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Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 86 Google reviews · Running trail in Lancaster, California · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Not reported
- Loop distance
- 1 mi
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Tree cover
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Trail in a state park featuring Joshua trees plus several juniper species.
What runners say about Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park
“So cute and clean and beautiful 😍 two short trails , very easy , super relaxing .”
“The reserve seemed to have no visitors and we wandered around in this stunningly beautiful desert habitat admiring all.”
“there's a short walk to a shady, covered picnic area with some portable toilets, then an information billboard about local wildlife and some trails”
“It features a decent number of Joshua trees and offers a serene look at the high desert landscape.”
This is a nice little State Park where you can go for a walk and a picnic. It wasn't crowded when we went there today. There is a picnic table and shade structure so you can enjoy a picnic with the family. They even planned ahead when they built the shade structure and included a solid wall to block the winds.
Park on the side of the road. There are two trails, 1/4 mile or 1 mile. The 1 mile nature trail is about rare junipers. It's very informative. I go to the desert a lot but learned a lot of fun facts about junipers. The other, shorter loop is more of an introduction to the desert environment.
A unique place in world where you will find Joshua Trees and Sierra Juniper growing side by side. A CA State Park that is walk in only. It is a wonderful quiet preserve to. visit. Amenities picnic table, porta poddy, and guided nature trail. Free entry
Open / accessible as of 3/31/2020. Nice nature trail, no interpretive center but there are a few displays about the wildlife / plant life, and a handout that you can take with you while you walk the ~1 mile loop to learn more.
Trail conditions & character
“The reserve seemed to have no visitors and we wandered around in this stunningly beautiful desert habitat admiring all.”
“We went during the Joshua Tree blooming period and our dog enjoyed the walk as well.”
“It features a decent number of Joshua trees and offers a serene look at the high desert landscape.”
“It’s very accessible for all skill levels, as you can choose between a short loop trail or a slightly longer one-mile loop.”
“there's a short walk to a shady, covered picnic area with some portable toilets, then an information billboard about local wildlife and some trails”
“there's a short walk to a shady, covered picnic area with some portable toilets, then an information billboard about local wildlife and some trails”
“It’s very accessible for all skill levels, as you can choose between a short loop trail or a slightly longer one-mile loop.”
“Parking is free and you park along the road anywhere.”
Plan your run at Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- Loop distance1 mi back to where you parked
- ShadeRunners describe real tree cover here — it makes a summer afternoon workable
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Stroller / wheelchairReported as smooth and step-free enough for a running stroller or a chair.
- Websiteparks.ca.gov
- Phone+1 661-946-6092
Hours
| Monday | 6 am–6 pm |
| Tuesday | 6 am–6 pm |
| Wednesday | 6 am–6 pm |
| Thursday | 6 am–6 pm |
| Friday | 6 am–6 pm |
| Saturday | 6 am–6 pm |
| Sunday | 6 am–6 pm |
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