Cholla Cactus Garden Nature Trail is a 0.3 mile lightly trafficked loop trail located near Twentynine Palms, California that features beautiful wild flowers and is good for all skill levels. The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible year-round. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.
dogs on leash
kid friendly
birding
hiking
nature trips
trail running
walking
views
wild flowers
wildlife
So many bees out right now! The garden is amazing, especially closer to sunset when the cacti look even fluffier with the sun at their back.
The cacti were so stinking cute and it was such a perfect day out to experience their beauty! Definitely will be coming back again to explore more of What Joshua tree has to offer!
Easy photo ops
Quick, flat, and interesting
Short and easy trail. Walk in the park. Worth the short drive east to enjoy the beauty of what Joshua Tree has to offer.
This is a short easy trail that shouldn't be missed.
There is a boardwalk to keep people from compressing the soil around plant roots and further stressing the cacti. Of course, this trail receives the typical number of idiots who think THEIR picture-taking is more important than the plants' survival, so they leave the boardwalk. Please don’t be one of those troglodytes.
If YOU are one of those selfish idiots, I hope the cactus gets you but good.
Be aware that cholla cactus don’t have regular spines, which typically prick the skin and stay on the cactus. Cholla cactus have spines that have evolved barbs that keep the spine in the skin. These ensure that the almost invisible pricker stays in the skin for a long time. These cause a lot more pain than their size would indicate … pangs from annoying to excruciating when that patch of skin is rubbed the wrong way. And they are virtually invisible ... and victims might not even realize they been glochided until the pain strikes.
For those of you who are not rude enough to leave this or any other trail, I advise you to visit this beautiful area at sunset. When the sun is low in the sky, the cholla glochids, which are virtually transparent, will seem to glow in the sunlight and each cacti will look as though it is outlined in neon lights.
This is a lovely short hike thru the largest concentration of Cholla Cacti (aka Teddy Bear Cacti) in the park. We went in December, during a period of unprecedented levels of visitation, so the hike was crowded.
The hike was short and well marked. Part of it even had a board walk.
Hikers with bee allergies should be careful with this trail. Bee populations with be extremely high when the cacti are blooming.
Overall I really liked this hike. It was very easy, but the beautiful Cacti with a mountain backdrop made for some great pictures.