Wee Thump Joshua Tree Hike

7 miles - Easy Effort
Or: 1-6 miles
1-3 Hours (Total)
Not Often Hiked
400 Total Feet of Climbing
Max Elevation of 4,140 feet
Leashed Dogs Allowed

The Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness is only 6050 acres, but it packs a big punch; it's one of the densest Joshua Tree forests in the world. This hike through Wee Thump is simple and easy and gives you lots of time with these remarkable trees. Maybe you'll even spot one of the 700+ year-old trees!

In this Guide:

Video and Turn-by-Turn Directions
Where to Park
What Makes Wee Thump Joshua Trees Great

Quick Links: Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness - NOAA Weather Report - Top Gear Picks (Sep 2023)

When planning, always check the park website and social media to make sure the trails are open. Similarly, check the weather and road conditions.

"Wee Thump" means "ancient ones" in the Paiute language and refers to the age of the trees, some of which are over 700 years old.

Where is Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness?

Even the drive to Wee Thump is spectacular. You'll drive down the Joshua Tree Highway, which goes through one of the densest areas of trees that you'll ever see.

Wee Thump is located about an hour south of Las Vegas in the new Avi Kwa Ame National Monument. There are two trailheads to access Wee Thump, and this one will start in the middle of the wilderness area. It's such a remote and unvisited area that most mapping systems have no reliable address. Your best bet is to use latitude and longitude. Here's the link on Google Maps:

35.51437, -115.10509

Wee Thump Location — The trailhead is about one hour south of Las Vegas.

Wee Thump Parking — The parking lot is small, but I've never seen it full.

There are no facilities at the trailhead. You do not need a permit to park here.

Gear Recommendations

This is an easy hike, and you don't need any special equipment. What you do need to prepare for is the sun. In the summer, temperatures are too high to do the whole hike safely. Winter is the best time to visit. The sun is always intense, so protect your body and bring at least 1L of water.

Chollla Cactus — Some parts of the trail are overgrown. Just steer clear of the Cholla Cactus, which has sticky barbs that are painful to remove.

My Latest Gear Picks

Garmin inReach Mini 2 ( Amazon | REI )
HOKA Speedgoat 5 ( Men | Women )
Zpacks Sub-Nero Ultra ( Zpacks | Review )
Alpine Carbon Cork Poles ( REI | Amazon )

As a hiking guide, I test lots of hiking gear. On my picks page, I'll show you all of the gear that I actually use. I don't accept paid promotions or talk about the stuff that doesn't make the cut. It's just the gear that works best, so you don't have to waste your money.

All My September 2023 Top Gear Picks

Wee Thump Trail Maps

The great thing about this hike is you can just go as far as you'd like and turn around. The trail is a straight line following an old wagon road. When you've had your fill of seeing Joshua Trees, turn around and head back. If you hike to the end, there's an old ranch to visit. You can also drive to the ranch if you don't want to do the whole hike.

Explore Map on CalTopo View a Printable PDF Hike Map Download the Hike GPX File

Best Smartphone Apps to Navigate: AllTrails | GaiaGPS | OnX

The hike is flat and easy.

Wee Thump Joshua Tree Hike Directions

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Wee Thump Joshua Tree Hike 8 — The trail starts behind the Wee Thump sign.

Wee Thump Joshua Tree Hike 7 — Go through the fence and start hiking straight back into the wilderness.

Wee Thump Joshua Tree Hike 4 — Right away there are plenty of Joshua Trees to see.

Wee Thump Joshua Tree Hike 6 — When you reach the trail post after about 5-10 minutes, make the hard right onto El Dorado Wagon Road.

Wee Thump Joshua Tree Hike 5 — Follow the road straight. There are no trail junctions. You just follow the road.

Turn around whenever you've had your fill of Joshua Trees.

Wee Thump Joshua Tree Hike 3 — Some sections have more trees than others.

Wee Thump Joshua Tree Hike 2 — When you reach the road, you've come to the end of the Wee Thump Wilderness. Make the right and hike down the road to visit the ranch.

Wee Thump Joshua Tree Hike 1 — Enjoy the ranch and then come back the way you came.

Have a question about the guide or want to see what other people are saying/asking? View the Youtube comments for this video. Leave a comment and I will do my best to respond.

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This Guide Was Written by Cris Hazzard

Cris Hazzard 4 Mile Trail Yosemite
Hi, I'm Cris Hazzard, aka Hiking Guy, a professional outdoors guide, hiking expert, and author based in Southern California. I created this website to share all the great hikes I do with everyone else out there. This site is different because it gives detailed directions that even the beginning hiker can follow. I also share what hiking gear works and doesn't so you don't waste money. I don't do sponsored or promoted content; I share only the gear recommendations, hikes, and tips that I would with my family and friends. If you like the website and YouTube channel, please support these free guides (I couldn't do it without folks like you!).

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