Joshua Tree Guide

Mining history is often overlooked in Joshua Tree. Most visitors come for the boulders and the Joshua trees, maybe a sunset at Keys View, and that's fine. But the park holds something else: the remains of a gold rush that brought hundreds of prospectors into these hills between the 1870s and the early 1900s. Stamp mills, arrastra sites, prospect shafts, cabins, and graves still dot the landscape. The stories behind them (claim jumpers, high-grading, murders over water rights) are as compelling as anything in the more famous mining districts.

I first explored Joshua Tree by scrambling on its granite boulders. While climbing and hiking, I kept stumbling across old mines and started wondering who dug them and why. That curiosity turned into decades of exploring the park's backcountry and digging through historical records. Most guidebooks mention the mines in passing, if at all. I wanted to understand what actually happened here.

This guide covers 42 hikes and mining sites across the park, organized by geography. Some are well-known trails; others are remote backcountry routes that will challenge experienced hikers. Each trip includes detailed directions, GPS waypoints, and the history behind what you're looking at. These trips also appear in my book, Exploring Joshua Tree, which you can bring into the field. The website has the most current information, additional photos, and links to online maps.

Far Western Section

The quieter corner of the park. Warren Peak and Covington Crest offer solitude and views without the crowds. The California Riding and Hiking Trail is the park's longest. Chuckawalla Bill's cabin remains one of the park's more enigmatic sites.

Western Section

The heart of Joshua Tree's mining history. This section includes the Lost Horse Mine (one of the park's most productive) and Bill Keys' Wall Street Mill. Samuelson's Rocks preserves Depression-era inscriptions carved into stone. Hidden Valley and Barker Dam draw the crowds; the mines reward those who dig deeper.

Central Section

From the Desert Queen's tangled history of murder and claim-jumping to the remote peaks of Bernard and Little Berdoo, this section spans the park's middle ground. Fortynine Palms Oasis offers an easy introduction; Fried Liver Wash and the Hensen Well and Pinyon Mine offer unique rewards for those willing to work for them.

Eastern Section

The park's less-visited eastern half, where the high desert gives way to the low desert. The mining sites here saw smaller operations but left interesting remains: the Black Eagle, Mastodon, Los Angeles and Brooklyn. Cary's Castle, a lone prospector's shelter tucked under a massive boulder is worth the hike.