Panorama Loop Trail in Joshua Tree with Kids

If the main areas of Joshua Tree National Park are all starting to look the same, we recommend making time for the Black Rock Canyon area. It feels noticeably different from the busier parts of the park, and hiking the Panorama Loop Trail with kids is a great option for families looking for a longer, quieter Joshua Tree hike with plenty of desert scenery.

There are quite a few kid-friendly hikes in the Black Rock Canyon area, but the Panorama Loop Trail is one of the better options if your family wants something more than a short nature walk. The Joshua trees here look especially healthy and robust, in fact they were some of the most beautiful Joshua trees we saw in the park.

This hike is also a good choice if you are looking for different things to do in Joshua Tree National Park with kids beyond the main viewpoints and shorter family walks. The Panorama Loop Trail has wide sandy sections, gradual climbing, open desert views and a quieter feel than many of the more popular areas of Joshua Tree.

That said, this is still a longer Joshua Tree hike, so it’s best for families who are comfortable spending several hours on the trail. In this post, I’ll share what it was like hiking the Panorama Loop Trail with kids, including the route, distance, difficulty, parking, bathrooms, stroller access, what to bring and whether we think it’s worth adding to your Joshua Tree family itinerary.

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Panorama Loop Trail Overview

Starting on the Burnt Hill Trail

We began our hike on the Burnt Hill Trail which begins at Black Rock Campground site #30. In addition to all the healthy Joshua trees, the terrain is also noticeably richer in plant life, giving the whole Black Rock Canyon area less of a desert-like vibe, a nice change from the rest of Joshua Tree National Park.

Transition to Black Rock Canyon Trail

After 1 mile (1.6 km) you’ll transition from the Burnt Hill Trail to the southward track of Black Rock Canyon Trail. This sandy trail is 2-4 people wide, making it an excellent trail for family walks. It’s so much better when family or friends can walk side-by-side on a hike.

After a short while, the Black Rock Canyon Trail leaves the open meadow and enters the hills, where the terrain becomes more attractive and rockier.

The Panorama Loop Trail Section

At the 2 mile mark (3.3 km), you’ll leave the Black Rock Canyon Trail and enter the Panorama Loop Trail. Our NPS Joshua Tree National Park map recommended hiking the Panorama Loop trail in a counter-clockwise direction, so that is what we did.

The valley becomes more intimate and narrow in the Panorama Loop Trail. It’s filled with pinyon pines, junipers and oaks, with patches of marbled rock and birdsong adding to the scenery.

As you near the higher elevations of the Panorama Loop hike, you’ll enter large grassy meadows where blades of grass seem to glow in the bright California sun. The brilliant grass is only interrupted by Joshua trees, which are scattered randomly about the hillsides.

If you are hiking Panorama Loop counter-clockwise, be sure to look back every now and then for amazing views of the nearby snow-capped mountains.

Views from the High Point

As you reach the southern leg of the Panorama Loop Trail, the panoramic views start to appear. On a clear day you’ll be able to see the Coachella Valley and the surrounding hills and snow-capped mountains.

It was wall-to-wall blue sky the day we visited Black Rock Canyon, but the Coachella Valley was obscured by low-lying cloud, or was it smog? It looked like cloud at first, but it got browner toward Los Angeles. I’m choosing to remember it as low-lying cloud…

Even without clear views of Coachella Valley, the surrounding hills and mountains were quite beautiful and made the effort all worthwhile. The Panorama Loop hike provided a much-needed change of scenery after spending two full days experiencing the best things to do in Joshua Tree National Park with kids.

Panorama Loop Hike Stats

How Long is the Panorama Loop Trail?

The Panorama Loop trail is a barbell shaped hike. It begins with a loop (Burnt Hill Trail), a loop at the far end of the hike (Panorama Loop Trail), connected by a there-and-back in the middle (Black Rock Canyon Trail).

The full round-trip distance of the Panorama Loop Trail is 6.6 miles / 10.6 km.  

How Much Elevation Gain is on the Panorama Loop Trail?

The elevation gain on the Panorama Loop hike is slow and steady for most of the distance. It’s barely noticeable until you reach the southern end of the Panorama Loop, and then it becomes steep for a short period.

The total elevation gain on this hike sounds scarier than it actually is at 1,100 feet / 336 m. Because the elevation gain is gradual for most of the hike, it feels easier than the numbers suggest.

How Hard is the Panorama Loop Hike?

We’d rate Panorama Loop Trail as a ‘moderate family hike’, but for fairness, the NPS rates this hike as ‘strenuous’.

The distance of the Panorama Loop hike is likely to be harder for most than the elevation gain. To be honest, we felt this was one of the easiest ‘strenuous’ hikes we’ve ever done in a US National Park.

How Long Does the Panorama Loop Hike Take?

It took us 4.5 hours of hiking to complete the Panorama Loop hike with our kids (aged 4 & 6), and 5.25 hours including breaks. This is faster than our usual pace, likely because the elevation gain was so gradual for most of the hike.

Without kids, strong hikers may finish faster, but families should plan for several hours on the trail.

Panorama Loop Trail Map

This route connects several trail sections in the Black Rock area, so it’s worth downloading a map before you go. We recommend downloading the Panorama Loop Trail map to your phone using the AllTrails hiking app. We use AllTrails on our family hikes around the world, and it’s especially helpful on longer trails with multiple junctions.

AllTrails is a recent App of the Year winner. Enjoy map downloads and many more premium features with a 7-day free trial of AllTrails Peak!

Where Is the Panorama Loop Trail?

How to Get There

The Panorama Loop hike is in the Black Rock area of Joshua Tree National Park, near Black Rock Campground.

The Black Rock Canyon area is tucked away in the northwest corner of Joshua Tree. It was a 30 minute drive from our vacation home rental in Twentynine Palms.

Where to Park

You can park at the Black Rock Canyon Campground Ranger Station, or if that’s full, there are parking spots near the entrance to the campground.

Key parking locations in Google Maps:

• Panorama Loop Trail Parking Lot (Black Rock Ranger Station)
  
  
• Panorama Loop Trail Parking Lot (Entrance to Black Rock Canyon Campground)
  
  
• Panorama Loop Trailhead Location (campsite 30)

What Makes the Panorama Loop Trail Worth Hiking?

After spending two days exploring Joshua Tree National Park along Park Boulevard, seeing really healthy and robust Joshua trees was a real treat.

Not that the other Joshua trees aren’t beautiful too, but I’m glad I saw the Black Rock Canyon Joshua trees last as they were much nicer than the ones in the rest of the park.

The rocky, well-treed terrain was beautiful too, and the summit views toward Coachella Valley are a big part of the payoff.

Before you head out, read our best tips for hiking with kids and see what we actually pack in our guide to hiking gear for kids.

Hiking Panorama Loop Trail with Kids

The NPS rates the Panorama Loop as a ‘strenuous hike’, and on paper it does look like a challenging hike, but if your family is reasonably active there is no reason you can’t enjoy this great kid-friendly Joshua Tree hike.

Here are a few considerations for hiking the Panorama Loop Trail with kids:

• There are washrooms in the Black Rock Campground. Be sure that everyone uses the facilities, but if needed, there is enough vegetation around the Panorama Loop trail that your kids can water the bushes.
  
  
• There is drinking water found within the Black Rock Canyon Campground. Fill up your water bladders and bring more water than you think you’ll need.
  
  
• One of the biggest risks on this hike is sun exposure. Be sure your kids wear proper sun hats, have full sunscreen on and stop for frequent water breaks. If your kids are not asking to stop and pee, they haven’t had enough water.
  
  
• NPS lists the season for this hike as winter, spring and fall, and says the trail is not recommended during summer heat.

• The Panorama Loop hiking trail is not stroller accessible. For younger kids, a hiking carrier would be more practical than a stroller.
  
  
• Dogs are not permitted on any trails within the Joshua Tree National Park.
  
  
• There are several cholla cactus plants near the side of the trail. Watch out for these cacti as their barbs are known to be especially painful.

Where to Stop for Lunch or a Break

There are quite a few places to stop for a snack or to have lunch along the Panorama Loop Trail if you don’t mind sitting on a log or a rock. The best spot for a break is near the top of the hike, where you can rest your legs and enjoy the 360-degree view.

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