California · Rock climbing · Desert Hot Springs

Locomotion Rock

12 climbing routes in California, grades range from 7 difficulty levels, sport and trad.

Photo: dconvertini, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

12 routes

5.5 – 5.11

Trad · Sport

Is Locomotion Rock 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 Oct 23, 9:00 pm PDT · Source: NPS · Joshua Tree National Park. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Locomotion Rock

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.

Jan
58° / 38°
4 wet
Feb
61° / 39°
3 wet
Mar
67° / 40°
3 wet
Apr
73° / 46°
2 wet
May
82° / 52°
1 wet
Jun
91° / 59°
0 wet
Jul
96° / 66°
2 wet
Aug
96° / 68°
2 wet
Sep
89° / 60°
2 wet
Oct
80° / 50°
1 wet
Nov
66° / 41°
2 wet
Dec
58° / 34°
4 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Yucca Valley, CA, 14.9 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.

Locomotion Rock is a climbing area inside Joshua Tree National Park in California, managed by the National Park Service. A fee is charged for park use, so plan to pay before you go. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Yucca Valley show highs around 73°F in April and 80°F in October, while July and August average highs near 96°F. Pitted Rock, the Real Hidden Valley Circuit and Entrance Boulder are all climbing areas about 0.1 mile away, and the Hidden Valley Trailhead is about the same distance. For an overnight stay, Sheep Pass Group campground lies roughly 3 miles off.