A Scenic Lookout in Joshua Tree
Keys View sits high on the crest of the Little San Bernardino Mountains, about a 20‑minute drive down Keys View Road from Park Boulevard. At roughly 5,185 feet above sea level, this overlook in Joshua Tree National Park gives you an expansive look across the Coachella Valley. You’ll need to pay the park entrance fee (around $30 per vehicle for a seven‑day pass; check the park’s website for current rates), but there’s no additional cost to reach the viewpoint once you’re inside.
The short drive ends at a paved parking area with a wheelchair‑accessible ramp. A 0.2‑mile loop trail climbs a ridge for even broader vistas. From the overlook, the land drops nearly a mile to the valley floor. On a clear day you can see the glimmering Salton Sea far to the east, the rocky spine of the Santa Rosa Mountains and 10,800‑foot San Jacinto Peak behind Palm Springs, and the snow‑capped summit of 11,500‑foot San Gorgonio Mountain. The San Andreas Fault cuts through the valley below, and on exceptionally clear days you may even glimpse Mexico’s Signal Mountain on the southern horizon. Because Keys View faces west across the valley, sunrise and sunset bathe the layered hills and Joshua trees in warm color.
Location & logistics
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Driving: From the West Entrance, follow Park Boulevard east and look for the well‑marked turnoff to Keys View Road. The paved road winds up through pinyon and juniper forest before ending at the overlook.
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Trail: The loop path is short but steep in places; sturdy shoes and water are recommended. Even in winter the sun can be intense.
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When to visit: Early morning and late afternoon offer cooler temperatures and better visibility. Midday haze sometimes obscures distant landmarks.
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Fees: An entrance pass to Joshua Tree is required. Annual or multi‑park passes are accepted.
A bit of history
Keys View is named after William F. “Bill” Keys, a colorful homesteader, miner, and rancher who settled in what is now Joshua Tree in the early 1900s. Keys built the Desert Queen Ranch (often called Keys Ranch) and played a major role in developing water sources, roads, and grazing areas across the region. When the area was designated a national park, the overlook—once informally known as Salton View—was renamed in his honor. Today, ranger‑led tours of Keys Ranch offer a glimpse into his life and the broader history of human settlement in the high desert.
Nearby camping
If you want to spend the night under the stars, Ryan Campground is the closest campground to Keys View. This small, scenic campground sits just off Park Boulevard immediately past the Keys View Road junction. It has 31 sites tucked among boulders and Joshua trees. Sites are first‑come, first‑served year‑round and have fire rings, picnic tables, and vault toilets; there is no potable water, so bring plenty of your own. Hidden Valley Campground and Jumbo Rocks Campground are slightly farther east along Park Boulevard and also make good base camps for exploring the western part of the park.
How the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway compares
For a different perspective, the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway climbs 2.5 miles up Chino Canyon to the Mountain Station at 8,516 feet. The rotating tramcar offers 360‑degree views of the desert below during the ten‑minute ride, and at the top you’ll find observation decks overlooking the Coachella Valley, a cooler pine‑forest climate, dining options, and access to numerous trails in Mt. San Jacinto State Park. Visiting the tramway requires purchasing tickets and is a longer excursion, but it delivers a higher, alpine viewpoint. Keys View, by contrast, is quicker and simpler to reach and stays rooted in the desert landscape.
