About a month ago, I completed my first PCT section of the year, hiking from the Southern Terminus in Campo to Paradise Valley Cafe near mile marker 151. Although I had finished what I set out to do, I wasn\u2019t quite ready to be done with my desert adventures before flying home to the cold, snowy Northeast.<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s not uncommon for long-distance hikers to embark on side quests while hiking trails like the Pacific Crest Trail or the Appalachian Trail. On the PCT, popular side quests include summiting Mt. San Jacinto and Mt. Whitney and detouring through Yosemite National Park. But what about a Southern California side quest that isn\u2019t often talked about?<\/span><\/p>\n Like many other hikers, I love a good side quest. As a section hiker, I always look for opportunities to check off any national parks, high points, cool state parks, or other attractions during my trips. For example, I stopped at Natural Bridge State Park after completing a section on the AT in Virginia on my way home.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0I had always wanted to visit to see George Washington\u2019s alleged initials on the bridge at Natural Bridge State Park in Virginia.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n I also stopped at Acadia National Park on my way back from completing Mt. Katahdin, which I saved for my last day of the AT. Although I had already visited Acadia as a child, it was still fun to explore Bar Harbor and revisit some of the popular spots in the park.<\/span><\/p>\n Visiting Acadia National Park on my way back from completing Mt. Katahdin<\/p>\n<\/div>\n My section hikes on the PCT so far have been no different. For my first section on the PCT, I flew into Portland and then took a bus to Cascade Locks to hop onto trail at the Bridge of the Gods and hike southbound. When planning this section, I realized that Multnomah Falls, the tallest waterfall in Oregon, was one of the bus stops on the way to Cascade Locks. If you\u2019re driving to the falls, you need a reservation permit, but by taking the bus, I didn\u2019t need one. How perfect! So I stopped at the falls to see it and enjoy a second breakfast before catching the next bus to Cascade Locks.<\/span><\/p>\n Stopping at Multnomah Falls on my way to the PCT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Visiting Joshua Tree National Park is not a common PCT side quest. In fact, I had never heard of other PCT hikers visiting it. But when I realized that the national park was relatively close to Palm Springs, where I was flying out at the end of my section hike, I was immediately intrigued.<\/span><\/p>\n Visiting all of the national parks in the U.S. has been a dream of mine for quite some time now. I\u2019ve been so excited to hike through the seven national parks that the PCT passes through. I even keep a scratch-off map of all of the national parks hanging on the wall in my gear closet next to my wall map of the PCT. Seeing just how close Joshua Tree National Park was to the trail was especially tempting.<\/span><\/p>\n The PCT wall map I hang in my gear closet, which shows how close Joshua Tree National Park is to the trail. The section I just completed is highlighted in purple.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The park gets its name from the iconic Joshua trees that can be found all over the park. It\u2019s thought that the trees were named by Mormon settlers in the area who believed that the trees looked like the Biblical figure Joshua. In addition to the trees, the park is known for its unique rock formations and is a popular place for rock climbers. <\/span>The photos I had seen looked incredible, and the more I thought about it, the more excited I became about the possibility of visiting.<\/span><\/p>\n Standing in front of one of the iconic Joshua trees that the national park is named for<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Joshua Tree National Park is about an hour\u2019s drive from Palm Springs. After finishing my section hike at Paradise Valley Cafe (near PCT mile marker 151), I got a ride from a local trail angel to the Palm Springs International Airport. Since most hikers hitch from PVC to Idyllwild (which is the opposite direction), I arranged the ride in advance and offered to cover gas money. Although this was not a typical trail angel request, I had no problem receiving offers.<\/span><\/p>\n The view on the ride from the PCT to Palm Springs<\/p>\n<\/div>\n At the airport, I picked up the rental car I had reserved to drive to my Airbnb, where I stayed two nights. I visited the national park the next day and then headed back to the airport to return the rental car and fly home.<\/span><\/p>\n The view at sunset from my Airbnb<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Since I had just finished my 150-mile section, I didn\u2019t plan any long hikes in the park, fully expecting to be sore and tired. However, the day I visited, I actually felt pretty good but still opted for the shorter hikes so that I could see more of the park.<\/span><\/p>\n I arrived early, as I had read that the park can get crowded. I used the entrance near Twentynine Palms and arrived just in time for sunrise, where I saw very few other visitors. I started by taking a short hike to see Heart Rock and Arch Rock, and I had the entire area to myself! It was freezing, but it was beautiful.<\/span><\/p>\n Arriving at Joshua Tree National Park for sunrise<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Arch Rock<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Heart Rock<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Next, I stopped at Split Rock and Skull Rock, two unique rock formations that are especially popular to visit and don\u2019t require hiking to see them.<\/span><\/p>\n Skull Rock<\/p>\n<\/div>\n I continued on to walk around the Hall of Horrors, which was not at all horrifying but was certainly amazing to see with its dense concentration of Joshua trees.<\/span><\/p>\n Hall of Horrors<\/p>\n<\/div>\n I finished by driving up to Keys View, which looks out over the Coachella Valley and offers views of Mt. San Jacinto and San Gorgonio. It was so cool to see the next section of the PCT I would tackle!<\/span><\/p>\n Keys View, where I could see the next section of the PCT I\u2019ll be doing. Hopefully, the snow on the peaks will melt by then!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Joshua Tree National Park is also really popular for rock climbing and bouldering. One thing I really regret is that I didn\u2019t book a guided rock-climbing tour. Although I\u2019m just a beginner rock climber, I\u2019m sure it would have been a lot of fun. I just didn\u2019t have the right clothing or gear after just getting off trail.<\/span><\/p>\nMy History of Side Quests<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/photos.thetrek.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/10202930\/Natural-Bridge-scaled.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nWhy Joshua Tree National Park?<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nGetting There from the PCT<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nMy Adventures in the Park<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n