Hey Cirque Running community! We’re back for 2026, albeit a bit less frequent as we just wrapped our 52 videos in 52 weeks project last month. We hope everyone had a good end to 2025 and the New Year is starting off well for you!
One of the most commonly hiked trails in Joshua Tree National Park, the Boy Scout Trail is one trail you'll want to make sure you check out during your visit to this obscure land of quartz-monzonite filled jumbo rocks and Joshua Tree's.
The Boy Scout Trail is about as good as it gets when it comes to desert trail running. Best ran during the winter months due to searing temperatures in the summer, the Boy Scout Trail is an out and back, clocking in at 16.5 miles roundtrip, with a moderate elevation gain at just under 2,000' feet.
There are two different trailheads to depart from so choose whichever adventure is calling to you. For those looking to get the elevation gain out of the way first, you'll want to start in Indian Cove as I did in this video which resides just outside of Joshua Tree National Park proper. One advantage to this option is you save on the park entrance fee and knock out nearly all the gain on the first half of the run. Your second trailhead option is to head into the park and start at the Keys West trailhead. The running is buttery and fast for much of this trail, with a few shallow sand washes and technical running in the canyon's just below the plateau. It's also an incredibly straight forward trail with no junctions to look for and plenty of signs.
There's no toilets or running water along this route so come prepared. While each segment is only 8.25 miles from point to point, you traverse the backcountry, so make sure you have plenty of water, electrolytes, and fuel for the outing. As you'll have seen in this video, I even brought poles just in case I needed, which I never deployed.
This was one of the more pleasant runs I've done in the desert in a while. As I said, the running is as good as it gets and it's beautiful terrain you traverse with stunning views of the canyon and plateau inside the park. You even have great shots of San Gorgonio to the west, a gem of a peak and one worth adventuring out on for a run in the summertime.
Make sure to check out our Trail Running GPX page so you can download the route and upload it to your watch or phone. This GPX page will be a continuous work in progress so make sure to take advantage of the GPX files we already have posted and be sure to check back weekly as we continue to update the page.
Also, make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel @CirqueRunning to keep up to date with all of our latest trail running edits. Enjoy this video of the Boy Scout Trail in Joshua Tree National Park!
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Your online digital guide to trail running in the Sierra and Southern California. Cirque Running’s mission is to inspire our trail running community through digital dirt surfing, elevated retreats and professional coaching, with certified UESCA ultrarunning coaches. We’re Trail Runners, Mountain Guides, Educators, Coaches and Stewards of the Sierra and California, and we want to share these remarkable places with all those seeking natural abundance in the Range of Light and beyond.
