Pleasant Valley is a vast and remote valley in Joshua Tree National Park off of Geology Tour Road situated between the San Bernadino & Hexie mountains. If you’re looking for solitude there are few better spots in Joshua Tree National Park than this.
Getting to Pleasant Valley requires a 4WD drive vehicle.
Best Time to Visit Pleasant Valley
The best time to visit Pleasant Valley is around sunset or sunrise to watch the sun sweep across the vast landscapes.
Things to Note
Make sure to turn around at the turn-around point a few miles down the road if you don’t have 4WD as the road can be pretty rough and downright impassible.
The Joshua Tree Film
MTJP | Joshua Tree is the culmination of nearly a month spent exploring Joshua Tree National Park. We chose Joshua Tree because of its unique landscape. Its immense boulder piles, colorful cactus fields, endless desert expanses, and one-of-a-kind Joshua trees make for a spectacular setting. This film was shot entirely in 4K.
Getting There
Pleasant Valley sits in the southern half of Joshua Tree National Park, accessible only via Geology Tour Road. The turnoff is on Park Boulevard between Jumbo Rocks and Split Rock. The first 5 miles of Geology Tour Road are graded dirt and passable in a standard vehicle. After that, you need 4WD. The road deteriorates quickly past the turnaround point.
There is no cell service out here. None. Make sure someone knows your plans and bring extra water. I carry at least 2 gallons per person when heading into this part of the park.
What to Expect
Pleasant Valley is not a destination with a trailhead and a parking lot. It is a landscape. The valley opens up between the Hexie Mountains to the east and the San Bernardino Mountains to the south, and when you are standing in the middle of it, the silence is almost physical.
This is where the Mojave Desert starts to transition into the Colorado Desert. You will notice the vegetation change as you drive south. The Joshua trees thin out and give way to creosote bush and cholla cactus. The geology shifts too, from the granite boulders of the north to flatter, sandier terrain.
Geology Tour Road has 16 numbered stops with a self-guided tour pamphlet available at the start. The stops explain everything from ancient lake beds to mining history to the geologic forces that shaped this valley over millions of years.
What Most People Get Wrong
Most visitors skip this area entirely because it requires a dirt road and does not have an Instagram-ready landmark. That is exactly what makes it special. On a busy weekend when Hidden Valley has a line of cars waiting for parking, Pleasant Valley might have two other vehicles.
Do not rush through. Park at one of the pulloffs, turn off your engine, and step away from the vehicle. Give it five minutes. The desert opens up when you slow down. I have seen roadrunners, coyotes, and once a kit fox out here, all because I was sitting still long enough.
Photography Tips
Sunset is the best time to photograph Pleasant Valley. The San Bernardino Mountains catch the last light and the valley floor glows. Bring a telephoto lens for compressing the layers of mountain ranges in the distance. Dawn works too, but the light hits the valley floor later because of the surrounding mountains.
This is also one of the best spots in the park for astrophotography. The southern half of Joshua Tree has less light pollution than the north, and Pleasant Valley has wide-open horizons in every direction.
Nearby Destinations
Combine a trip to Pleasant Valley with a stop at Skull Rock or Hall of Horrors on Park Boulevard. If you have 4WD and want more remote desert, continue past the turnaround point to Berdoo Canyon Road, which eventually drops you out of the park near Indio. That route is for experienced off-roaders only.
For the full breakdown of everything to see and do, check out our Joshua Tree National Park guide.
