Joshua Tree National Park - Keys View

Our February 2015 trip to southern California continued with a drive to Keys View and a ¼ mile loop walk to the overlook. To get to the overlook, drive 10.5 miles along Park Boulevard from the West Entrance Station. Then turn right on Keys View Road and drive 5.5 miles to the parking area at the end of the road. While the loop walk is built as a concrete sidewalk, it is far too steep for me to consider it accessible by traveling counter-clockwise without assistance. However, bearing left at the beginning of the loop provides a much gentler, but longer, gradient to reach Keys View. If that is still too much effort, great views are also available from the sidewalk at the parking area. In addition, there is a designated accessible viewpoint less than ½ mile back down Keys View Road.

Keys View is located at 5193' atop the Little San Bernardino Mountains overlooking the Coachella Valley and the San Andreas Fault with views across the valley to the Santa Rosa Mountains, the San Jacinto Mountains, San Gorgonio Pass and the San Gorgonio Mountains. While the Coachella Valley creates its own smog, the San Gorgonio Pass allows smog from Los Angeles to flow into the valley and into Joshua Tree National Park. The air monitoring station in the park "consistently exceeds the 120 ppb ozone concentration levels set by the EPA for human health" according to the park service website.

Parking area from the trail

Coachella Valley and the San Gorgonio Pass

11,500' San Gorgonio Mountain (38 miles)

10,800' San Jacinto Peak (30 miles)

8700' Toro Peak rises above the hills of La Quinta (31 miles)

Coachella Valley and the Santa Rosa Mountains (2242' hill on left is 38 miles)

Little San Bernardino Mountains

Palm Springs at the base of the San Jacinto Mountains

The Indio Hills bisecting Coachella Valley mark the San Andreas Fault

Smog and clouds briefly obscure the Salton Sea

The Salton Sea (-230') is barely visible as the nearly white horizontal layer
just above the Little San Bernardino Mountains (far left, 30 miles)

Another view of the rugged Little San Bernardino Mountains

Keys View Road

An entrance fee of $15 admits all the passengers of a single vehicle for seven days. Other options include an annual Joshua Tree National Park Pass for $30, an Interagency Annual Pass for $80 and a lifetime Interagency Senior Pass for those age 62 and older for $10.

The park website is http://www.nps.gov/jotr/index.htm.