Listen Here:
Black Rock Campground is sometimes described as a hidden gem for locals. Although its primarily a campground – with 99 sites available and the only RV camping in the national park – there are a great mix of hikes with trailheads that start out of Black Rock. The Hi-View and West Side Loops are a pair of trails for beginners to advanced hikers, and during the cool weekday mornings they are usually empty and quiet.
Both trails actually begin before you enter Black Rock, though there is access through the campground between sites 20 and 21. When driving up to Black Rock Campground, take a right on the road leading past the Horse Camp and you’ll find a large parking area with access to the trails. Recent weather has added some ruts to the dirt road, but anything from a Prius to a 4×4 should have no problem getting to the parking area.
The Hi-View Trail is a short 1.3 mile loop with some gentle elevation changes – going up about 400 feet and giving you views of Joshua Tree forests and the Morongo Valley. This hike is ideal for a short jaunt in the morning, or if you have members of your hiking crew that want a hike with minimal challenge – the Hi-View Nature Trail will reward you with some fantastic views for a trail that only ventures about a mile from the parking lot.
The West Side loop starts at the same trailhead – but its about 5 miles with almost 800 feet of elevation gain – it takes you deeper into the park and is great for those looking to get their heart rate up while taking in the surrounding beauty the hills have to offer.
It’s yellow flower season at most elevations in the hi desert – and at the trailheads which sit around 4200 feet, blankets of chinch weed cast a golden hue as the morning light raked across them. The trailhead and crossings are well-marked by the National Park Service – and the Hi-View Nature Trail can take you anywhere from an hour or more to complete, depending on your pace.
As you climb in elevation, the fall foliage opens up and purple takes over. Fields of fringed amaranth gently swayed in the breeze while I was there – looking like otherworldly wheat fields. Paper bag brush was also in bloom, with its delicate pale purple globe-like flowers.
Flora and Fauna on Hi-View and West Side Loops
The West Side loop snakes in deeper into the northwest hills of the park, with a few offshoot trails taking you to the National Park Service’s western park border. The longer loop and rougher terrain are worth it, with cozy canyon views and active wildlife scurrying around in the quiet hills. While Hi-View trail is mostly soft sand and granite trails, the West Side loop will have you navigating rockier terrain with a few scrambles through some washed out sections of trail.
On my hike through the West Side loop, I spotted a long gopher snake sunning itself on the trail, and birds were active with Anna’s hummingbirds singing their distinct songs from their perches in pinyon pines.
The fall flora’s abundant blooms show the rewards of a wetter year. And although it has cooled down since the summer, both the Hi-View and West Side loops are exposed hikes with minimal shade and spotty cell coverage – so treat them like you would treat any hike in the desert. Bring plenty of water and let people know where you are going, or better yet, invite them out to hike with you.
Black Rock Campground is easy to get to – just up Palomar Ave. or Joshua Blvd. depending on your approach. It doesn’t cost anything to park and use the trails, and the Black Rock Nature Center sits in the middle of the campground – with some shady spots to sit and visit or plan your activities.
The National Park Service has a great app that lists all the trails you can hike in Joshua Tree – and Black Rock also hosts Panorama Loop and Warren Peak trails – both on my fall hiking list and subjects on a future field report.
Links:
Black Rock Campground (NPS)
Hi-View Nature Trail (NPS)
West Side Loop (NPS)
National Park Service App (NPS)
