Arch Rock Trail Hike – Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park isn’t all about Joshua Trees! There are other features to see here, including an interesting natural arch, called Arch Rock. Arch Rock trail is one of the easier hikes in Joshua Tree National Park. The Arch Rock trail requires minor rock scrambling (only if you want to get closer to the arch), making it a fun hike, especially for kids. But is hiking to Arch Rock worth it? Let’s explore the Arch Rock Trail in California’s Joshua Tree National Park!

Arch Rock Trail – Details

Trailhead Location:
When we visited in 2019, the Arch Rock trail was accessed by heading into the White Tank campground. Now, you can park at the Twin Tanks parking lot (noted as Arch Rock Nature Trail on the map below) just north of the campground. I don’t know if parking for the trail is still allowed at the White Tank Campground. From my experience, parking at White Tank campground was a pain in the ass – there were very few available spots for non-campers in that lot.

Distance: New trailhead: 1 mile round trip, out and back. For us (from White Tank Campground), it was about 0.6 miles round trip – out and back.

Time commitment: 30 minutes – maybe longer. Allow some extra time because you might get lost. No, I’m not kidding.

Hiking to the Arch Rock in Joshua Tree National Park

When you’re starting out on the trail, the beginning of the trail is clearly marked. Unfortunately, this well-defined trail doesn’t last long. Before you know it, you’ll be standing in a field of boulders wondering just where the hell you are and where the hell this arch is. (No, you won’t have cell service in this area, so we couldn’t rely on that).

I was honestly a little freaked out that we’d get lost, as the landscape here can be a bit disorientating. We visited in late March, which is a peak time of year to visit Joshua Tree National Park. Despite this being one of the most popular times of year to visit the park, there were only a handful of people on the trail.

Along the way, you’ll see lots of interesting rock formations and giant boulders. We did not see any Joshua Trees on the trail, but we did see Cholla Cactus, yucca plants and creosote bushes.

At one point, we had no idea where we were going. The park service has interpretive signs all over the place in this area, so we thought to follow the ‘trail’ (and the trails looked like small washes) to each of the signs, but that wasn’t helping – in fact, it was actually leading us further and further away from the arch.

We weren’t the only ones having issues – other people on the trail couldn’t find the arch either and were wandering aimlessly through the boulder field. We thought about giving up at one point – because we didn’t want to wander off too far and get lost – these boulders can start to all look the same after a while and the whole area can be disorientating.

Eventually though, we did find the arch after asking some other hikers who seemed to be on their way back to the trailhead. The arch is actually pretty small, and if you’re expecting an Arches National Park-style natural arch, you’ll be a bit disappointed.

The arch itself requires some minor rock scrambling/squeezing through crevasses if you want to get closer. I just wanted to get a decent photo of it – I didn’t feel the need to climb under/on top of the arch – if you want to do that, it’ll require more scrambling.

After visiting the arch, you can continue exploring the rock formations and giant boulders in the area or simply head back to the car. If you had trouble finding the arch, don’t worry – heading back to the car won’t be nearly as challenging – because you’ve kind of familiarized yourself with the area, it should be pretty clear how to get back.

Arch Rock Hike in Joshua Tree National Park – Final Thoughts

Pros:
Nice looking arch
The surrounding giant boulder field is really neat
Lots of interpretive signs explain how the area was formed
Quick hike, great for stretching the legs!

Cons:
Trail is not well-marked
Can easily get lost here if you’re not careful.
If you’re expecting Utah-like arches, you’ll be disappointed.