• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

California Through My Lens

California Travel, Food, Hiking & Road Trips

  • Start Here
  • Explore
    • Beaches
    • Bizarre
    • Caves
    • Food
    • Hikes
    • Historical Structures
    • Natural Wonders
    • Waterfalls
  • Drive
    • El Camino Real
    • Highway 395
    • LA to Las Vegas
    • Pacific Coast Highway
    • Route 66
  • National Parks
    • Channel Islands
    • Death Valley
    • Joshua Tree
    • Lassen Volcanic
    • Pinnacles
    • Redwoods
    • Sequoia & Kings Canyon
    • Yosemite
  • Cities
    • Los Angeles
    • Palm Springs
    • Sacramento
    • San Diego
    • San Francisco
  • Resources
    • Day Trip Ideas
    • Road Trip eBooks
    • Hotels
    • My Favorite Travel Products
    • Travel Videos
  • Browse By …
    • Map Of Locations
    • Cities
    • Counties
    • National Parks
    • State Parks

Hidden Valley Trail in Joshua Tree National Park

Last Modified: May 12, 2020

103shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

Hidden Valley is one of Joshua Tree National Park’s most popular hikes. The one-mile loop trail takes you through a valley that is primarily enclosed from the outside world with towering walls of rocks. It was also a popular spot for rustlers to hide their cattle since it is a mainly confined valley. The trail is pretty level, and it is an excellent hike for the whole family. Here is all the information.

Details

  • 1 mile
  • 50 feet of elevation
  • Location: Hidden Valley Picnic Area
  • This information is from my visit in 2017
  • Read more about Joshua Tree National Park here

Getting There

Hidden Valley is located opposite the Hidden Valley Campground and close to the turnoff for Barker Dam. It is well signed, and you can reference the park map to see its exact location.

The Trail

From the parking lot, you will head out on the well marked trail in the northwest part of the parking area.

The trail heads uphill first along a series of stone steps. After less than a tenth of a mile, you will reach the top of this section and be in the Hidden Valley.

It is said that the opening you walk through was blasted by Bill Key’s from Keys Ranch to give his cattle better access to the grasses in the valley.

The hike continues on a clockwise loop, heading slightly downhill on a well-maintained path.

There are many signs along the way that note interesting parts of the trail as well as different plant and animal life.

The trail then passes an extensive collection of rocks on the right and starts to head downhill into the valley.

As you continue downhill, you will start to see how big the valley is and the large rocks on each side of you. It was a lot bigger then I anticipated it being. The trail will then curve around, and you will start to go back the way you came.

Don’t miss the giant burrito, which is the name for one of the more massive rock in this section. Eventually, you will come back to where the trail split in the beginning and then head back down the stairs to where you parked.

Also, note that this is an excellent spot for sunset, the colors are beautiful here, and the views are impressive. Let me know what you think of this spot in the comments and find more places to explore here.

Filed Under: Hikes, National Parks, Southern California Tagged With: Joshua Tree National Park, Riverside County

Interested in supporting this blog?

This blog is simply a hobby and labor of love for me. If you have enjoyed the posts consider sharing it with your friends. I want as many people as possible to explore this state and you can help by letting them know about all of the great spots!

Join the Newsletter

Subscribe for the four day welcome series and to get the latest content every month.

    We won’t send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.

    About JoshMc

    Thanks for checking out the blog, I am happy to be sharing my adventures with you! You can get to know me by reading my about me, which includes a video and additional information on the site, myself and my full disclosure. Also, follow along on Twitter here or read all of my posts on this blog here.

    Primary Sidebar

    About

    Josh from California Through My Lens I'm a travel junkie strapped down to one state, focused on seeing as much of it as I can and encouraging others to do the same. More about me.

    Popular Posts

    The Big List of Strange, Fun & Unique Attractions in Southern California
    Pacific Coast Highway: Where to Stop on Your Road Trip
    Top Hiking Trails in Southern California
    Fun Stops on the Drive from Los Angeles to Las Vegas
    24 Things to do in Downtown LA
    17 Things to do in Lake Tahoe
    Donner Pass, Summit Tunnel Hike: Old Abandoned Railroad

    Categories

    Other Resources


    Footer

    Search the site

    Additional Information

    Privacy Policy

    About Us

    Copyright © 2021 · Metro Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

    Coronavirus January 2021 Update: Please note that some information in the posts may have changed and some places may be closed.