This trek to the Pinto Basin Sand Dunes can be a welcome change of pace from more crowded trails in other parts of Joshua Tree National Park. Although the Pinto Sand Dunes are not proper sand dunes (they’re piles of sand built up against a low-lying ridge of rocky hills), this is an exceptionally peaceful and quiet part of the park that is not visited by many. Hikers should have experience with backcountry navigation here, and we recommend visiting in the spring, when tiny primrose and other wildflowers in the creosote fields provide bonus attractions for keen-eyed hikers.