Warren Peak

Warren Peak is Joshua Tree's best-kept secret summit — tucked in the park's quieter western half where most visitors never bother to venture. The trail starts from the Black Rock Canyon area and climbs steadily through a surprisingly lush landscape of juniper and pinyon pine, a far cry from the barren desert flats most people associate with J-Tree. The route is unmaintained and only loosely defined by use trails and cairns, so you'll need to pay attention and do some light route-finding through rocky washes and ridgelines. The final push to the summit involves a solid thousand-foot climb that'll have your quads earning their keep. But the payoff is absurd — a full 360-degree panorama stretching from the San Bernardino Mountains to the Coachella Valley floor, with almost nobody else around to share it. This one's built for hikers who want to feel like they discovered something.