Keys View is one of the most popular viewpoints in Joshua Tree National Park with great views of the desert landscape.
Joshua Tree National Park
15 Minutes
Spring, Fall
$30 per Vehicle
Overview
Keys View in Joshua Tree National Park is a stunning viewpoint located at an elevation of over 5,000 feet, offering panoramic views of the Coachella Valley, San Andreas Fault, and on clear days, even the distant Salton Sea and Signal Mountain in Mexico. The lookout is named after William F. Keys, a homesteader and key figure in the park’s history. Visitors are treated to sweeping vistas of the rugged desert landscape, framed by the Little San Bernardino Mountains, especially breathtaking at sunrise or sunset. It’s a popular spot for photography, stargazing, and a peaceful escape into nature.
Keys View Plan
On our first day in Joshua Tree National Park, we saw the sign for Keys View but didn’t go to it. When we got back to our rental home we looked it up online, just like we did with the Hall of Horrors hike. Everything we found talked about the beautiful views from the top of the 20-minute drive off of the main road. As we planned our second day in the park, this was lower on the priority list since we were there when a huge storm was coming in from the Pacific Ocean.
Ryan & Tyler at Keys View
Stephanie, Ryan, & Tyler at Keys View
Getting There
Location
Joshua Tree National Park is located in Southern California, about halfway between Los Angeles and the Arizona border. The closest airports are Palm Springs International Airport and Twentynine Palms Airport. Both of those are small airports, though, so the closest major airport is Los Angeles. From there, you’ll need to rent a car to drive about 4 hours east into the desert to get to the Joshua Tree Area.
Best Time to Go
Because Joshua Tree National Park is in the desert, it can get extremely hot in the summer and very cold in the winter. The best times to visit are in February, March, April, October, and November. The park is about 800,000 acres of land where two distinct ecosystems converge: the Mojave Desert and the Colorado Desert.
Although spring and fall are usually the peak season for the park, we did not feel like it was very crowded. We saw the most people when we were trying to visit Skull Rock. Otherwise, even the most popular hikes didn’t have too many people at them and we didn’t have a problem finding places to park.
Keys View
Who Can Go?
The main level of the lookout is wheelchair accessible with a paved road and parking lot. There is a short walk on an inclined but wheelchair-accessible trail to get to the top of the lookout point. This is the highest point that you can drive to within Joshua Tree National Park.
What You'll See
Look for the shining surface of the Salton Sea, which is 230 feet below sea level, on the far left. Looking to the right, the Santa Rosa Mountains are behind Indio and, along with the 10,800-foot San Jacinto Peak behind Palm Springs, form the high points of the Peninsular Ranges. Further right, the usually snow-covered peak of 11,500-foot San Gorgonio Mountain is clearly visible.
The southwest side of the ridge drops nearly a mile in elevation into the Coachella Valley. The infamous San Andreas Fault, stretching 700 miles from the Gulf of California to the Mendocino Coast north of San Francisco, runs through the valley and can be seen below.
On a very clear day, you might be able to see Signal Mountain in Mexico, although that has become somewhat rare due to the poor air quality of recent years.
Unfortunately, the day we were in the park, we didn’t get to see any of this. Due to the incoming storm, we were up in the clouds. While we didn’t get the advantage of a really clear day, we still enjoyed having the area almost to ourselves. Tyler and Ryan especially thought it was neat that we drove into the clouds and could walk around in the clouds.
Ryan and Tyler at Keys View
Stephanie at Keys View
What to Bring & Wear
Even on a short hike like this, it’s always a good idea to wear sneakers or hiking boots. Have plenty of water and consider bringing a snack. This is a great place for a picnic lunch.
Consider bringing a pair of binoculars so you can get a closer look at the panoramic views of the Coachella Valley, Mount San Gorgonio, the San Andreas Fault, and the Salton Sea.
Where to Go
Keys View Road is a 5.5-mile paved road off of Park Boulevard in the western section of the park. It is closest to the West Entrance into the park. When driving from the West Entrance, the road will be on your right past the Hidden Valley area. If entering from the North Entrance, take Park Blvd past Ryan Mountain and the road will be on your left. Drive on Keys View Road until it ends at the parking lot.
How Long Does it Take?
Plan for at least 30 minutes for a stop at Keys View. It takes about 10 minutes to drive up to the parking spots, and then that gives you 10 minutes to look at the breathtaking views at Keys Point.
Cost
Joshua Tree National Park charges an entrance fee to get into the park. There is no extra cost to go to Keys View.
Tips for Keys View
- In the summer, the high temperatures can reach over 100 degrees Fahrenheit so make sure to bring plenty of water.
- The best time of day to visit is at sunrise and sunset for the best view of the California desert.
- A vault toilet is available in the northeast corner of the parking lot.
- For a different view of the area, walk on the trail to Inspiration Peak from the northwest corner of the parking area.