One thing that is quite surprising and so striking is the amount of lushness you encounter on the trail to Barker Dam in Joshua Tree National Park. Yes, Southern California had heavy rain this winter, but still, this is the desert. It’s supposed to be harsh, unforgiving, and brutal, yielding a stark contrast to everything else, giving the impression of not being real. So this was an extraordinary time. It is allowing us to see wildlife which usually is searching for a safe place to escape the heat.
The Trail
Barker Dam, also known as Big Horn Dam, is a straightforward 1.3-mile loop hike/trail. It’s composed of a soft sandy wash, some rock steps and walking across the tops of smooth boulders once you reach the dam itself.
slide show of the trail to Barker dam
Barker Dam is one of the very few places in the park to have water, and on this occasion, there was still plenty. In the photos, you can see how much water seeped back beneath the surface since the last rainfall. You can also notice where the levels used to be because of the discolouration on the rocks.
the shimmering waters and flood plain of barker dam gallery
Though in a place like Joshua Tree, it won’t last for long. One hundred years ago the average rainfall was around 10 inches per year. Today it merely averages one inch.
CO Barker and early cattleman constructed the dam in the early 1900s for cattle. It was initially nine feet tall, but Bill Keys raised the barrier six feet in 1949, and signed and dated the cement.
On the other side of the dam, there is an old concrete water trough and what looks like a wooden planter.
Continuing on the trail the loop then traverses down the other side of the dam towards some petroglyphs. These bare the nickname “Disneyglyphs” due to Disney painting over the originals enhancing them for filming between 1950 and 1960.
petroglyphs photo gallery
After this, the trail eventually rejoins itself just yards from the car park. We did wander around to see what we could find before returning.
In A Nutshell
- Near the Wall Street Mill between Queen Valley and the Wonderland of Rocks.
- 1.3-mile loop trail – easy hike
- Trailhead in the carpark
- Toilets in carpark
- Very little shade
- Take plenty of water with you and wear appropriate clothing
- Best time of year – Spring / Autumn
Remember – take only photos, leave only footprints. Preserve this site for others to enjoy
For more information on Barker Dam Loop, its flora and fauna click HERE
Location Map
other short hikes in joshua tree
- Cholla Cactus Gardens – 0.25 easy loop hike wheelchair accessible
- Desert Queen Ranch/Keys Ranch – only accessible with a guided tour
- Hidden Valley – 1-mile loop trail
- Mastodon Mine & Cottonwood Springs – approximately 3-mile loop moderate hike
- Ryan Ranch & Lost Horse Mine – 0.5-mile sandy trail
- Silver Bell Mine – 2-mile round trip
- Wonderland Ranch & Wall Street Mill – 3-mile out and back hike
Love the photos! We couldn’t get parked ANYWHERE near the trailhead as the hordes of people had already arrived. We will save the dam hike for another trip to the park. Lovely to meet you both!
Madison & Keaton
Thank you, it was great meeting you both too. Barker Dam is a great hike, and really beautiful especially if there’s water. It was a shame you didn’t get to experience it. Maybe next time. The park was exceptionally busy, I’ve never seen it like that before. We did manage to hike to Desert Queen Mine and onto Eagle Cliff to see the miners cabin. Sunday we found Samuelson’s Rocks. Those blogs will be posted in a couple of weeks. We’re off to Death Valley this weekend to do some more exploring. Drop us a line when you’re next out and about. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy our posts and they give you some ideas and inspiration.