Joshua Tree National Park guide · 1 min read
Keys View: San Andreas Fault to Salton Sea
Keys View sits along the top ridge of the Little San Bernardino Mountains, and from it you can take in a wide vista across the Coachella Valley.
The drive from Park Boulevard down Keys View Road takes about 20 minutes and ends at a parking lot, where the walk to the overlook begins.
The southwest side of the ridge falls nearly a mile in elevation to the valley floor. Far below, you can see the San Andreas Fault, which stretches about 700 miles from the Gulf of California to the Mendocino Coast north of San Francisco. Its line runs through the valley and is visible from the lookout.
Look to the far left for the shining surface of the Salton Sea, which lies 230 feet below sea level. Turning right, the Santa Rosa Mountains rise behind Indio. Together with San Jacinto Peak, at 10,800 feet and standing behind Palm Springs, they form the high points of the Peninsular Ranges. Farther right, San Gorgonio Mountain, at 11,500 feet, is usually snow-covered.
The Keys View Loop Trail is a paved path of two-tenths of a mile that makes an uphill walk from the parking lot. The lookout itself is wheelchair accessible, and the loop gives especially nice views from the ridge. Along the way, a lone Joshua Tree stands with the Santa Rosa Mountains behind it, a good spot for photos.
Haze can reduce visibility, particularly in the warmer months. On a really clear day, Signal Mountain in Mexico may be visible, though that has become rare because of poor air quality in recent years.
