Joshua Tree's Hidden Valley Self-Guided Walking Tour
Description
Expand your journey through Joshua Tree National Park with this self-guided walking tour of the Hidden Valley Nature Trail. This secluded valley is known for its stunning rock formations and plentiful desert flora… but it was also once a hideout for a gang of dangerous cattle rustlers! As you explore, you’ll learn about the geology of this place, its plant and animal life, the gang that once hid here, and so much more. This is Joshua Tree’s most popular trail for a reason! After booking, check your email/text to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action while connected to WiFi or mobile data. Enter the password, download the tour, and enjoy it offline. Follow the audio instructions and route from the designated starting point. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Your tour of Joshua Tree begins at the Joshua Tree Visitor Center. From here, you'll drive through this weird, one-of-a-kind park where two deserts meet. Along the way, get ready to marvel at the bizarre Joshua trees for which the park is named, embark on awe-inspiring hikes, and catch a sunset you'll never forget. Note: The tour is over 0.92 miles long, with more than 16 audio stories, and takes about 1-2 hours to complete. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
Welcome to Hidden Valley Nature Trail! This amazing hike is one of the most popular in all of Joshua Tree, and for good reason! It’s relatively easy, takes less than an hour, and features some seriously cool rock formations!
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- How To Access: After booking, you’ll get an email and text with setup instructions and password (search “audio tour” in emails and texts). • Download the separate tour app by Action • Enter the password sent by email and text. • MUST download the tour while in strong wifi/cellular. • Works offline after download.
- How to start touring: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction.
- Go to the starting point No one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided Enter the first story’s point and the audio will begin automatically Follow the audio cues to the next story, which will also play automatically. Enjoy hands-free exploring. If you face audio issues, contact support. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
- Travel worry-free: Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace. Skip anything you don’t care about or explore bonus content for everything that interests you
- Savings tips: Walking tours: couples can share one tour by splitting headphones
- New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
- For the best experience, bring headphones/earbuds for your walking tour.
- The tour requires a supported mobile device for navigation. Please use an iPhone with iOS 15 or later, an Android device with Android 9 or later, or an iPad/tablet with GPS and cellular service.
- Your password can be used on the same number of devices as travelers booked. Enter the same password on each device.
Reviews(9)
The self guided walking tour of Hidden Valley trail worked as described. Some of the “stories “ provided were interesting, most were not. It was helpful in keeping us on the trail as signage is poor in Joshua Tree NP.
Tracie, I’m glad to hear that my Hidden Valley Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour worked as described and helped keep you on track, especially since signage in Joshua Tree can be limited. I also appreciate your thoughts on the stories and feedback like this. It’s really helpful. I’d love to know which parts you found less interesting or what you feel could be added to make the experience more engaging. If you’re open to sharing more details, I can pass them along to my team as we continue refining the tour. Your input truly helps improve the experience for future visitors.
One tip.....know what the heck a Joshua tree looks like before ask a person who thought I was crazy!! Nice park and cute town.
Denise, thank you for the laugh and for sharing your experience. I love your tip—Joshua Trees do have a way of keeping people guessing at first. I’m glad you enjoyed the Hidden Valley walk and took in both the park and the town’s charm. If you ever find yourself back in the area, I recommend my Palm Springs and Joshua Tree Self-Guided Driving Audio Tours Bundle for a more extensive experience. It combines the best of Palm Springs and Joshua Tree, allowing you to enjoy their unique beauty and stories at your own pace.
This was a waste of money. The narration only came on when I approached particular spots, but with no internet there in that isolated area (no bars at all) the narration only came on for 3 of the spots. What a disappointment.
Jefferson, thank you for sharing your feedback. I’ve already seen your review on TripAdvisor and I truly appreciate your thoughts. I’d love to understand more about what happened. Please feel free to reach out directly if you’d like to provide more details, and I’ll be happy to assist.
This was a waste of money since there is no internet access there in Hidden Valley. The app was unusable in those conditions, so I think I might have heard 3 selections over the mile-long course out of 20 selections that should have broadcast. The hike was well laid out by the park service, but I was very disappointed that I wasn't hearing anything from the app since it was location based, and wouldn't broadcast with no internet connection.
Jefferson, I’m sorry to hear about your experience! Once the tour is downloaded beforehand, the stories work fully offline and are designed specifically for that functionality. It seems you heard only 3 audio stories, which means you may have been only listening to the demo. I’m happy to replace or refund this tour for you since you didn’t really get to use it.
Very detailed, fun, and educational tour! This was a great way to enhance my hike! Excellent narration and timing was perfect.
Linda, I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed my Joshua Tree’s Hidden Valley Self-Guided Walking Tour! It’s great that you found the narration detailed, fun, and educational — and that it enhanced your hike with perfect timing. If you’re ready for more adventures, check out my All-In-One California Self-Guided Driving & Walking Bundle Tour, featuring Big Sur, Palm Springs, Hollywood Homes, Yosemite, and more!
Funny, informative, and helpful – if you’re solo, this is a great companion for that hike. It also works offline on your phone and keeps you on track, lest you take a wrong turn here or there (I did!). The hike, especially in the early evening, is absolutely stunning – definitely worth taking both the tour and this guide along with you!
Kelly, I’m so glad you enjoyed the Hidden Valley tour. It’s great to hear it kept you on track, even with a wrong turn or two. Glad that it made your solo hike more fun and informative. Early evening is such a stunning time out there, and I’m thrilled the guide helped you soak it all in. If you’re planning more scenic road trips, check out my All-In-One California Self-Guided Driving & Walking Bundle Tour, which features Big Sur, Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, and more. Happy travels!
Well, interesting that the pictures showed a self guided walking tour. That’s what I read and expected. So I took an Uber from downtown. The man at the entry desk looked at me like I was crazy when I said I wanted to do the walking tour. According to her, there was no such thing, nor some kind of little shuttle, which i had also read was possible. Everything else said a car was definitely necessary. Just walking around wasn’t ok, according to her. So, i was kind of stuck. There’s nothing, really nothing, else there. I was totally immersed in my audiobook (my friend, Amy Gamerman’s just published, Amazon’best of Jan, ‘The Crazies’, about Montana ranchers and billionaires battling over multi-generational land for (or not) windfarms. So, i just walked, and walked, and walked (13,000steps, it turned out). That’s when I noticed that my book had devoured all but 1% of my battery (consider yourself warned!) So, rather than walk all the way back to Palm Springs, especially without my book, I ordered an Uber, saying I had no idea where I was (there wasn’t a clue) and couldn’t respond to any questions or confirmations. Bless Uber, a car pulled over. I would have jumped into any car, but it was Andy, the German Uber driver, as he introduced himself. It was a beautiful day, sunny, comfortable temperature and I wasn’t hiking, so I was fine, not even thirsty. I bought a little packet of Joshua tree seeds, so, if all goes well, i will grow my own Joshua Tree. So bring extra batteries or an extra phone
Erica, thank you for sharing your experience with our Joshua Tree's Hidden Valley Self-Guided Walking Tour. There was a misunderstanding at the park entrance; this tour is indeed a walking audio tour with a specific route outlined in our app that should be followed to enjoy the audio narratives of the area. Before your next visit, please have a National Park pass to enter Joshua Tree National Park. Bring extra batteries or a power bank to enhance your tour experience without interruptions. We hope your Joshua tree seeds flourish and you give the tour another try with these tips in mind!
I found the reader’s tone almost humorous rather than factual. It felt like he was narrating a child’s experience. It was distracting so I turned it off.
Grace, Thank you for your feedback on my Joshua Tree's Hidden Valley Self-Guided Walking Tour. I'm sorry to hear that the narration's tone was not to your liking. Our goal is to provide an engaging and informative experience, so your insights are invaluable for future improvements. Could you share specific elements that were distracting? Any suggestions to enhance the tour's factual delivery would be greatly appreciated.
It was fantastic. We learned a lot about the geology and the history behind this place. A great way to learn about and explore the trail.
Amanda, I’m thrilled you learned so much about Joshua Tree Hidden Valley's geology and history! Those are fascinating aspects of the park. Explore more National Parks with my 25+ Park Bundle (Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, etc.) Happy travels!
