10/08/2026
A short drive into the park from Joshua Tree Oasis puts you at all three of these.
Start with Hidden Valley. It's an easy mile loop through boulders and open sky, but it gets busy fast since it's so close to the road. Go before 9:30am or after 4pm if you want it quieter, and know there's no cell service and very little shade out there, so bring water even for a short walk.
Barker Dam takes a bit longer, just over a mile, and leads to a small reservoir built from an old cattle dam, with petroglyphs carved into the rock along the way. Look, don't touch or climb on them. Parking fills up fast here between September and May, so if the main lot is full, the Echo T lot just west of it is a solid backup.
Keys View isn't a hike at all, just a short paved path up to one of the widest views in Southern California, the Coachella Valley, the San Andreas Fault, and on a clear day, the Salton Sea stretched out below. It's noticeably cooler and windier up there than the valley floor, especially in fall and winter, so a light layer is worth bringing even if the day started out warm. It's also one of the best spots in the park for sunset.
Spend the day out there, and come back to the fire pit once the light goes.