Great trails also surround Joshua Tree NP

The trail to Southern California's highest peak - Mount San Gorgonio - is
only a short drive from Joshua Tree National Park.

Though most think of Joshua Tree National Park as remote, it’s actually quite close to several built-up areas – though a wide swath of preserved Mojave Desert does sit next it. Because of this, there are several nearby hiking areas that offer different experiences than what would be had at Joshua Tree.

Anyone visiting the national park should consider taking some time to also check out these trails:

Marsh Trail
Day hikers can explore one of California’s largest cottonwood and willow riparian areas only a few miles from the national park. The half-mile trail at Big Morongo Canyon Preserve skirts then loops through the wetlands, a rare sight in the desert. An elevated boardwalk, the trail is wheelchair accessible.

San Jacinto Peak Trail
Towering 10,824 feet into the sky – a full 1.95 miles above Palm Springs – San Jacinto Peak is the highest point in the San Jacinto Mountains and Riverside County, and the six highest in the lower 48. Dominating the city’s skyline, a former mayor once called it “Palm Springs’ oceanfront.” A number of routes allow to you to ascend the mountain, but the most popular and the easiest runs 11.5 miles round trip with an elevation gain of 2400 feet. The route actually consists of several connected trails, each with its own name.

Vivian Creek Trail
Hikers can ascend to the highest peak in Southern California from a trailhead that’s just a short jaunt from the national park. Standing 11,503 feet high, San Gorgonio Mountain towers over all peaks in the Transverse Ranges and can be seen from a number of vantage points in the national park. There are four main routes to reach the summit. The quickest of them is this trail, which will take about 10 hours. The hike comes to 18.5-miles round trip and gains 5,470 feet in elevation.

Amboy Crater Trail
Possibly one of the coolest hikes you can take in Southern California is this trek into the cinder cone of an extinct volcano. It’s a long drive from any major city, but if you have kids they will remember the hike forever. Amboy Crater looms on the horizon in the Mojave Desert about an hour's drive north of Joshua Tree. Drivers on the old Route 66 can see the volcano from miles away, and before the coming of the freeway, many cross-country drivers would stop and hike it. A parking lot sits off of what used to be a Route 66.