Joshua Tree National Park · California

Cholla Cactus Garden Nature

0.2 mi of trail, end to end · 2,185 ft–2,195 ft · earth surface · trail class Fully Developed · hiking

2,187 ft 2,185 ft · 0.2 mi high 2,195 ft

Hike Cholla Cactus Garden the Park Service's write-up

15-30 Minutes · no dogs

A person walking a sidewalk next to a fence in front of chollas with the sun setting over mountains.
Cholla Cactus Garden at Sunset Photo: NPS / Alison Taggart-Barone

Cholla Cactus Garden is an easy quarter mile walk with minimal elevation gain along Pinto Basin Road. This walk meanders through a dense patch of teddy bear cholla on the edge of the Pinto Basin and provides views of the basin and surrounding mountains. Even though this is a short and easy hike, it is strongly recommended to wear closed shoes for protection from the cholla.

This trail has no shade and no cell service. Summer hikers should start this trail before 10 am and bring plenty of water. Always check the weather forecast before heading into the park and consider changing plans if the weather conditions are too extreme. Before hiking, tell a safety buddy where you are going and when you plan on leaving the park.

Accessibility This is a dirt trail that is mostly flat with occasional mild inclines. Pets are not allowed on this trail, but service animals are welcome. Service animals must remain on a 6-foot (1.8 meter) leash at all times.

This hike on nps.gov

On the parks map

All 94 trails in Joshua Tree National ParkFind a trailOn the parks mapPark on nps.gov

About this trail's facts

The lines are the National Park Service's public trails layer, the trailheads and the waterfalls, views, peaks and historic places along them the Service's public points of interest, read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end. The write-ups are the Service's own "things to do" text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the park's own site before you go.