Things to Do in Joshua Tree with Kids

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If you were looking for things to do in Joshua Tree with kids, I have all the details for you. We live in California and we have visited Joshua Tree National Park several times, so if you need an expert guide on what to do in Joshua Tree with kids, you have found it!

I will share with you all the best trails we tried and loved, best attractions to see and many more “insider” tips.

Things To Know Before You Go

Joshua Tree National Park is located in Southern California close to the city of Palm Springs. It is famous for unique Joshua Trees as well as other desert plant life and awesome rock formations.

Joshua Tree National Park has several entrances so it is a little bit confusing – which is the best one to start from? The Western entrance in the town of Joshua Tree is the busiest one as lots of attractions are close by it: hiking, rock climbing, etc.

North entrance is further down the road on CT-62 in the town of Twenty Nine Palms and it is much less crowded because most people use the first entrance they see, i.e. the Western one.

Southern entrance is probably most desolate because this area of the Joshua Tree National Park has a lot of nothingness before you reach any places of interest

Things To Do in Joshua Tree With Kids: #1 – Hiking

Hiking is the most popular thing to do in Joshua Tree with kids. There are lots of cool and educational hikes in the Park and below is the list of our favorites.

Hemingway

Hemingway is designated on the Joshua Tree National Park map as just a climbing area, no trails. But it is wrong! There is a short but very picturesque trail leading to the climbing area where you can see a ton of cool rock formations and Joshua trees.

I have no idea why this area is called the way it is. I was looking for a rock that looks like Ernest Hemingway (similar to Scull Rock) but found none. 🙂

Hall of Horrors

The same as Hemingway, this area is designated on the map as rock climbing only but it has a fantastic under 1 mile trail with some of the best rock formations in Joshua Tree National Park where kids can not only climb ON the rocks but BETWEEN and UNDER them. It is a ton of fun! You can easily spend an hour here.

Discovery Trail

If you only have a chance for 1 thing to do in Joshua Tree with kids, this should be IT: the Discovery Trail. This is a trail that was created by kids (local school children) for the kids. It is a 1.3 miles loop trail with over a dozen educational stands that were designed in such a way that a child would understand the information on them: visual, short and simple.

It also has some of the most amazing rocks, cool climbing opportunities and it is not crowded at all because most visitors end up on the other side of the road, near the Scull rock (which a tourist magnet but which is totally not worth the crowds in my view compared to the awesomeness of the Discovery Trail)

Cholla Cactus Garden

This is a trail that people either hate or love. Cholla Cactus, also known as Teddy Bear Cactus, got its name from its fuzzy appearance but it is looks cute only from a distance. That “fuzziness” is actually created by a ton of spikes that separate from the cactus with a slightest touch and attach to anything and everything in the vicinity. And these spikes are very sharp and mean and hard to get rid of.

Cholla Cacti are very unique and definitely worth seeing but you need to be VERY careful walking among them (0.3 miles trail). Wear close toed shoes, walk right in the middle of the trail and don’t approach the plants.

Ocotillo Patch

Very close by Cholla Cactus Garden there is a cool patch of very unusual plants – Ocotillo. Park along the road and go check out these plants, very interesting especially in spring when they burst in bloom. There is no designated hiking trail but you can just walk around.

Arch Rock Nature Trail

Arch Rock Nature Trail is a short 0.6 mile trail near an impressive Arch Rock. Easy trail for all levels of ability to see the rocks and Joshua Trees.

Cottonwood Spring Trail

This is a super short 0.1 miles trail where you can see beautiful fan palm trees, wildflowers (in spring) and birds – perfect if you have small kids or limited mobility. This is a unique trail because you won’t typically see palm trees in the desert, unless it is an oasis, which this one is.

Bajada Nature Trail

This is a short 0.3 trail with many interpretive stands that tell you all about the plants you are seeing around you. I strongly recommend this trail because it showcases Colorado Desert ecosystem vs. Mojave Desert where Joshua Trees grow.

Things To Do in Joshua Tree With Kids: #2 Rock Climbing and Bouldering

There are several rock climbing areas in Joshua Tree National Park, a couple of which I already mentioned above: Hemingway and Hall of Horrors (both in Hidden Valley area of the Park). We saw the biggest amount of families with kids in the Quail Springs area (also in Hidden Valley) where the rocks are smaller and easier to navigate.

HERE are some helpful resources for you for rock climbing in Joshua Tree National Park.

Things To Do in Joshua Tree With Kids: #3 Stargazing

Joshua Tree National Park has one of the best night skies in the country. On the one hand the Park is located close to the city of Palm Springs but on the on the other hand this is the only major city nearby which is still far enough not to create major light pollution in the Park. So stargazing should definitely be on your list of things to do in Joshua Tree with kids.

When we road trip to a national park where we know we’ll have great opportunities for stargazing (ex.: Bryce Canyon NP, Grand Canyon NP) we always take a portable telescope with us. Below is the telescope that we own and highly recommend: it is compact (fits in a standard backpack), provides good views and also relatively inexpensive:

Kids will also love this cool night skies guide that will be indispensable during all your stargazing adventures:

When is the best time to visit Joshua Tree National Park?

The absolute best time to visit Joshua Tree National Park is spring. We always visit the Park at the end of March or beginning of April because it is the prime time for wildflowers, cacti and Joshua Trees to bloom. Joshua Trees and cacti bloom every year but the best wildflowers displays happen after rainy winters. If you follow weather forecasts in Palm Springs area in the preceding winter you will know for sure if you get a to see a superbloom the following spring.

Winter is also a good time to visit Joshua Tree National Park as the weather will be nice (summers are unbearably hot there) so if you don’t have your heart set on seeing flowers then consider December – February as well for your trip to Joshua Tree.

Is it possible to see Joshua Tree National Park in one day?

I typically don’t recommend one day trips for most of National Parks because there is always lots of things to do and see and the day is short. That said, Joshua Tree National Park is on a smaller side, compared to such behemoths as Yellowstone or Grand Canyon, and most of its attractions are concentrated in close proximity to each other. So technically you can see the most interesting highlights of the Park in one day.

What will I need to take with me to Joshua Tree National Park?

Here are the 4 most important things to take with you to Joshua Tree National Park: a hat, sunscreen, water and snacks. That is aside from good hiking boots, which are a must. I am partial to Merrell hiking boots as both myself and my kids have been wearing this brand for years. I just bought a new pair of Merells and not because my 7 year old ones are “dead” but just because I wanted new shoes 🙂 Here are our trusted companions:

For kids:

For adults:

Final Thoughts

Check out our quick video review of Joshua Tree National Park that will help you plan your adventure:

If you are going to stay in Palm Springs when you visit Joshua Tree National Park, which is very convenient but the way, check out our awesome article Free Things to Do in Palm Springs that will save you a lot of money.

If you are a fan of National Parks you may enjoy our other U.S. National Parks itineraries.

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Things To Know Before You Go