Discover the Hidden Valley Nature Trail with an audio guide. You're invited to follow the recommended walking route on this scenic desert trail in Joshua Tree National Park, exploring at your leisure.
Hidden Valley is a secluded basin, once a refuge for cattle rustlers, now transformed into a one-mile loop of discovery. As you meander through the sculpted granite landscape, keep an eye out for resilient plants like nolinas and listen to stories of audacious climbers, indigenous traditions, and intriguing legends such as the Yucca Man. This brief yet family-friendly walk encapsulates geology, culture, and wildlife in one iconic setting.
The journey includes major highlights such as the Chasm of Doom, a renowned slot of narrow passages and towering rock walls that reward the careful explorer with dramatic vistas. The Hidden Valley Nature Trail offers an easy loop through a boulder ring shaped over millions of years, providing opportunities to spot birds, rabbits, and desert cottontails. Once a hideout for rustlers, it's now the park’s most cherished stroll. And don’t forget the nolinas, hardy plants that were once roasted for food by the Cahuilla people. In spring, they burst into cream-coloured blooms resembling popcorn.
Immersed in timeless granite and desert flora, Hidden Valley presents a rich blend of nature and narrative. For optimal narration clarity at each stop, bring along headphones or a small speaker and savour the trail at your own pace.
Audio-guided tour
Food and drinks
