Hit the Trail! Essential Skills for Hikers of All Ages

Want to explore the great outdoors but aren’t sure how to prepare? This class is for you! Hiking can be rewarding, exciting, and fun for anyone regardless of age, background, or experience level. This field activity covers the basics, from what to bring to choosing trails. 

• This class is held at Black Rock, with the classroom portion taking place in the Black Rock Nature Center education room.
• This beginner-friendly class is suitable for hikers ages 10 and older. 
• Anyone may attend! No expertise or experience is required.
• No park pass is required.
• No meals or equipment are provided.

The indoor portion of this class is ADA accessible. It requires very little travel with ADA accommodations, such as accessible parking, available.

The outdoor portion is moderate. It requires less than 5 miles of walking with limited elevation gain on somewhat variable terrain and/or more than one hour outdoors in the elements. Please email desertinstitute@joshuatree.org if you need specific accommodations.

BOGO & Student Discount
Get a second ticket for free when you register for Adventure Ready! or Hit the Trail! Use the discount to bring a fellow adventurer or to attend both classes yourself. You'll receive the BOGO code at the email you use to register.

Current students get 20% off all Desert Institute classes. Combine the BOGO and student discount for extra savings! Email desertinstitute@joshuatree.org to claim a student discount.

Instructor Sarah Witt: Sarah is a grassroots educator, interpretive hiking guide, and environmental advocate with a deep love of the Mojave Desert and Joshua Tree National Park. She currently volunteers as a member of JOSAR, the park ‘s search and rescue team, and serves as a board member for Friends of Joshua Tree, our local climbing advocacy organization. Sarah is a field instructor with Joshua Tree Residential Educational Experience (JTREE) and leads hikes in the park with Wandering Mojave. She's a certified California Naturalist through UC Riverside ‘s Environmental Stewardship program and loves to share her extensive knowledge of the local desert ecosystem with her students and clients. When not volunteering, teaching, or guiding, you ‘ll probably find Sarah scrambling in a boulder pile or scaling a vertical wall somewhere in the park!

Photo credit: NPS/Emily Hassell