Walk by billion year old metamorphic boulders and beautiful untouched desert landscape on the hidden valley nature trail. A small glimpse of what Joshua Tree National Park has to offer. The Hidden Valley Nature Trail is a scenic hike that is 1 mile and is a loop, usually takes about 45 minutes or less depending on how fast you walk.

History of Hidden Valley

Hidden Valley in Joshua Tree has an extensive history that stems back from indigenous natives using the area to hide from other tribes and keep away the forces of wind and rain to cattle thieves hiding stolen cattle there before they would sell it to new cattle ranchers.

The giant metamorphic rocks in hidden valley are made up of neiss granite and are 1.4 billion to 1.7 billion years old. Bill Keys had to use Dynamite in the 1930s to create a passage way for people and tourists to go into the valley to see it; otherwise it was blocked off by rocks.

The trailhead is in the south parking lot of hidden valley day use area, you can simply drive your car to the parking lot and walk to the trail head.

Joshua Tree National Park has evolved from the era of gold miners in the 1800s mining for gold to become the tourist destination that it is today. An epic place to visit, one that you’ll never forget.