Cholla Cactus (Cholla Cactus Garden)

Cholla Cactus Garden at Sunset

NPS / Glauco Puig-Santana

Quick Facts

Location:

Joshua Tree National Park

Amenities

6 listed

Information, Parking - Auto, Parking - Bus/RV, Scenic View/Photo Spot, Trailhead, Wheelchair Accessible

Stroll through the Cholla Cactus Garden along a flat 0.25-mile loop trail. Hike through thousands of teddy bear cholla cactus and enjoy scenic mountain views. The Cholla Cactus Garden is in the Pinto Basin, part of the transition zone between the Colorado and Mojave Deserts. Cholla are concentrated here because of the right conditions for these plants to thrive and multiply. They mainly reproduce when detached stems root into the ground to grow a new plant. These separate stems are often too heavy for the wind to carry, so the colony grows in this area or "garden"! 

The Cholla Cactus Garden is a unique experience during a visit year-round. It is a great place to enjoy the sunrise or sunset. If you visit in the spring, you will see the yellow/green blooms. 

Tread cautiously around these cacti because they are commonly called "jumping" cholla." The cholla segments can break off and attach to people and animals with sharp spines. Wear closed-toed shoes on this trail to protect your feet. Stay on the designated trail to protect this delicate ecological area.