Rock Climbing with Kids at Joshua Tree

Did you know you could take kids rock climbing in Joshua Tree?! Joshua Tree is an amazing and unique park that we loved hiking in. I always try to plan a day with a little extra excitement for our trips; for Joshua Tree, it had to be rock climbing! Many accomplished climbers head to Joshua Tree for its amazing routes, but you don’t have to be a pro to enjoy a day of climbing. My young kids, 3 and 5, had very minimal experience with climbing, and they had a great time!

Finding a Rock Climbing Guide for Kids at Joshua Tree

There are tons of climbing guide services surrounding Joshua Tree. I looked into a bunch, and Stone Adventures was enthusiastic about working with young climbers. Our guide, Alex, was super engaging and encouraging with our 3 and 5-year-olds. He was able to fit us all with all the needed gear quickly, and we headed to our destination.

What to Expect

While I was a little unsure about how well our 3-year-old would do, I shouldn’t have worried. Alex set up ropes that were reasonable for the kids to attempt. They could climb as high as they wanted and rappel down whenever they were ready. Most of the time, my kids would climb up and down several times in a row, going a smidge higher each time. Once everyone, kids, myself, and grandpa, had a chance to climb the route as much as they wanted, our guide would set up a different route.

When it wasn’t their time to climb, there was plenty of rock scrambling and dirt to play in. Our route was close enough to the car that I could run back for snacks if needed.

What if Someone Gets Scared While Climbing?

At one point, my 3-year-old had a mini meltdown on the rope. He was crying, calling for Mom, and perhaps 10-12 feet off the ground. Our guide Alex was able to easily climb up to him and get them both down quickly and safely.