the large boulders at Joshua Tree National Park.

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Planning your visit to Joshua Tree National Park

You will definitely want to PLAN your visit to Joshua Tree National Park ahead of time.

I highly recommend having at least some sort of idea what you want to see and do.

Then you can also determine what entrance you want to use.

Below is what we did on our visit to Joshua Tree National Park.

This route worked out really well for us and was very doable with the kids.

Stop 1: Visitor Center

Stop at the Visitor Center if you want to pick up Junior Ranger booklets for the kids or want to get any last minute information or visit the restroom.

Must Know Information

Both the Joshua Tree Visitor Center and Cottonwood Visitor Center are located about five miles outside of their respective entrances to Joshua Tree National Park.

Next, we entered the park via the North Entrance in Twentynine Palms.

There was absolutely no one in line, and we were able to get a picture with the National Park sign.

Stop 2: Arch Rock

Then we proceeded to Arch Rock. This nature trail is 1.2 miles round trip and is perfect for the family!

You will park at Twin Tanks and then walk across Pinto Basin Road to the trail.

There is good signage for you to do this.

The kids loved this first hike.

As soon as we got out to the humongous rocks, they were climbing all over them.

At the end of the hike, there is a gorgeous natural rock arch to see. 

Stop 3: Skull Rock

Next, we had to backtrack a bit to get back on Park Boulevard and then headed to Skull Rock. 

Skull Rock is an easy roadside pull-off.

There aren’t a ton of parking spots here so be mindful of that on a busy day or get there early. 

As soon as you park, you will be able to see this fascinating rock that is shaped like a skull. The kids thought it was pretty amazing and tried to climb into the skull’s eye. 

Depending on how much time you have, you could just take a quick picture and head on your way.

Or, some other options include doing the 1.7 mile loop hike or climbing in the huge rocks here as well!

Our kids wanted to do some more rock climbing here so that is what we did!

Boy standing near the "eye" of a rock shaped like a Skull
Skull Rock

Stop 4: Hall of Horrors

After Skull Rock, we proceeded to the Hall of Horrors. This is also a really fun and easy hike for kids of all ages. 

The Hall of Horrors is a short slot canyon and is located inside the massive pile of boulders along the 0.6 mile hike. 

We were very confused on this hike as to where to go, and we were never actually able to find the slot canyon. 

Some other ladies hiking near us actually went back to their vehicle to grab a book with more information on this hike. 

So, if you want to be able to find the slot canyon, do your research ahead of time and consider bringing any information you have on it with you.

That said, this was still one of my favorite hikes. I loved all the plants in this area, and the kids once again had a delightful time climbing all of the massive rocks surrounding us.

Stop 5: Keys View

You will definitely not want to miss this astounding view of the Coachella Valley.

It took my breath away and was just so unique compared to anything else we had seen in the park. 

To get to Keys View, you will have to veer off Park Boulevard to Keys View Road, but the drive to see this is SO worth it.

There is a .2 mile paved path up to the upper lookout so you could do a stroller here if you wanted! 

From this lookout you will see the Salton Sea, Mount Jacinto, Mount San Gorgonio, and the San Andreas Fault. It is quite impressive!

We had planned for a fairly short day in Joshua Tree National Park with kids so we headed back to the Park Boulevard and proceeded to exit towards the West (Main) Entrance.

The views driving towards the Main Entrance were incredible. This is definitely the way to drive the loop if you plan on doing a loop drive on your visit. 

View of rocks, mountains, and valley
Keys View

Joshua Tree Visitor Center

After exiting the park, we drove 5 miles to the Joshua Tree Visitor Center. 

Here, my oldest son discussed his completed Junior Park Ranger booklet with the Park Ranger and received his Junior Park Ranger badge.

We also stamped our National Park Passport book and bought our souvenirs. 

We had a great 4 hour visit to Joshua Tree National Park. 

Best hikes for kids at Joshua Tree National Park

Listed below are some of the best hikes with kids at Joshua Tree. 

Cholla Cactus Garden

This is about a quarter mile trail through tons of amazing cacti. It is a highly recommended short walk.

Make sure your kids do not touch the cacti as the Chollas have barbed spines that will attach to skin and clothing.

Arch Rock Nature Trail

Arch Rock Trail is a 1.2 mile trail with tons of rocks for the kids AND adults to climb. There is a designated parking lot here which is great.

Skull Rock Trail

You can either simply park quickly and see the Skull Rock or do the 1.7 mile loop hike. There is also ample opportunity for some rock climbing here. 

Hall of Horrors

This is an easy .6 mile loop hike. If you want to see the slot canyon (Hall of Horrors), make sure you do your research on how exactly to find it.

Keys View

Impressive views of the Coachella Valley and more! There is a .2 mile paved uphill hike to the upper lookout.

Hidden Valley Nature Trail

This is a great 1 mile trail that will allow you to be surrounded by stunning rock formations and Joshua Trees. 

Additionally, this nature trail has informational plaques on it to educate you about its history, plants, and more.

Barker Dam

This is another 1.1 mile loop trail that is great for people of all ages! Visit in the spring or fall to see the reservoir filled with water which is a unique departure from the rest of the National Park.

Barker Dam is also a great place to spot wildlife especially if you visit early or late in the day.

Finally make sure you look for the petroglyphs.

The majority of the people seem to hike this loop in a counterclockwise direction. Hiking it counterclockwise means you will see the dam first and petroglyphs second.  

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Top 5 Tips for visiting Joshua Tree with kids

  1. Make your plan BEFORE visiting the park. This will also help you determine what entrance to use. You do not have to 100% stick to your plan but it will give you a good overview of what you want to see and the general direction you want to drive. Plus, you will already be very knowledgeable about the park.
  2. Bring LOTS of water, snacks, and food. Kids can get cranky when they are hungry so to keep everyone’s spirits up, make sure you have snacks. Also, you will want to have lots of fluids especially in the summer heat.
  3. Bring band aids or even a small first aid kit. On most hikes, there is an opportunity for rock scrambling which the kids will absolutely love, but that also means a high chance of some scraped knees.
  4. Consider picking up a Junior Ranger booklet. This park’s Junior Ranger booklet focuses a lot on the flora and fauna in Joshua Tree so it will definitely keep the kids engaged on hikes when they aren’t climbing on rocks. 
  5. Don’t overdo it. Pick a few of the most important things your family wants to see and focus on those. This will ensure that you drive away from Joshua Tree National Park feeling satisfied that you saw and experienced everything you needed to.

Expert Tip

Make sure to keep track of your receipt or pass after you enter the national park. They WILL stop you and ask to see it when you leave. ☺️

We LOVE Joshua Tree National Park!

Joshua Tree is a phenomenal national park for families as it has many short hikes that are totally doable for visitors of all ages and hiking abilities.

I LOVE this about Joshua Tree National Park.

Many national parks have so many hikes that are just too long for young kids but not this one.

Plus, all of the rocks to climb on will also get the kids super excited about this national park, too.

Another advantage of Joshua Tree National Park is that you can do it in a day or even in a little over a half of a day as we did!

Let me know how your visit to Joshua Tree with kids went! 

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SAVE and PIN this post to refer to it for your visit to Joshua Tree National Park and SHARE it with friends and family too!

May you LOVE your adventure. KW

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