California · Rock climbing · Desert Hot Springs

Lakeside Rock North (aka Oregon Trail)

7-route climbing area in California with sport and trad options.

Lakeside Rock North (aka Oregon Trail)Photo: Tony Webster from Portland, Oregon, United States, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
7 routes
5.7 – 5.9
Sport · Trad

Is Lakeside Rock North (aka Oregon Trail) open right now?

Alert in the area

The National Park Service lists 3 alerts for Joshua Tree National Park.

  • Partial Trail Closure of West Side Loop

    Park alert covering Joshua Tree National Park · NPS · Joshua Tree National Park

  • Inaccurate Third-Party Apps

    Park alert covering Joshua Tree National Park · NPS · Joshua Tree National Park

  • Oasis of Mara Trail Partial Closure

    Park alert covering Joshua Tree National Park · NPS · Joshua Tree National Park

As of · Source: NPS · Joshua Tree National Park. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Lakeside Rock North (aka Oregon Trail)

Best months: October–May. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

  1. Jan

    58° / 38°

    4 wet

  2. Feb

    61° / 39°

    3 wet

  3. Mar

    67° / 40°

    3 wet

  4. Apr

    73° / 46°

    2 wet

  5. May

    82° / 52°

    1 wet

  6. Jun

    91° / 59°

    0 wet

  7. Jul

    96° / 66°

    2 wet

  8. Aug

    96° / 68°

    2 wet

  9. Sep

    89° / 60°

    2 wet

  10. Oct

    80° / 50°

    1 wet

  11. Nov

    66° / 41°

    2 wet

  12. Dec

    58° / 34°

    4 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Yucca Valley, CA, 15.5 mi away at 3,249 ft. The station sits about 1,100 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Lakeside Rock North, also known as the Oregon Trail, is a climbing area in Joshua Tree National Park in California, managed by the National Park Service. It sits within the park's network of climbing spots in the Barker Dam area, and a visit here puts you among several climbing areas and trails within a short walk. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Yucca Valley show April highs around 73°F and October highs around 80°F, while July and August average about 96°F and winter nights dip near freezing. A park fee is charged here. Oasis Rock, Lakeside Rock - West Face and the Barker Dam Area all lie about 0.1 mile away, and the Barker Dam Trail starts within about a third of a mile.

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive

Oasis RockPhoto: cappellacci, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Oasis Rock

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Oasis Rock in California offers 9 traditional climbing routes across 8 difficulty grades.

Lakeside Rock - West FacePhoto: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Lakeside Rock - West Face

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9 mixed and trad routes on the west face of Lakeside Rock, facing a lake in California.

Barker Dam AreaPhoto: cappellacci, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Barker Dam Area

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Rat RockPhoto: cappellacci, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Rat Rock

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Escape RockPhoto: Tony Webster from Portland, Oregon, United States, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Escape Rock

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Escape Rock (Southwest Face)Photo: cifraser1, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Escape Rock (Southwest Face)

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No Falls WallPhoto: Joseph from Cabin On The Road, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Ash Gordon RockPhoto: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

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Room To Shroom AreaPhoto: cifraser1, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

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South Wonderland ApproachPhoto: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

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