Hiking Lost Horse Mine Trail in Joshua Tree National Park ⋆ A Rambling Unicorn

The western United States is home to many abandoned gold mines. Relics from a bygone era, these defunct mines tend to be located in remote areas that are accessible only on foot. I’m always a sucker for hiking to an abandoned mine and I have trekked to quite a few (including the Gold Mine Trail on Sumas Mountain). So I was quite excited to check out the Lost Horse Mine Trail in Joshua Tree National Park.

The mill built over top of the Lost Horse Mine is considered to be one of the best preserved mills of its kind in a National Park Service Unit. It also holds the distinction of being an unusually profitable mine, producing more than 10,000 ounces of gold and 16,000 ounces of silver (worth approximately $5 million today) between 1894 and 1931.

Please note: This trail is not suitable for wheelchairs or strollers. Dogs are not allowed.

Lost Horse Mine in Joshua Tree National Park

Table of Contents

A Brief History of Lost Horse Mine

The history behind the mine is a fascinating one, filled with shady characters and nefarious deeds. Johnny Lang originally developed the mine in the 1890s and set up a two-stamp mill to process gold. A wealthy Nevada rancher named J.D. Ryan purchased the mine from Johnny Lang in 1895 and kept him on as an employee. Ryan erected a steam-powered, ten-stamp mill and ran a water pipeline for 3.5 miles to power the operation.

As the story goes, Ryan became suspicious that the mill wasn’t producing as it should. He eventually discovered that Lang was keeping half the gold for himself during the refining process. Lang was fired but came back years later to find the gold which he had hidden away in a secret stash.

A full account of the story is available on the National Park Service’s Lost Horse Mine web page.

Trailhead and Parking for Lost Horse Mine Trail

The trailhead for Lost Horse Mine Trail is located on Lost Horse Mine Road near the West Entrance in Joshua Tree National Park. The parking area is small and doesn’t have room for many cars so I recommend arriving early. When I first attempted to hike this trail, I arrived around 11:30 am to find a parking lot full and a sign blocking entrance to the road. When I tried again, I arrived at 8:30 am on a weekday in February to find the parking lot half full. I later learned that a crew was doing maintenance on the trail and half of the cars were theirs.

The last mile of the drive requires driving on a single-lane dirt road. RVs and large vehicles are not permitted at the trailhead.

Driving directions from Highway 62: turn south onto Park Boulevard in the town of Joshua Tree. The Joshua Tree Visitor Center is located one block ahead on the right if you’d like to stop and get a map or additional information. From there continue straight, past the West Entrance, and into the park for 15 miles. At Keys View Road, take a right and drive for 2.5 miles until reaching Lost Horse Mine Road. Take a left and follow the dirt road for 1 mile to the parking area.

Interpretive sign at the trailhead for Lost Horse Mine

Hiking the Lost Horse Mine Trail

Note: before starting out on this or any desert hike, be sure to bring plenty of water and sun protection, wear sturdy footwear, pack the 10 essentials, and leave no trace of your visit behind. Avoid hiking in summer or in the hottest part of the day. I also recommend a broad sun hat.

Part 1: Hiking to the Mine

The trail to Lost Horse Mile follows the same road that J.D. Ryan developed to haul ore and supplies to his mine. From the parking area, start at the interpretive sign and head east. The trail heads gently uphill, gaining a total elevation of 515 feet over 2 miles. You’ll be treated to a classic Mojave Desert landscape complete with yucca, juniper, creosote and the occasional Joshua Tree.

At .3 miles, you’ll pass a trail junction for the Big Trees Trail. The trail continues heading gently uphill until it reaches the 1 mile point and crests over a small hill. Don’t forget to turn around before heading downhill to take in the views behind you.

At 1.1 miles, the trail passes a small wash where the remains of a stone building can be seen on the right. As you continue hiking east, the trail wraps around some ravines until the mine eventually comes into view at the 1.5-mile point.

Follow the signs for Lost Horse Mine Trail as you leave the parking lot.

The trail was in pretty bad shape when I hiked it. A crew was doing trail maintenance to repair the rough sections.

Stay right on at the junction for Big Trees Trail.

The remains of a stone building at the 1.1 mile point.

Lost Horse Mine comes into view around mile 1.5 (it’s on the left side of the photo about halfway up the hill).

Part 2: Exploring around Lost Horse Mine

After about 1.8 miles, the trail passes Lost Horse Mine which is perched on the hill up above. There are several social trails here where you can make your own way up the hill. Or, if you prefer, you can take the official trail as it follows the old mine road. This is the less steep option. To take the official trail, keep walking until you reach the second signpost for the Lost Horse Loop Trail. From here, the trail turns north sharply as it completes one final switchback up the hill towards the mine.

There is lots to see in the area around the mine and I recommend wandering around a little. While you cannot explore the mine itself as it is blocked off, there are remnants of old buildings and machinery nearby.

This second signpost for Lost Horse Loop Trail marks the official trail to Lost Horse Mine. Take a left here.

Another view of the official trail to Lost Horse Mine branching off from the Lost Horse Loop trail. Taking this official route involves walking along one last switchback.

Lost Horse Mine as viewed from the trail junction.

Lots of old mining equipment is still visible in the area near the mine

Part 3: Climbing the Hill behind Lost Horse Mine

Once you’ve made it all the way to Lost Horse Mine, you may as well continue to the top of the hill directly behind it. The climb is steep but short and only adds a few extra minutes to the hike overall. This vantage point offers a fabulous 360 degree panoramic view of the area in Joshua Tree National Park.

Panoramic view from the hill behind Lost Horse Mine facing east

The view from the hill behind Lost Horse Mine facing west. The mine is visible further down the hill.

Part 4: The Return Hike

For those wishing to extend the hike, the Lost Horse Mine Loop trail continues at the base of the mill and heads south. The loop trail is 6.8 miles roundtrip and goes by the remnants of another less successful mining operation called the Optimist Mine.

When I hiked the trail, I was short on time and so headed back the way I came. The views on the return trip were much better than on the way in. The descent is gradual and not too difficult.

Yucca lines the trail on the return trip. A remnant of the water pipe used to power the mill is still visible.

Lost Horse Mine Trail Information and Map

Note that there is a separate trail to Lost Horse Mine called the Lost Horse Mine Loop Trail. The loop trail is 6.8 miles with 882 feet of elevation gain overall, whereas this trail is 4 miles with 515 feet elevation gain overall.

Distance – 4 miles out & back
Elevation Gain – 515 feet
Starting Elevation – 4603 feet
Highest Elevation Point – 5063 feet

Joshua Tree National Park Fee Information

The fee to enter Joshua Tree National Park is $30 per vehicle which is good for seven days. I recommend buying the America the Beautiful Interagency Pass, however, which costs $80. This allows entry to all National Parks for an entire year, as well as most federal lands (including National Forests, Bureau of Land Management and more).