Joshua Tree: Self-Guided Audio Drive with Hidden Valley Trail

Summary

Drive Joshua Tree’s surreal landscapes at your pace with stories and secret trails

You’ll set off through Joshua Tree with stories guiding each turn—pausing where you want for hikes or snacks, searching for old carvings in sunbaked rocks, and catching golden light on surreal boulders. With offline maps and hands-free audio, you’ll find space for quiet moments (and maybe stargazing) along the way.

What’s the experience like?

I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect to laugh so much in the middle of a desert. We started our Joshua Tree self-guided audio tour right after grabbing cold drinks from a little shop in town—one of those places where the cashier actually asks how your day’s going. Once we hit the park, the air changed—drier, sharper, but somehow cleaner than back home. The voice on the app kicked in just as we passed the first cluster of those spiky, Dr. Seuss-looking trees. My friend tried to describe their shape but gave up halfway—“like cacti doing jazz hands,” she said. That’s about right.

The thing about driving through Joshua Tree with this audio guide is you can stop whenever something catches your eye (or when someone needs a snack). At one point we pulled over by some boulders because the narrator mentioned old gold rush bandits hiding out nearby. I could almost smell dust and sun-warmed rock, and there was this weird silence—no birds, just wind scraping past. We listened to a story about John Samuelson carving his thoughts into rocks nearly a century ago; I went looking for them and found one that just said “Nature is God.” It made me pause longer than I expected.

Hidden Valley Trail was included as a bonus on our route—a short loop, easy enough even after too many chips in the car. There were families picnicking and a couple of climbers chalking up their hands at Hemingway Buttress (one guy waved down at us like he’d been waiting all day for an audience). The sky felt huge out there, especially near Intersection Rock when late afternoon light turned everything gold except for this one stubborn blue shadow under Cap Rock. We kept pausing the audio just to sit quietly or take goofy photos—nobody rushed us.

By sunset, we’d made it to Skull Rock and then Sky’s The Limit Observatory—the kind of place where you realize how small you are under all those stars. Driving out toward Twenty-Nine Palms, I remember thinking how strange it was to feel so connected to a place just by listening and wandering around at our own pace. I still think about that “Nature is God” carving sometimes—maybe that’s what makes Joshua Tree stick with you long after you leave.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Self-guided Joshua Tree driving tour

• Pass through Joshua Tree town
• Start at Joshua Tree Visitor Center
• Drive through park, see Joshua trees
• Hike to John Samuelson's rock carvings
• Hike 7-mile trail to Willow Hole oasis
• Visit Hemingway Buttress climbing spot
• Walk Hidden Valley Nature Trail
• View Intersection Rock climbing area
• Explore Cap Rock quarter-mile trail
• Drive through Lost Horse Valley
• Walk Lost Horse Mine Loop Trail
• See abandoned mine in Queen Valley
• Visit Skull Rock and nearby trail
• Stop at Sky's The Limit Observatory
• End at Oasis Visitor Center in Twenty-Nine Palms

Top questions

How long does the Joshua Tree self-guided audio tour take?

The full route is over 66 miles and takes about 3-4 hours to complete by car, depending on stops.

Is pickup included for this Joshua Tree driving tour?

No pickup is needed; you start at the Visitor Center in your own car after downloading the app.

Can I use the audio tour more than once?

Yes, buy once per car and use it as many times as you want within 12 months.

Does this tour include hiking trails?

Yes, it includes Hidden Valley Nature Trail as a bonus plus info about other hikes like Willow Hole and Lost Horse Mine Loop.

Do I need cell service inside Joshua Tree for the app?

No signal is needed during your visit if you download everything in advance; offline maps are included.

Where does the tour start and end?

The main route starts at Joshua Tree Visitor Center and ends near Oasis Visitor Center in Twenty-Nine Palms.

Are entrance fees to Joshua Tree included?

No, entrance passes must be purchased separately before entering the park.

What do I need to access the audio guide?

You’ll need to download Action’s Tour Guide App onto your phone using WiFi or mobile data before arriving.

What’s included

Your day includes access to an easy-to-use app with engaging audio stories that play automatically as you drive through Joshua Tree (just connect your phone to your car stereo), offline maps so you won’t get lost even without cell signal, plus a bonus guided walk through Hidden Valley Nature Trail—all at your own pace and good for unlimited use over 12 months after booking.