Warren Peak and Panorama Loop
During those busy spring days when the Joshua Tree National Park is swirling with tourists, backpackers and rock climbers, you may want to consider spending the day in the Black Rock Camp area. To reach it from L.A. while driving on Highway 62, do not go as far as the main Tourist Center and Park entrance; instead turn right when in Yucca Valley and follow the sighs for the Camp. You will not need to purchase a Park pass to go there.
Park your car in front of the Black Rock Visitor Center and spend some time exploring it. It is the only place in the whole Park where you can buy some memorabilia (fridge magnets, backpack patches, etc) and postcard to send home, it has a water fountain to fill your bottles, and very helpful rangers that will give you all the information you may need to explore the area.
The map that the rangers provide is unfortunately not super detailed but their explanations are clear and the trails are very well indicated. If you feel full of energy and want to fill the day with a good 15-20 km hike, we suggest going for Warren Peak and Panorama Loop trail as we did. The West Side Loop trail and the Short Loop are easier hikes.
Warren Peak
From the Black Rock Camp follow the site camp number till you reach number 30: from there make a left pointing towards a big water tank and you will see the trail departing on your left. The first km is an easy walk, all flat and surrounded by cacti and Joshua trees. On your right you will see the trail head for the easiest West Side Loop: continue straight and the main trail for Warren Peak and Panorama Loop will open on your right after 500 m. The main trail is large and mainly flat, graveled, it traverse the Black Rock canyon and will get you used to the typical Park vegetation. It may be a bit monotonous (especially on the way beck…) but it is certainly worth what is expecting you after 5 km. Here the trail forks and on your left departs the Panorama Loop: our advise is, keep this one for later. You may want to continue on the right trail towards Warren Peak and Warren View.
The trails starts a gentle climb in between higher rocks, the vegetation becomes thicker, with bigger trees and bushes. After 5 km of this beautiful but gentle hike, assess your strengths and make a wise decision: you will find on your left the trail head for Warren View, a gentler ascension that will take you to 1500 m of heights but not to the top of the Peak. If you feel courageous and full of energy, continue to your right and start the strenuous 4.5 km climb towards the top.
The vegetation changes as you get higher, less trees and less shadow, so make the most of the sparse resting spots that you may find. Drink plenty of water and electrolytes and continue the climb at your pace.
It took us more or less 30 minutes to make it to the 1600 m top of the Peak, where only rocks welcome you to a breathtaking view that spans 360 degrees to all the Park.
Sit on top of the mountain and enjoy this well deserved panorama. To the far south the snowed peaks of the San Bernardino mountains make a nice frame to the valleys of Joshua trees and cacti.
Rest for some time, eat a granola bar or a banana and breath the fresh air. Take a lot of pictures and get ready for a steep descent. The trail is, of course, the same but much faster going down. Be very mindful of the unstable small rock under your feet and give way to people climbing up.
Once you passed the fork for the Warren View, this time on your right, you may want to pay attention to the trail for the Panorama Loop.
Panorama Loop
Still feeling energetic after the climb of the Peak? Invigorated and exhilarated by the heights? Then the Panorama Loop trail is exactly what you need to go back to base camp exhausted but happy.
Coming down from the Warren Peak, and after the right-hand trail for Warren View, you want to find the trail that departs on your right for Panorama Loop. If your sight is more acute than ours, you will be able to find the smaller trail that will allow you to make the Loop counter clock-wise; if you miss it, like we did, no big deal: continue for 3 more km and you will find the trail sharply forking to the right and see the sign for Panorama Loop.
Take this trail and you will be making the Loop clock-wise. Don’t be fooled by the easier ground at the beginning of the trail, with the plush vegetation and trees all around: the road will soon start a gradual but strenuous climb, the trees will change to small bushes and the to sparse sprouts of grass as you ascend for 1.5 km towards the top at 1600 m. Once you reach it, the trails lies on the ridge of the mountain and you will walk for 1 km with a view that spans to the underneath valleys both on your left and right.
Once the trail start descending to the side of the mountain, you will find yourself back into the plush vegetation of the lower heights. And soon you will close this 6 km Loop and find the way back to the main trail. Take a right and continue back the way you came from the Black Rock Camp, cutting the canyon and retracing your steps. As we said before, the final part an be a bit monotonous and boring, but water, food and a tent are waiting for you at the end of it!
