Willow Hole in Wonderland

Hiking to Willow Hole in Joshua Tree National Park

04.20.2017

All of Joshua Tree National Park might seem like a rocky wonderland, but this hike takes you into the Wonderland—the Wonderland of Rocks—home to a secluded watering hole.

Lace up! This 7-mile (round-trip) out-and-back hike begins with a very gentle ascent through a dense stand of Joshua trees. Watch for wildflowers too, like the deep red blooms of claret-cup cactus. Ignore the spur trails to rock-climbing spots and head right at the 1.25-mile point on the signed path to Willow Hole. At just past the 2-mile mark, the path becomes a sandy wash, and you enter the Wonderland of Rocks. This monzogranite-surrounded terrain supports a diversity of animal and plant life due to its ability to trap rainfall. The wash is flat, but trudging through the deep sand is tiring as you follow arrow markers around mazes of boulders.

Here you’ll notice a dramatic increase in vegetation, including junipers, piñon pines, and scrub oaks. After another 1.25 miles, you’ll reach a wide, spacious clearing enclosed by towering rock formations that are often basking spots for corpulent chuckwalla lizards. Just around the corner is the namesake patch of dense green willows.

The trail slinks through the trees to a small watering hole among giant rocky outcroppings. Stay quiet and watchful. This is a significant water source for such elusive creatures as desert kit foxes and bighorn sheep. Their most active time is near dusk, so stay late if you can, but leave before sunset to catch a beautiful glow silhouetting Joshua trees and the distant hulk of Mount San Gorgonio to the west.

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 Lost Horse Valley area at sunset, easy access to the ruins of nearby Ryan Ranch, and is much quieter than Hidden Valley or Jumbo Rock. For more information visit the park's camping information page.

From the West Entrance to Joshua Tree National Park, follow Park Blvd. 6.5 miles to the Boy Scout Trail parking lot on your left, just after Quail Springs Picnic Area. 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. Napa Valley Paddle kayaker and paddle boarder on the Napa Valley river

    Napa's Wild Side

    It’s wine country’s Amazon. The gentle Napa River is an ecological—and recreational—delight. And Napa Valley Paddle sets you up for maximum enjoyment of this experience.

    View

  2. Been There, Dome That

    Surrounded by granite domes, craggy peaks, and miles of hiking trails, the High Sierra landscape of Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park is famous for good reason. For a truly grand view, take a short hike to bold—and bald (except for snow at times)—Lembert Dome.

    View

  3. Wapama Wows

    Hetch Hetchy can be overlooked in Yosemite National Park because of its more remote location and limited facilities. But this is where you’ll also find one of the best day hikes in the park: Wapama Falls.

    View
  4. Hike Mount Tamalpais into Muir Woods

    Muir Woods Through the Backdoor

    A backdoor entrance into Muir Woods? Hike a tranquil trail that starts in Mount Tamalpais State Park and quietly leads into Muir Woods, letting you avoid the busyness of the main parking area.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories

  1. Inn-spiration Point!

    For more than a century, people have been hiking or mountain biking to West Point Inn for good reason. Perched at 1,785 feet on the southern slope of Mount Tamalpais, the historic inn has sweeping views from the Marin Headlands to the San Francisco skyline.

    View

  2. A Thousand Steps to Paradise

    A picture is worth a thousand words, but is a gorgeous beach in Laguna worth a thousand steps? The answer is yes, though the question is moot, because it’s only 223 steep steps down to the 400-yard stretch of sand known as 1000 Steps Beach.

    View
  3. Sponsored

    Take the Exit to the Best of the San Francisco Peninsula

    The San Francisco Peninsula is proof that some of Northern California’s greatest surprises are hiding just off Highway 101. All you have to do is take the exit.

    View
  4. Hike to the Sierra Buttes Fire Lookout in the Lakes Basin

    Lookout for This View!

    Sierra Buttes Lookout, at a lofty 8,591 feet, is a memory maker for its pucker-worthy stairway to the tower’s balcony. It's a 5-mile (round-trip) hike to reach it. And the reward? Epic!

    View