Overview | Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness, Nevada

Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness is a relatively small wilderness area, just 6050 acres, South of Las Vegas. The triangular wilderness area has sides only about 7-8 miles in length, much of which you could initially cover in a day.

Ancient Stands of Joshua Trees

You may want to take more than a day to explore this wilderness in more depth, because here you will find some of the oldest stands of Joshua Trees on earth. These unique, beautiful trees grow just a half inch per year, and some of the giants are over 900 years old! The Southern Paiutes gave this wilderness area the name “Wee Thump“, which means “ancient ones“, for the trees were ancient even during the times they settled the region (1100 AD until their displacement in the 1800s).

Wilderness Access Routes

The triangular wilderness area has a few access roads around its parameter (see the map):

• Wee Thump East Road (unpaved) along the right edge of the wilderness
• Wee Thump North Road (unpaved) across the narrow upper tip of the wilderness
• Powerline Road (unpaved) along the West (left) edge of the wilderness.
• Hwy 164 (paved) along the base of the wilderness triangle.

There’s also the old Eldorado Wagon Trail running along the base of the wilderness just above Hwy 164.

You can use these routes to access Joshua Tree stands within the wilderness, or just park your vehicle and explore the entire wilderness on foot. 

Surrounding Mountains

The mountains you see to the North and West are in the South McCullough Wilderness with McCullough Mountain, elevation 7,026 ft as its high point. To the East is the Ireteba Peaks Wilderness along the Colorado River. Spirit Mountain in the Lake Mohave / Laughlin, Nevada area can be seen to the SE. The imposing rocky Castle Tower, North Castle Peak and Hyland Mountain Range can be seen to the North.

Text from Interpretive Display

“Desert plants and animals have adapted to survive under very harsh conditions. They can endure extreme temperatures using very little water.

Many desert animals spend much of their time underground where it is cool, only coming out at night or on cloudy days. Animals that live here include the antelope ground squirrel, whiptail lizard, loggerhead shrike and the Federally protected desert tortoise.

Many desert wildflowers will grow only when there is sufficient rainfall, sometimes waiting for as long as ten years to sprout! Plants typical to the eastern Mojave Desert include creosote bush, Joshua trees, Mojave yucca, desert globemallow and a species of special concern, rosy two-toned beardtongue.”

How to Spend Your Visit to the Joshua Tree Wilderness

Here are some ideas that came to mind:

1. Take a 1,000 foot walk toward the center of the wilderness from the windmill area at the start of Joshua Tree East Road. You’ll get a good sampling of what’s in the entire wilderness area.
2. Get an elevated view of Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness by ascending the low ridge to the East (your right) near the beginning of Joshua Tree East Road.
3. Camp at one of the camping pullouts near the beginning of Joshua Tree East Road. Imagine the clear stary night sky views!
4. Visit Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness during the annual Joshua Tree Bloom: All the Joshua trees burst forth in brilliant white blooms for a few weeks sometime during March – May. Find out when the bloom is happening during the year you are visiting.
5. Wander through the entire wilderness for a meditative experience as I did in the video. Stroll among the “Wee Thump” “Ancient Ones” and experience the unique spirit of the place. Bring a compass or GPS as there is limited visual frame of reference in the central wilderness area. Also, bring at least 2 liters of water.
6. Ride an ATV on the roads around the border.
7. Summit the South McCullough Mountains & Mt. McCullough. Drive to the NW corner of the wilderness where you’ll find a trail/road that will take you about 20% of the way toward McCullough Mountain. Hike from the end of that road.

Best Time of Year to Explore Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness

Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness, elevation 4,400 – 4,800ft, is best explored from mid-Fall through mid-Spring. Summer temperatures can reach a dangerous 120 degrees!

Trailhead Directions | Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness, Nevada

Approach from the West (probably a best bet for your first visit)

Take Interstate 11 South from Las Vegas. After the Railroad Pass Casino Exit, take exit 173 for Hwy 95 South toward Searchlight. Turn right at Searchlight onto Hwy 164 (Joshua Tree Hwy), then turn right onto Wee Thump East Road, the main wilderness entrance. 

Approach from the East (requires entering and exiting California)

Take Interstate 15 South from Las Vegas. Cross the Nevada border into California. Take Exit 286 to cross over the freeway and head left onto Hwy 164 (Nipton Rd.) Continue on Nipton Rd. past Nipton, CA. As you cross back into Nevada Nipton Rd. becomes Joshua Tree Hwy (still Hwy 164). Now you’re passing through the South end of the mountainous South McCullough Wilderness. Just beyond the mountains to your left, Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness is to your left. There are a number of routes into the wilderness–all unpaved. The first is to take a left onto the more complicated Powerline Rd. (it may not be marked). The second is to park at the entrance to the old Eldorado Wagon Trail. The third is to take a left onto the more official wilderness entrance: Wee Thump East Road at the Eastern corner of the wilderness area.       

Narrative Guide | Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness, Nevada

Getting Your Initial Frame of Reference

There is limited visual frame of reference in this largely flat, tree-covered wilderness area. You’re in a large bowl. The South McCullough Wilderness mountains and ridgeline is visible to the West much of the time. At some times you will catch a glimpse of Spirit Mountain to the SE in the Lake Mohave / Laughlin, Nevada area. Castle Tower, North Castle Peak and Hyland Mountain Range can be seen to the North, mostly from the North end of Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness. Crescent Peak is visible at times to the South. Bring a compass or GPS to avoid becoming disoriented. The good news is that the entire wilderness area is surrounded by roads, so if you become disoriented, just walk in a straight line and you’ll arrive at a road.

Start Point Parking Area to NW Edge of Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness

Beginning at the intersection of Joshua Tree East Road and Highway 164, head up Joshua Tree East Road. Within a couple hundred feed you’ll arrive at a large parking area with a broken-down water pump windmill, a reservoir and corral with a livestock loading ramp. There’s an interpretive display here. This is where I left the road, setting a course through the center of the wilderness aiming for the North end of the McCullough range visible to the East.

This stretch was mostly a meditative walk through the ancient Joshua Trees. There were Joshua Trees in every stage of growth from young sprouts, actually about 50-years old to the “Wee Thump” ancient trees, around 900 years old with beautiful spreading branches to the fallen giants. The other three main plants in the area were fields of grass, huge Cholla Cacti and Creosote bushes. The terrain fluctuated from groves of Joshua Trees to open meadows where the surrounding mountains, in particular, the South McCullough ridges and peaks were most visible. 

Soak in the strong spirit of this wilderness as you walk among the ancient giants. Crisscrossing the wilderness are shallow, sandy gullies filled with animal tracks from the last few night’s activity. Those gullies appear to be wildlife expressways! Other than the general peace and spirit of the place, there is not a lot of variation from one end of the wilderness to the other. This is primarily a meditative walk rather than a scenic destination route.

As you approach the West end of the wilderness, the powerline towers along Powerline Road (route L) will appear ahead.

Powerline Road (Route L) to North Joshua Tree Road

Turn right onto Powerline Road to arrive at the Northwest edge of Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness in about a mile. There’s an intersection at the Northwest edge of the wilderness. You could continue North along Powerline Road to pass along the West edge of the now visible Highland Range with the imposing rocky Castle Tower, North Castle Peak at its the North end. The Highland Range is a BLM area preserved for bighorn sheep and closed to the public. However, Castle Tower and North Castle Peak can be summited…with advanced rock climbing experience. Also in that area are Juniper Peak and Possible Mesa.

A left turn at the NW corner of Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness will take you along a wilderness road/trail that continues about 20% of the way to McCullough Mountain, high point of the South McCullough Wilderness, and other peaks on its ridgeline. The views from that high ridge should be incredible. To the West you’re looking down on the I-15 corridor and surrounding wilderness areas. To the East you’re looking back across Joshua Tree Wilderness toward Searchlight, the Ireteba Peaks Wilderness and the Colorado River.

A right turn at the NW corner of Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness will put you on North Joshua Tree Road, a one-mile stretch across the North edge of the wilderness. 

North Joshua Tree Road to the Start Point

Turn right again at the East end of North Joshua Tree Road onto East Joshua Tree Road. This is a 7-8 mile stretch back to your starting point at the SE edge of the wilderness where East Joshua Tree Road intersects with Highway 164. Notice that to your left (East) along this stretch there is a long, low ridge that provides a great aerial view of Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness and its surroundings. A short walk will take you to the top of that ridge for the view. Also note, on this final stretch, a number of huge Joshua Trees, and a few parking/camping areas. There are a couple split-off roads that will take you away from the main road for a more secluded wilderness camping experience. Before you know it, you’re back at your starting point!

Conclusion

Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness is well worth a day of exploration, strolling among the ancient giants that were already 300-years old when Columbus crossed the Atlantic to arrive at the New World! Enjoy the journey…you’re already at your destination point from start to finish.