Unoccupied Wall Street

Hiking to Wall Street Mill in Joshua Tree National Park

Going wild on Wall Street doesn’t have to mean buying and selling stocks. It can be about hiking and exploring a quiet trail in Joshua Tree National Park. One that leads to the intruiging ruins of Wall Street Mill, left over from gold-mining days. The 2.8-mile out-and-back (round-trip) trail begins right next door to the park’s most popular hike, Barker Dam. Leave that to the others and start your adventure at the Wall Street Mill trailhead.

The first trail junction, just 0.25 mile from the start, offers a quick left-turn detour to the bright pink ruins of Wonderland Ranch, once home to a family of gold seekers. Back on the main trail, continue to another spur trail on the left, which leads to the first of three old cars along the hike.

After returning to the main path, pass a rusted water pump and windmill at the 0.6-mile mark. Look for dense patches of purple mat flowers and yellow bursts of brittlebush and desert dandelions. One of the last gunfights of the Old West took place along this stretch of trail back in 1943, when mill owner Bill Keys shot and killed his neighbor Worth Bagley in what was later ruled self-defense. Two more rusted cars signal your arrival at Wall Street Mill.

The well-preserved stamp mill extracted gold from ore mined at nearby Desert Queen Mine. You can inspect the mill from all angles and enjoy a backdrop of Joshua trees, granite boulders, and piñon pines. It’s a place to linger and take in Joshua Tree’s not-so-distant past—Bill Keys only died in 1969.

STAY: Ryan Campground, with 31 sites, is a first-come, first-served campground that is convenient to all of the hikes in the heart of the park. It’s got an amazing view of the Lost Horse Valley area at sunset, easy access to the ruins of nearby Ryan Ranch, and is much quieter than Hidden Valley or Jumbo Rocks. For more information visit the park's camping information page.

From the West Entrance to Joshua Tree National Park, follow Park Blvd. 9 miles and turn left on Barker Dam Rd. Continue 1.5 miles to the Barker Dam parking lot. The Wall Street Mill trail is just to the right of the Barker Dam trail. No dogs on trails in the national park. Entrance fee is $25 per vehicle for 7 days—but free this weekend, April 22–23, 2017.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

    View
  2. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

    View
  3. Hike the Rainbow

    Catch all the colors of a rainbow at Calero County Park on this 10-mile hike currently showcasing the season’s best blooms.

    View
  4. Hike Purisima Creek Open Space Preserve

    Purisima Charisma

    Hundred-foot redwoods, a shaded canyon, and views overlooking Half Moon Bay. This 10-mile loop hike in Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is a roller-coaster of uphill and downhill along with easygoing stretches through some of the Bay Area’s most beautiful landscape.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. People on a guided horseback tour with Central Coast Trailrides at Santa Margarita Ranch near Paso Robles

    Saddle Up with Central Coast Trailrides

    Untouched and sweeping, the mountainous scenery and deep valleys of Santa Margarita near Paso Robles are just begging to be explored. So saddle up for a scenic adventure with Central Coast Trailrides (CCT) at the 14,000-acre Santa Margarita Ranch.

    View
  2. A woman on a hiking trail with huge open space and yellow flowers around her at Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks

    Going Wildwood

    Consider this your invitation to get a little untamed. In just one walk through Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks, you can chase the sound of a cascading waterfall, duck into a shadowy cave, and soak in big hillside vistas. The mostly flat 4.25-mile loop makes wild feel wonderfully accessible.

    View
  3. Two people fly fishing on the Truckee River with guides from Reno Fly Shop

    Zen and the Art of Fly Fishing

    Learning to fly fish is one of the most fun and beautiful ways to connect with nature, family, friends, and yourself. It’s also a great way to truly experience the magic of a place. Make that place Reno Tahoe, where a fly fishing adventure with Reno Fly Shop is like being planted in a plein air painting of dreamy outdoors.

    View
  4. A woman on the overlook deck overlooking the Truckee River at Oxbow Nature Study Area in Reno

    This Way to Oxbow and Dickerson Road

    Just west of downtown Reno—tucked right alongside the Truckee River—is a nature haven for wildlife spotting and waterside relaxing. The 22-acre Oxbow Nature Study Area is ideal for those seeking solitude and a short hike. Afterwards, explore the creative hub of Dickerson Road.

    View