Joshua Tree Adventures

Top-​notch tour of Joshua Tree. I went with my 70+ year old dad on a day-​long tour. Ethan got just the right mix of sights and physical activity for us, and he had an impressive knowledge of the area. He was great at gauging our interests.
If you’re wondering why bother with a guide when you can just wander around the park yourself: Ethan takes you to out-​of-​the way spots that you wouldn’t be likely to find on your own. We also went to some of the more popular areas, and – if the popular spots were the only ones that I had visited – I wouldn’t have enjoyed myself or appreciated the park nearly as much.
Highly recommended.

We wanted to get an introduction to exploring hiking and scrambling at Joshua Tree. We contacted Joshua Tree Adventures after reading great reviews on Trip Advisor. He promptly answered our emails, great communication.
We (4 adults) did a half-​day guided tour with Ethan on our first afternoon in the area. He did a great job of tailoring the outing to our fitness level (experienced N. Cascades hikers) and the weather (windy) — and we spent an awesome afternoon scrambling above the Indian Cove area exploring canyons (rattlesnake canyon) and caves.
Ethan has a terrific background on the geology, history, plants, and animals of the park and is a great educator. He took time to engage each person in our party, and he fielded every odd question and comment with good humor and grace. He provided help when needed with footholds and directions, and encouragement. We saw much more with our off-​trail exploring with Ethan than we would have seen on our own, and we leveraged the experience on subsequent days in the park.
Highly recommended.

My friend and I wanted to visit Joshua Tree but only had less than a day to explore the area. A week prior to our planned visit, we looked online for tours and ended up contacting Ethan via email. His rates (per person) for a half-​day guided tour (4 – 5 hours) were reasonable, and since we had read good reviews about his tours on TripAdvisor, we decided to use his services.
Ethan was friendly, professional, and clearly knew the park very well. Our first stop was the Wonderland of Rocks (North/​Central area of Joshua Tree Park), where we spent the morning hiking through sanded and rocky areas. Along the way, he pointed out interesting sights, including hidden pictographs and an equinox that we would have missed had we hiked the area on our own. He also knew quite a bit about the geology and formation of the area, and pointed out a bunch of cool looking cacti, trees, and lizards! Midway through the tour, he gave us a few options for the remaining hours. Either we could scramble up onto the rocks for a better view of the valley or hike on over to a few other sites.
Now, my friend and I are not super athletic people, but we decided to try scrambling. Luckily, it was much easier than we anticipated thanks to Ethan. Not only did he guide us up rocks that were secure and had good footing (so it was a matter of following his tracks), but he was also willing to give us a hand or a boost up for more difficult areas (gaps, crevices, or steep inclines). If you love hiking and can handle a few large steps, I highly recommend you try scrambling! Looking back, scrambling was really THE highlight of my JT experience. The views up there are incredible and you truly feel at one with nature! Ethan also takes you to areas with the most scenic views and doesn’t mind taking photos for you. Don’t forget to also bring a few snacks to enjoy while you sit and admire the view!
Overall, if you have a short time in JT, Ethan’s tour the best use of your limited time. I walked away from our 4.5 hr tour feeling like I truly explored the area and understood the history/​background of the park. Definitely give him a chance, you won’t regret it!

Ethan is a true local expert and a wonderful guide.
We first used his services when my future in– laws were visiting. We took a leisurely hike away from the crowds, among some gorgeous rock formations, while Ethan pointed out various plants and regaled us with information about the history of the park. He is very knowledgable. We stopped for a healthy snack he provided, and enjoyed the view. My fiancé climbed some rocks in view while we chatted and relaxed.
We had such a good experience, we chose to use his services again to entertain our crew of about 20 out of town wedding guests who traveled to our wedding in Palm Springs. His day rate was inexpensive! To entertain so many people for a full day, I would have paid more. Especially given the value of not getting lost in the desert! We paid his rate and asked people to tip in addition to that. He provided two hikes that day, one a.m. and one p.m., both starting from Barker Dam. He provided excellent, detailed instructions for meeting up, and was willing to accomodate the skill levels of the groups. He is a true professional.
I know he works with groups of kids and teens, and has expertise in teaching and guiding various levels of climbing, so I can’t wait to take more trips with him in the future!

My friends and I recently spent a day with Ethan in Joshua Tree National Park. I’ve climbed in the park before, but some of my friends had never top-​roped outdoors. Ethan did an excellent job explaining the basics, from knot-​tying and spot checking harnesses to providing advice (and encouragement) on specific climbs. We moved around the park a bit throughout the course of the day, and he setup anchors on routes of varying difficulty so that everyone had a chance to climb.
Ethan knows the layout of the park very well it’s obvious that he has spent his share of time there. If you’re relatively new to climbing and/​or the park itself, I’d highly recommend using his services. He’ll cater everything to the experience level of your group, and you’re sure to get the most out of your time in the park.