Visiting Joshua Tree with kids? Babies, even? We’ve got you covered. We bought our home in Joshua Tree in 2019 with a one year old in tow and another on his way. We’ve taken them climbing, camping and on endless drives through the park for nap time. Nap time is a great time to drive to the southeastern part of the park, by the way. I’ve done very pregnant hikes in the park that kids of most ages could do and we’ve traveled the park with friends and family enough to know what most kids want—to climb boulder piles—as well as what in town fascinates them the most. So here is our recommendations for things to do in Joshua Tree with kids. This is also the Covid edition so everything we recommend is outdoors and mask ready.
7 Great Hiking Trails for Kids
Hiking is the best thing to do in Joshua Tree with kids. Pretty much every parking lot in the park has a short, less than a mile, nature trail to offer. Kids will especially love scrambling and climbing up boulder piles and watching the more experienced rock climbers. Here are our favorite trails for kids in Joshua Tree.
1. Barker Dam
Barker Dam is a 1.1 mile loop trail out to a reservoir built by ranchers in the early 1900s. You can usually find water in the spring or late winter, but don’t always count on it as California has some dryer years than others. When the waterbed is dry, you can trek through and scramble boulders on the other side.
2. Hidden Valley Nature Trail
Hidden Valley Nature Trail is a 1 mile loop that is beautiful and easy, right in the heart of Joshua Tree National Park. Checkout Hidden Valley Campground for excellent climber watching. The trail is across the street from the campground.
3. Keys View
Keys View has a quick 0.25 mile loop trail and is the highest viewpoint in Joshua Tree National Park. You will get sweeping views of the park, the Mojave Desert, the Colorado Desert, and the Coachella Valley from this viewpoint. The whole family will be amazed.
4. Desert Queen Mine
Desert Queen Mine is a 1.6 mile out and back to the historic Desert Queen Mine. You will quickly pass an old stone foundation with an iron bed frame still inside. It is a great place to explore and offers different views of Joshua Tree—the rocky cliffside here is breathtaking.
5. Skull Rock
Skull Rock is a 1.7 mi flat and easy loop through boulder piles and desert washes. The namesake rock is actually right off the road, so you can skip the trail if the kids just want to checkout the main attraction instead.
6. Cholla Cactus Garden
This nature path and the next require a long drive through the park, especially the next. But these were actually my favorite places as a kid so I would be remiss to exclude them. The first is Cholla Cactus Garden, a 0.25 mile loop through an incredibly dense forest of fairytale like chollas. Most kids (and adults) don’t like a long drive, but I always (and still do) found it fascinating to drive through the desert and see the different microclimates. As you drive to the Cholla Cactus Garden you are dropping in elevation and start to see less and less Joshua Trees, but then there is this small but densely populated area of chollas that looked to me like cotton candy cactus.
7. Cottonwood Spring
Cottonwood Spring is a quick 0.1 mile walk out to a fan palm oasis with cottonwood trees as well. This short trail is not worth driving for more than an hour across the park alone; however, this is a great place to stretch your legs if you do decide to do so. I love the Cottonwood side of the park as it is part of the Colorado Desert and so resembles the oasis trails in the Coachella Valley where I grew up. There is great birdwatching here and lots of shade, but it can be warmer than the westside of the park so bring water and be prepared.
3 Great Family Friendly Eating Spots
There are plenty of great places to eat in Joshua Tree. Currently, eating is all outdoors or take-out, so here are the restaurants I recommend for all ages based on food, and less on restaurant theme. You can either take a seat on their patio or bring it with you.
1. Natural Sisters Cafe
Natural Sisters Cafe has become a staple in Joshua Tree since it opened in 2009. It is open for breakfast and lunch and is just 2 minutes from the Desert Julep. Their food is organic, local and plant based. In the morning you will find climbers loading up on fuel for their day. We’ve even seen some celebrities like Jason Momoa waiting outside for a breakfast smoothie and sandwich. For breakfast they have bagel sandwiches and egg and vegetarian sausage sliders, smoothies and fresh juices and pastries. For lunch you will find delicious vegetarian sandwiches, wraps and salads.
2. Crossroads Cafe
Every main dish a kid could want, plus quality and a little sophistication for their parents is what you’ll find at Crossroads Cafe. The menu is extensive and while their burgers may steal the show, parents can be pleased they are natural and grass-fed. Kids can have their grilled cheese or quesadillas while their adults can try seared ahi tacos or a plentiful salad. Or vice versa. This restaurant is also open early for breakfast and is right on your way to the park, just 3 minutes from Desert Julep.
3. Country Kitchen
While many restaurants in Joshua Tree cater to those looking for a clean and healthy bite before visiting the national park, Country Kitchen has been serving the best diner food in the area since before Joshua Tree was even accorded national park status. If you want to get excited about this place, check-out Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations episode, U.S. Desert to see local rock star Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age share about this great desert restaurant. Joshua Tree Country Kitchen is also just 4 minutes from Desert Julep.
4 Best Art & Shopping Spots for Kids
Joshua Tree is eclectic, to say the least. Everyone in the family will find something to enjoy, or laugh at, or be amazed by in the shopping and arts scene in Joshua Tree. Walk through the shops right in downtown for trendy outdoor gathering spots, local artists’ shops, local art and sculptures and quirky souvenirs and gifts. Also checkout our complete guide to shopping in Joshua Tree.
1. The Station Joshua Tree
Start at The Station Joshua Tree for fun photo ops, hilarious gifts, and a place to sit and relax with your family while enjoying the desert vibe. The Station is a midcentury desert gas station where you can shop as well as lounge and relax at your own table with your family, with beverages and snacks sold inside. It is so inviting, in fact, that you will inevitably make friends with either the shopkeeper and/or other patrons and wonder how you spent the entire day at a gift shop.
2. The Courtyard at Art Queen
There are a lot of great shopping courtyards next-door to the Art Queen (Shops at Zanny’s and Sun Alley have great local artists and curated items), but your family outing must include walking back to see the sculptures and exhibits in the Art Queen courtyard. The exhibits change every few months, but there is always something there to checkout. If not, the Art Queen gallery is filled with “good and sturdy art (made from trash)” worth checking out and the World Famous Crochet Museum made from a vintage photo booth is right next door.
3. Joshua Tree Rock Shop
If your kids are anything like my husband and I were, they probably love rocks. Either they love gemstones already or they have just fallen in love with Joshua Tree and now rocks are their thing. Whichever is the case, they will be blown away with the collection at Joshua Tree Rock Shop. Whether they want to start a gemstone collection or are looking for detailed rock books, Joshua Tree Rock Shop has it. This is my last must hit stop before heading out of Joshua Tree proper, so linger and take it all in. You don’t need a trinket that says Joshua Tree, really. Geology says it all.
4. Mane Street, Pioneertown
Last on my list due to proximity, but this is actually my top recommendation for families. Pioneertown’s Mane Street was developed by actor Dick Curtis in the 1940s. He and other investors such as Roy Rogers and Gene Autry wanted to make a real-life movie set for films and shows such as The Cisco Kid and The Gene Autry Show. While some of the buildings are movie set facades, most are actual live in homes, shops and even a bowling alley. Your family will enjoy walking this old town, movie-set for sightseeing, shopping and to simply enjoy the beautiful desert scenery. There are also two good restaurants with plenty of outdoor seating: Pappy and Harriets and Red Dog Saloon.
Looking for more things to do in Joshua Tree? Please checkout our list of articles for where to eat, shop and play in Joshua Tree.
All of these restaurants and shops, except for Pioneertown, and more are less than 5 minutes from the Desert Julep. Our home is curated with local art and sits on a hill filled with Joshua Trees and native plants, just minutes from the park. Come be inspired. Checkout our availability on Airbnb.