Joshua Tree National Park Custom Tour

Benefits of a guided tour:

Save on time and stress – you really don’t need to prepare any for a guided tour – just show up and we take care of the rest.  All logistics are taken care of; any snafus are our problem, not yours, to solve; No need to research the area – the guides will provide information on history, geography, environment, etc.;

Make it your own – all transportation is provided making possible point to point hikes and a more customized itinerary for the group.  Plus we encourage hiking at your own pace – since there is always a sweep guide, you don’t need to feel stressed about holding back or keeping up with anyone else – hike at your own pace.

Explore the unknown without trepidation – if you are uneasy going to an unfamiliar place, guided hikes are the solution – the guides know the trails and roads, the best stopping points, and the answers to “is it worth it?” and “how much farther?”

Boost your confidence –.Our signature is taking people a little bit beyond their comfort zone for achievements that boost you up and send you on the path to further successes.  With customized coaching, we are there to answer questions, keep you safe and help push you past the seemingly daunting obstacles to help you reach goals you never thought possible.

Camaraderie – best of all, you can have this experience with your friends (old and new alike), to just have fun.  No one has to “be in charge”, no need for a designated driver, no one is worried about what is next – just relax and enjoy this time together.

Joshua Tree was a national monument since 1936, and was elevated to national park protection in 1994, and for good reason. Desert, oases, mountains, slot canyons, mazes of rocks, and of course an abundance of the cherished Joshua trees, combine to create a region of incredible diversity and a hiker’s paradise.

You will witness first hand the quirky nature of the area—so close to Palm Springs, yet a world away—and the town of Twentynine Palms, an incongruous blend of weird and sophistication. We will stay in Twentynine Palms for all five nights on our Joshua Tree National Park hiking tour.

We’ll gather in Palm Springs early morning of Day 1, shuttle directly to Joshua Tree and hike to Fortynine Palms Oasis as a great introduction to the park. We’ll have a gentle climb to an overlook with a commanding view of Twentynine Palms and the surrounding area, and then on to the oasis with its towering palms (3 miles).

We’re off to the Wonderland area on Day 2, with its amazing array of rock formations. We’ll initially hike through a Joshua Tree forest on the Boy Scout Trail with its magnificent views of the San Bernardino Mountains. We’ll turn toward Willow Hole along a wash that twists through imposing pillars of white granite until we encounter a massive boulder that marks our picnic site and turnaround point (8 miles).

Day 3 we’re off to the Cottonwood region at the park’s southern end. We’ll hike from the Visitors Center to Cottonwood Spring and then continue toward the fascinating fan palms and pools at Lost Palms Oasis (with a side trip to the summit of Mastodon Peak) in the context of a 10-mile hike that many consider to be the park’s premier day hike (1300 ft climbing).

Day 4 is in Canyon area, situated on the northwestern slopes of the Little San Bernardino Mountains. Much of the terrain in this region sits above 4,000 feet in elevation and supports a range of vegetation not found elsewhere in the park. We’ll hike the Panorama Loop, with its optional scramble to the top of Warren Peak and its unobstructed views of the Little San Bernardino Mountains, Coachella Valley and Mt. San Jacinto (8 miles, total of 1600 ft climbing).

We’ll focus on the Mojave section of the park the morning of Day 5 on the Joshua Tree Hiking Tour. We’ll start on the Lost Horse Mine Loop for a moderate loop featuring one of the most successful gold mines in the park. (6 miles). Next we’re headed for the summit of Ryan Peak at 5,457-feet. The good (or bad) news, depending on your personal preference, is that we begin at 4,480’ (3 miles). Later that afternoon, we’ll walk the moderate, but dramatic trail to Barker Dam (1.8 miles), and then return for our final evening in Twentynine Palms (all 3 trails total 1900 ft climbing)

We’ll head toward Palm Springs on Day 6, into the foothills surrounding the town, where Tahquitz Creek and the various tributaries of Palm Canyon Wash have carved narrow canyons containing year-round water that sustains many groves of California Fan Palms. Known collectively as Indian Canyons, we’ll meander in these gorges into the early afternoon, and then return to Palm Springs where our Joshua Tree Tour concludes.