There are so many places in Southern California that are just waiting to be explored. For example, this stunning trail tucked inside Joshua Tree National Park will lead you straight to the most majestic setting you’ve ever seen: a towering rock arch that will make your jaw drop. Here’s a closer look at this slice of paradise that can be found in SoCal. It’s the perfect trail to daydream about now so you can carve out some time to experience it later.

Want to experience one of SoCal’s most beautiful hiking trails?

googlemaps/rina david Head to Joshua Tree National Park where you’ll find the heavenly Arch Rock Trail. 

Arch Rock Trail is at its best between March and November.

all trails/stefan kieau So it’s the perfect hike to add to your nature list for later this summer or fall.

Whether you want to explore this trail from the comfort of your home by scrolling through these stunning photos…

googlemaps/laura nuno

…or you’d prefer to bookmark this hike for later so you can add it to your list of adventures once the fall season rolls around, this is definitely one destination that is worth experiencing.

googlemaps/leticia salsedo

Arch Rock Nature Trail is roughly one mile long, so there isn’t a lot of distance to cover.

googlemaps/laura nuno

But the trail itself is magnificent, so you may find yourself taking your time as you soak up all the beauty that surrounds you. 

googlemaps/sp yuan

Whether you’re an avid hiker or you’re new to exploring trails, this local gem will appeal to most everyone.

googlemaps/loanna myridaki

It’s easy enough for the newbie and adventurous enough for the more experienced explorer.  

alltrails/justin ziegmont

And when you reach the arch rock and see this beauty for yourself, the payoff is sheer magnificence.

googlemaps/marc and casie

Although any time of day is a great way to experience this setting, we highly recommend showing up early to see a spectacular sunrise.

googlemaps/gleb dorogokupets If you time your visit right during the wee morning hours, you may even have this destination all to yourself.

What a beautiful place to explore! Have you ever had the chance to hike the arch rock trail in Southern California? If you’d like more information, visit the National Parks website.

googlemaps/rina david

Head to Joshua Tree National Park where you’ll find the heavenly Arch Rock Trail. 

all trails/stefan kieau

So it’s the perfect hike to add to your nature list for later this summer or fall.

googlemaps/laura nuno

googlemaps/leticia salsedo

googlemaps/sp yuan

googlemaps/loanna myridaki

alltrails/justin ziegmont

googlemaps/marc and casie

googlemaps/gleb dorogokupets

If you time your visit right during the wee morning hours, you may even have this destination all to yourself.

If you’re looking for more trails in SoCal to add to your dream list, here are 12 more hiking trails in Southern California that will take your breath away. They are truly some of the prettiest hiking trails on earth.

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Address: Joshua Tree National Park, California, USA

The OIYS Visitor Center

National Park to Visit in Southern California January 19, 2022 Tori Jane What are the best hiking trails in Joshua Tree National Park?   According to our friends at AllTrails.com, there are more than 100 wonderful trails to traverse while visiting Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California. AllTrails rates them based on real reviews from real hikers, and the #1 most popular trail at the park is Ryan Mountain Trail, a three-mile trek through amazing geological formations and very unique desert landscape. If you’re looking for something shorter (or a little easier), you could try the 1.3-mile Barker Dam Nature Trail, which is rated as easy and treats hikers to some amazing California scenery that you won’t find anywhere else (other than maybe Arizona, anyway). Other Nature Trails we’re big fans of are the Hidden Valley and Arch Rock trails, both of which are short and sweet. But, as we said, there are more than 100 trails here – you’re sure to find something perfect for your specific needs. To read more about the park and the plentiful things to do there, check out this article.  What are some fun things to do outside in Southern California?   Southern California is an outdoorsy person’s paradise. There’s so much to do, see, and experience, and it can seem kind of intimidating at first while trying to figure out what to get out and do. Of course, the most obvious answer to this question might be – duh – the beach, but Southern California is so much more than just coastline. Sure, Venice Beach can be super fun (and it’s outdoors), but you should also check out places like the above-mentioned Joshua Tree National Park, as well as any of our other amazing parks. Camping, boating, and fishing are very popular around here (and for obvious reasons), and if you play your cards right, you can tube some of our rivers during the hottest months of summer. In winter, there are even places you can go for a ski resort trip – Bear Mountain, Mammoth Mountain, and Mountain High are all excellent examples of this.  

The OIYS Visitor Center

National Park to Visit in Southern California

January 19, 2022

Tori Jane

What are the best hiking trails in Joshua Tree National Park?   According to our friends at AllTrails.com, there are more than 100 wonderful trails to traverse while visiting Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California. AllTrails rates them based on real reviews from real hikers, and the #1 most popular trail at the park is Ryan Mountain Trail, a three-mile trek through amazing geological formations and very unique desert landscape. If you’re looking for something shorter (or a little easier), you could try the 1.3-mile Barker Dam Nature Trail, which is rated as easy and treats hikers to some amazing California scenery that you won’t find anywhere else (other than maybe Arizona, anyway). Other Nature Trails we’re big fans of are the Hidden Valley and Arch Rock trails, both of which are short and sweet. But, as we said, there are more than 100 trails here – you’re sure to find something perfect for your specific needs. To read more about the park and the plentiful things to do there, check out this article.  What are some fun things to do outside in Southern California?   Southern California is an outdoorsy person’s paradise. There’s so much to do, see, and experience, and it can seem kind of intimidating at first while trying to figure out what to get out and do. Of course, the most obvious answer to this question might be – duh – the beach, but Southern California is so much more than just coastline. Sure, Venice Beach can be super fun (and it’s outdoors), but you should also check out places like the above-mentioned Joshua Tree National Park, as well as any of our other amazing parks. Camping, boating, and fishing are very popular around here (and for obvious reasons), and if you play your cards right, you can tube some of our rivers during the hottest months of summer. In winter, there are even places you can go for a ski resort trip – Bear Mountain, Mammoth Mountain, and Mountain High are all excellent examples of this.  

The OIYS Visitor Center

The OIYS Visitor Center

According to our friends at AllTrails.com, there are more than 100 wonderful trails to traverse while visiting Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California. AllTrails rates them based on real reviews from real hikers, and the #1 most popular trail at the park is Ryan Mountain Trail, a three-mile trek through amazing geological formations and very unique desert landscape. If you’re looking for something shorter (or a little easier), you could try the 1.3-mile Barker Dam Nature Trail, which is rated as easy and treats hikers to some amazing California scenery that you won’t find anywhere else (other than maybe Arizona, anyway). Other Nature Trails we’re big fans of are the Hidden Valley and Arch Rock trails, both of which are short and sweet. But, as we said, there are more than 100 trails here – you’re sure to find something perfect for your specific needs. To read more about the park and the plentiful things to do there, check out this article. 

What are some fun things to do outside in Southern California?  

Southern California is an outdoorsy person’s paradise. There’s so much to do, see, and experience, and it can seem kind of intimidating at first while trying to figure out what to get out and do. Of course, the most obvious answer to this question might be – duh – the beach, but Southern California is so much more than just coastline. Sure, Venice Beach can be super fun (and it’s outdoors), but you should also check out places like the above-mentioned Joshua Tree National Park, as well as any of our other amazing parks. Camping, boating, and fishing are very popular around here (and for obvious reasons), and if you play your cards right, you can tube some of our rivers during the hottest months of summer. In winter, there are even places you can go for a ski resort trip – Bear Mountain, Mammoth Mountain, and Mountain High are all excellent examples of this.