The desert reservoir behind Barker Dam
Barker Dam Loop visits a small foreign-looking reservoir within the Wonderland of Rocks in Joshua Tree National Park. Hikers of all abilities will enjoy this level 1.5-mile hike. The water can all but disappear during the dry season, so make a point to visit this trail in the winter and spring.
Click here to see more photos from the hike
The well-marked loop is easy to follow and easy to hike. From the parking lot, take the trail heading northwest toward Barker Dam. Tall mounds of boulders rise on either side, and then suddenly, the trail emerges along the shore of a small blue lake. The stagnant waters look out of place in this desert landscape, but the site is quite calm and worthy of a quick break.
Hikers at Barker Dam
Turn left and follow the shoreline toward the dam itself. Barker Dam was build over a century ago by ranchers eager to save up some of the desert’s most vital resource, water. The trail turns west, leaving the lake and entering a flat piece of desert that is home to several tall Joshua trees. Follow the sandy track as it loops back toward the start. A marked turnoff visits a rock covered in vivid petroglyphs. These Native America drawings had their colors enhanced by a film crew working on an old Hollywood movie, which explains why they look too colorful to be real. Beyond the petroglyphs, continue along the trail. When it comes to a T, make a right to return to the parking lot. There is only 100 feet of elevation gain along this 1.5-mile long nature loop, making it a suitable excursion for anyone visiting Joshua Tree National Park.
Vivid Petroglyphs
To get to the trailhead: The turnoff for Barker Dam is located on Park Boulevard 12 miles west of the intersection with Pinto Basin Road (in the heart of Joshua Tree National Park near many other park attractions). From the well-marked turnoff, drive north for 1.5 miles to the large parking area for Barker Dam. This trailhead is located near the west end of an unpaved road that crosses through Joshua Tree from Desert Queen Mine (a fun drive for anyone not adverse to getting their vehicle a little dusty).
Use the map below to create your own directions:
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