Hi, View!

Joshua Tree's Hi-View Nature Trail and a Visit to Pioneertown

Pop quiz: Closest Joshua Tree trail to the LA metro area? It’s Hi-View Nature Trail near Yucca Valley’s Black Rock entrance to the national park. Overlooked, but worth looking over. This 1.3-mile loop doesn’t require an entry fee, gains 325 feet in elevation, and offers a fresh perspective on the park through, well, high views, interpretive trail markers, and minimal foot traffic.

Grab a map/guide at the Black Rock visitor center and drive west along a dirt road to the never-packed parking lot and marked trailhead through a gap in the wooden fence. At the first junction, go right for a gradual ascent, left for a steep climb. Either way, you’re going up! As you do, look down on Yucca Valley to the north and admire snowcapped San Gorgonio and its fellow mountain peaks to the west. Be sure to admire the native flora as you pass alongside junipers, pinyons, and perhaps blooming buds of Joshua Trees, nolinas, beavertail, and blue sage.

Continue ascending as the trail turns north, listening and looking for both pinyon and western scrub jays, as well as cactus wren, poorwills, and soaring turkey vultures and red-tailed hawks. The trail’s apex lies at 4,300 feet, where you can a register as you savor 360-degree views that now include vistas deep into Black Rock Canyon. Hi-ho for Hi-View!

BONUS ARTS: Just northwest of Yucca Valley is the small community of Pioneertown, built as an Old West movie set by the likes of Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. Many Western classics were filmed here, including High Noon and The Cisco Kid. Walk down Mane Street and enjoy the sights (minus the tumbleweeds and gunfights) and shop for local art. For a barbecue dinner and live entertainment, stop by the legendary Pappy & Harriet’s, a shoot-kickin’ venue that has hosted Robert Plant, Paul McCartney, and Leon Russell, and still draws top rock and country acts year-round. Welcome to the wild, wild West!

To get to Hi-View Nature Trail, take the I-10 east to CA-62. Stay on the CA-62 for 21 miles, turning right onto Joshua Ln., following it for 4.6 miles. Turn right onto San Marino Dr., followed by an immediate left onto Black Rock Canyon Rd. Turn right at the campground, following signs for the trail. The dirt road ends at the lot. No dogs. To get to Pioneertown, take the CA-62 for 19 miles and turn left onto Pioneertown Rd. Continue 4 miles to Pappy & Harriet’s. Pioneertown is dog-friendly!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Gentle Giants

    Some people visit national parks to marvel at the iconic sights, while others come seeking solitude in nature. With visitation on the rise, it can be hard to find both. But in Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, this pair of trails offers both....

    View
  2. Screaming Good Garden

    Combine a classic scary movie backdrop and life-size elephant garden sculptures in beautiful downtown Sonoma.

    View
  3. A Hike to the Past

    This 5.2-mile redwoods hike through El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space combines a relaxing stroll with unique geologic formations and historical artifacts.

    View
  4. Golden Mile

    Dubbed the Golden Mile, this car-free stretch of road in Golden Gate Park features rotating art installations of murals, sculptures, and abundant bright yellow Adirondack chairs for kicking back to relax. See Naga, the recent new addition here, an impressive sea serpent art installation at Golden Gate Park's Rainbow

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Sponsored

    Chase Fall Colors & Family Fun in Reno Tahoe

    Ready to Reno? We’re so with you! Reno Tahoe is the ultimate urban basecamp for gathering family and friends for all kinds of fall fun and festivities.

    View
  2. Welcome to the Ice Age

    Only in LA can you stumble upon a lake of bubbling black goo right in the middle of the city—complete with a life-size family of mammoths frozen in time. Take a whiff and you’ll catch the unmistakable scent of asphalt: Yep, you’ve made it to the La Brea Tar Pits & Museum.

    View
  3. Griffith's Golden

    With over 4,200 acres and hundreds of trails, Griffith Park is the gold standard. Opt for the lesser-hiked northwestern end of the park and visit the 2.25-mile Skyline and Oak Canyon loop from Travel Town.

    View
  4. Mulholland's Most Majestic

    Take a leisurely drive along Mulholland Drive to discover beautiful urban scenery and unexpected wild beauty, right in the middle of the city. 

    View