Eureka Peak, Mountain summit in Joshua Tree National Park, California, US

Eureka Peak is a mountain summit in the Little San Bernardino Mountains that rises to about 5,500 feet and sits within Joshua Tree National Park. From the top, visitors can see across the park's desert landscape and the ranges that surround it.

Joshua Tree was proclaimed a national monument in 1936, not a park; it became a national park only in 1994. Eureka Peak, the park's fourth-highest summit after Quail Mountain, Queen Mountain and Inspiration Peak, lies in the Black Rock Canyon region and was included in that protected desert area.

The summit is reached by Eureka Peak Road, an unpaved dirt track from Upper Covington Flat that four-wheel-drive vehicles can drive under suitable conditions. Mountain biking is popular on the peak, and the Eureka Peak Trail climbs it from the north after branching off the California Riding and Hiking Trail.

You can reach the summit by Eureka Peak Road, an unpaved track that needs a four-wheel drive vehicle, or by connecting to the California Riding and Hiking Trail. Access depends on the season and trail conditions, so check with the park before your visit.

Despite its location in the California desert, snow occasionally falls on this peak and caps it with white. This rare occurrence is visible from afar and creates an unexpected contrast to the otherwise dry landscape.