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| Split Rock |
Date: November 27, 2025
Place: Joshua Tree National Park, Twentynine Palms, California
Coordinates: 34.010022, -116.055825
Length: 2.2 miles
Level: easy
The Forty Nine Palms Oasis hike was an excellent start for my family's last Thanksgiving break at Joshua Tree National Park. After completing that hike and eating lunch we commenced driving into the main area of the park. One of the most prominent features in Joshua Tree NP are the large granite formations that protrude from the earth. These massive rock piles attract multitudes of sightseers and climbers and the many of them have names that were inspired by their shapes. We headed to the Split Rock trailhead for our afternoon hike.
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| Our hike as captured by my GPS |
The parking area was pretty full but we were fortunate to fine a parking place at the very end of the lot. Then we spend some time looking for the trailhead - the sign was hidden behind a group of people and between all the massive rocks were many unofficial paths. Many of these rocks looked split but none appeared to me me as "the" Split Rock.
Eventually we found the trailhead, where the trail slipped northward almost immediately behind one of the massive granite monoliths.
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The monolith was leaning to one side and as we circumvented it we saw a large talus cavity that looked like the perfect shelter on a hot desert day. A sign was placed there to deter people from abusing the place.
After seeing so many wildflowers on our first hike on Forty Nine Palms Oasis Trail I naturally expected to see more on the rest of our hikes in Joshua Tree National Park. Indeed, I started seeing some flowers right away.
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Parish's Goldeneye, Bahiopsis parishii |
The area around Split Rock looked pretty dry though, and although the plants looked happy after the recent rains, wildflowers were an exception, rather than the rule, as expected for this time of year.
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| Split Rock Loop Trail |
The wildflowers I did see along the Split Rock Loop Trail were of species I've seen earlier that day. Pretty much all of them were perennial shrubs.
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| California Buckwheat, Eriogonum fasciculatum |
Even those shrubs that were blooming seemed to do so hesitantly - only a few blossoms on one single plant. That's trying out the season hoping to score, not a full commitment with wanton trust.
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| Wedgeleaf Goldenbush, Ericameria cuneata |
The wildflowers delayed me a little and when I raised my eyes I saw Pappa Quail at a distance ahead, engaged in a conversation with other hikers and the chika near him, busy moving little stones with her tip of her shoe. As I was coming down to where they were I caught sight of a split rock, The Split Rock, on my right.
I stopped, took some photos of the di-lith, then rushed ahead calling to Pappa Quail and the chika to look over there. They, however, were already moving onward and when I caught up with them, the Split Rock was hidden from our sight.
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| Split Rock |
As neither Pappa Quail or the chika seemed to mind having not seen The Split Rock, we resumed going ahead on the trail.
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| Split Rock Loop Trail |
The trail undulated up and down a bit, and on one of the short downhill bits I noticed a large granite boulder that looked like a twisted skull.
Looking more carefully at that rock I noticed two lizards sunning on one of the small ledges of that rock and I drew Pappa Quail's attention to them.
The lizards were of two species - one was a western fence lizard and the other a western side-blotched lizard. When we got closer the fence lizard disappeared in a crevice of that rock but the side-blotched one remained bravely as we passed by the rock and moved onward.
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| Western Side-blotched Lizard |
Now we were out of the rock masses area. We were walking through a relatively flat desert garden of yucca and cholla and other lovely desert bushes, none of which were blooming.
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Mojave Yucca, Yucca schidigera, and
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We came upon what used to be a trail junction. My navigator still showed another trail splitting off at that location but in the place was now a sign saying to not go there because it was now a restoration area. We continued on the Split Rock Loop, which took a curve to the southwest.
The non-blooming desert usually has a fairly mellow color palette so any bright color catches the eye. This happened with a berry-bearing mistletoe.
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| Mesquite Mistletoe, Phoradendron californicum |
Although all desert plants have defense mechanisms, the cholla cacti took theirs to the highest level of thorny. Still, they are quite impressive and beautiful plants, as long as one avoids touching them.
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| Branched Pencil Cholla, Cylindropuntia ramosissima |
A shallow wash crossed our path. The wash was completely dry, showing no sign of the rains that came down here merely few days ago.
There was movement at the base of a yucca plant. It was an antelope squirrel that was munching on something. The squirrel eyed us warily, then scurried away.
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| White-tailed Antelope Squirrel |
Here and there were trees too, or at least plants that anywhere else were no more than bushes but here were considered trees. Numerous California junipers were thriving at the base of the large granite rocks, enjoying the runoff water that pools there during and after the rains.
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| California Juniper, Juniperus californica |
After crossing the wash the trail curved sharply south and ascended between mounds of large granite rocks. Because the sun was already quite low in the sky that area was completely under the afternoon shadow. Below one one the boulder masses grew a large prickly pear that looked almost like a small tree on its own. It was very impressive.
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| Pancake Pricklypear, Opuntia chlorotica |
Less impressive but interesting was the terpentine broom, named after the chemicals it produces and the smell it has. It was blooming, also very hesitantly, bearing very few flowers.
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| Terpentine Broom, Thamnosma montana |
At the top of the boulder area we were once again out of the shade. We had a very nice view of the lower area between where we were and the next massive granite mound ahead. Unlike the Forty Nine Palms Oasis Trail, here we were pretty much on our own - there were very few other people doing that hike.
When we neared the next mass of granite I paid a closer attention to the rock's consistency and appearance. The granite was well weathered but it wasn't completely smooth. Here and there it was veined with quartz lines.
Cracks run through the monoliths, like an old person's wrinkles. Some of the cracks paralleled one another. Others didn't seem to have a clear rule as to their direction.
At last I found a wildflower that was not a perennial shrub. It was also a pretty common species, one that I see in many places across California. Not in November, however. That was quite unique.
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| Distant Phacelia, Phacelia distans |
I returned my attention to the rock formations. Some of the granite masses had round holes and mini arches weathered in them. Given more time I think we could have had some nice play time with these rocks.
Some of the rocks had very distinctive and inspiring shape. One of them, resembling an Olympic flame also reminded me of the symbol of my Alma Mater. BGU.
One rock was leaning on another, forming an arch. I would have liked to go up there and check that arch up close but there was no time, and my companions were already ahead.
At that part of the hike we started seeing Joshua Trees. The first ones we saw were on the smaller side and looked a bit battered.
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| Western Joshua Tree, Yucca brevifolia |
On the other hand, the pinyon trees that grew there seemed very happy and healthy. Pines do pretty well in extreme conditions.
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| California Singleleaf Pinyon, Pinus californiarum |
We came upon a Nolina plant that looked like it was blooming. A closer look however, revealed that it was past blooming time.
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| Parry's Nolina, Nolina parryi |
I touched the dry seed pods of the Nolina and they rustled in my fingers. there were small dark seeds inside.
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| Parry's Nolina, Nolina parryi |
The shadows were growing longer as the day was nearing its end, and the air was cooling. The trail curved back east and slightly north.
The trail continued curving through boulder masses, each prettier and more impressive than the others. The granite monoliths were also growing larger as we were getting closer to completing the loop trail.
I was surprised to see some people embarking on the hike, coming down the trail at the opposite direction we were going. It wasn't a long loop but it would be getting dark soon.
The late afternoon light was great to emphasize the beauty of the granite masses. Many of these monoliths were well rounded but were grainy and rough to tough.
We reached another trail junction, this time a real one. The other trail was leading to a farther destination so we ignored it and continued on the loop trail, heading north to where the parking lot was.
Every now and them Pappa Quail would pause and look about. There were birds around, but they didn't make themselves visible.
There were more Joshua trees growing along this part of the trail. All of them looked like they've seen some hard times, yet doing well at the moment.
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| Western Joshua Tree, Yucca brevifolia |
Some Joshua trees looked more protected. They were more upright, looking less twisted and tortured by the elements.
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| Western Joshua Tree, Yucca brevifolia |
The granite rocks provided an endless source of inspiration for the imagination. In one case I saw thin granite slabs that looked like a squished hand between larger monoliths.
The large granite monoliths provided inspiration for more than artistic shape seeking. Climbers are attracted to these walls too. Turning round another curve we came upon one upright granite wall that had a few climbers on it. They were about two thirds of the way up and I hoped they'd complete their ascend before nightfall. 
Coming closer to the end of the loop I started seeing some blooming shrubs once more. The California buckwheat seemed to be dominant there.
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| California Buckwheat, Eriogonum fasciculatum |
A large granite mass rose above the parking lot area. When we first arrived there we saw some people free climbing that rock. Now that we were approaching from the back side of it, we could see a group of people sitting on its top.
Coming into the parking lot I was impressed to see how full it still was, so close to the end of the day. Most of the people there weren't about to do the hike, they were there to appreciate the local boulders only.
I was happy and satisfied with this lovely hike. It was a trail that I never had the chance to hike in my previous visits to Joshua Tree NP. Pappa Quail was a bit disappointed that he didn't see very many birds, so we decided to walk the little nature trail behind the old visitor center area. Indeed, there were more birds there.
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| House Finch |
The only problem was that the nature trail was closed due to flooding damage from the recent rains, so we had to settle for the birds we saw around the old visitor center building.
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| Phainopepla, male |
Our first day at Joshua Tree National Park was a good one - we hiked in the morning to Forty Nine Palms Oasis, and followed up with a lovely hike of the Split Rock Loop. We haven't seen too many birds but there were many more wildflowers than I had expected. We returned to our lodge to get ready for our Thanksgiving dinner - we had much to give thanks for.
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