Ranger Guided Tour - Discover the colorful lives of Bill and Frances Keys and learn how they survived and raised a family in the harsh desert environment on the Keys Ranch Tour. Explore the ranch house, school room, store, workshop, and more treasures from the 60 years the Keys called this area home. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, the property is located in a remote, rocky canyon in Joshua Tree National Park. Keys Ranch tours last 90 minutes and involve about a half-mile of walking. Access to this area is limited to Ranger guided tours only.
Option bring a bag lunch for a picnic before the tour at the nearby Cap Rock parking picnic area. Directions from the Joshua Tree Visitor Center Map click here
10 am Meet at Palm Springs PetSmart Ramon/Crossley Map Click Here
Carpooling is encouraged and may be available if offered by driver. You are responsible for arranging your own transportation or ride share.
Directions to the Keys Ranch Gate - click here
1 pm - Keys Ranch tours begin at the Keys Ranch locked gate and parking area (not at the visitor center). Do not rely exclusively on your mobile GPS, Siri, or similar automated navigation systems for directions to Keys Ranch. Routes can be misleading and incorrect.
Payment: You can pay with the following credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. You need to complete payment within 15 minutes or you will be timed out and will need to start over.
Cancel: If you cannot attend, please notify the trip leader as others may be on the waitlist. No refunds available.
Contact trip leader: Scott Connelly - email click here
Getting There
Keys Ranch tours begin at the Keys Ranch locked gate and parking area (not at the visitor center). Do not rely exclusively on your mobile GPS, Siri, or similar automated navigation systems for directions to Keys Ranch as routes can be misleading or incorrect. Please be at the Keys Ranch gate 15 minutes before your scheduled tour time. Tours begin promptly at the start time and the locked gate will be opened. You will continue driving down the road to a second parking area where the walking tour begins. Once all the cars are through the gate, it will be locked. There is no way for latecomers to join. Refunds will not be issued if you are late. Directions to Keys Ranch
From the Joshua Tree Visitor Center (located at 6554 Park Blvd, Joshua Tree CA.): Drive south on Park Blvd for about 5 miles to the West Entrance (Park Blvd is also known as “Quail Springs Road”). At West Entrance gate, proceed another 8.9 miles. Turn Left onto Barker Dam Rd. Drive on Barker Dam Rd. for about 0.7 miles. Turn Left onto Keys Ranch Rd. (Look for the sign that says “Ranch Tours”). Drive on Keys Ranch Rd. (a dirt road) for about 1 mile until the locked Keys Ranch gate. There is a small parking area and restroom facility at the locked gate. This is your meeting place. Drive time to the Keys Ranch from Joshua Tree Visitor Center is approximately 35 minutes and does not include any additional delays caused by congestion at entrance gates. Delays at this entrance gate due to congestion often add an additional 30 minutes to travel time so please plan accordingly.
From the Oasis Visitor Center (located at 74485 National Park Dr., Twentynine Palms, CA.): Drive south on Utah Trail for about 3.4 miles to the North Entrance. At North Entrance gate, proceed another 16.5 miles. Turn Right onto Barker Dam Rd. Drive on Barker Dam Rd. for about 0.7 miles. Turn Left onto Keys Ranch Rd (Look for the sign that says “Ranch Tours”). Drive on Keys Ranch Rd. (a dirt road) for about 1 mile until the locked Keys Ranch gate. There is a small parking area and restroom facility at the locked gate. This is your meeting place. Drive time to the Keys Ranch from Oasis Visitor Center is approximately 40 minutes and does not include any additional delays caused by congestion at entrance gates.
Travel Times to Keys Ranch
From Joshua Tree Visitor Center, travel time to the ranch is approximately 35 minutes, plus an additional delay of up to 30 minutes due to congestion at the gate.
From Oasis Visitor Center in Twentynine Palms, travel time to the ranch is approximately 40 minutes.
Smoking and eating are prohibited on the Keys Ranch Tour.
