In an ideal world, you’d all the time have days – or weeks! – to dedicate to each nationwide park you may go to. In some circumstances, a number of days in a park are just about important with a purpose to see all of the highlights.
However, in different circumstances, you actually can see the very best of a nationwide park in a single well-planned day.
And Joshua Tree Nationwide Park in California is a kind of parks.
An intro to Joshua Tree Nationwide Park
Positioned in southern California, Joshua Tree is a very fashionable day journey from close by cities like Palm Springs, and a simple in a single day journey from bigger cities like San Diego, Los Angeles, and even Las Vegas.
The park covers roughly 800,000 acres, and is tremendous distinctive in that it straddles two distinct desert environments: the Colorado Desert and the Mojave Desert. And it is within the cooler, higher-altitude Mojave Desert that the well-known Joshua timber develop.
Regardless of its harsh desert-ness, Joshua Tree Nationwide Park has been inhabited by people for roughly 5,000 years, first by individuals from the Pinto Tradition, after which by Indigenous teams just like the Serrano, the Chemehuevi, and the Cahuilla peoples. They largely settled round scarce water sources/oases round present-day Twentynine Palms and the Oasis of Mara.
White settlers started shifting in within the mid-1800s to dig mines, herd livestock, and ultimately construct homesteads. A number of the Indigenous peoples had already moved out of the realm by that time, however the remainder have been probably compelled out by settlers (historic accounts do not all agree, but it surely’s simply the best way US historical past goes typically).
It was due to a kind of early settlers, although, that Joshua Tree would ultimately be protected. Minerva Hamilton Hoyt, a transplant herself from Mississippi, fell in love with the California desert, and devoted her life to defending desert landscapes. It was largely due to her efforts that Joshua Tree Nationwide Monument was established by President Roosevelt in 1936.
Joshua Tree can be elevated to nationwide park standing in 1994, after Congress handed the California Desert Safety Act.
In the future in Joshua Tree Nationwide Park
Okay, okay, sufficient historical past lesson – let’s get to all the things you’ll be able to see and do in Joshua Tree in simply someday!
Observe: I am recommending some hikes right here, however know that the majority hikes inside Joshua Tree Nationwide Park supply up little shade, and the park is usually extremely popular and dry. Climbing all through the day is absolutely solely really useful within the late fall, winter, and early spring months (suppose: late October-early April); when you’re visiting throughout one other time of yr, plan to start out your hikes very early within the morning, and pack extra water than you suppose you want.
1. Dawn at Cholla Cactus Backyard
I do know dawn could be too early for a lot of park guests, however when you’re keen to do it for simply this someday, I promise it will be price it! Not solely will you see a extremely particular sight, however you will additionally beat the crowds to most of the mountain climbing trails and prime factors of curiosity afterwards.
The Cholla Cactus Backyard is positioned about 12 miles from Joshua Tree’s north entrance, throughout the Pinto Basin the place the Mojave and Colorado Deserts meet. The “backyard” is full of close-growing teddy bear cholla cacti.
It is a panorama in contrast to every other in Joshua Tree Nationwide Park, and is particularly hanging because the solar rises over the close by mountains to light up the semi-translucent yellow spines on the teddy bear cholla.
There is a .25-mile nature path by the cacti to stroll, providing up loads of vantage factors for nice dawn pictures.
Simply BEWARE that the teddy bear cholla solely look smooth and fluffy. They’re really coated in tiny barbs that can latch onto your clothes or pores and skin on the merest brush, and they are often very painful to take away. They’re so delicate that they’ve the nickname of “leaping cholla,” so make sure you maintain your distance!
Time spent: 1 hour for watching dawn/mountain climbing the brief path right here.
2. Arch Rock Nature Path
Your subsequent cease ought to be at Arch Rock, which is positioned slightly north of the Cholla Backyard alongside Pinto Basin Highway. The parking zone for the trailhead is marked as Twin Tanks Parking, and you will additionally see indicators for the Arch Rock Trailhead.
This 1.4-mile path takes you thru a little bit of desert, after which by some actually cool rock formations. Arch Rock itself is positioned about midway by the hike, alongside a .2-mile loop that connects to the primary path.
This hike is pretty fast and simple, and is unquestionably price doing!
Time spent: Round 1 hour
3. Cranium Rock cease
Subsequent, you will flip left off of Pinto Basin Highway again onto Park Boulevard to go into the guts of Joshua Tree Nationwide Park.
I like to recommend making a fast picture cease at Cranium Rock in your approach west, as will probably be quiet right now of the day.
There are a number of parking areas on the aspect of the street proper in entrance of Cranium Rock, which can also be the place you will discover a trailhead for a number of trails, together with the Discovery Path (good for youths), the Cranium Rock/Jumbo Rocks Path, and the Cut up Rock Loop (rated reasonable).
I personally did not do any of those hikes as a result of I had different trails on my wishlist, however you may wish to strive one!
Time spent: 10 minutes for Cranium Rock photographs
4. Barker Dam
Subsequent, you will observe Park Boulevard by the guts of the park – notice that you’re going to begin to see these well-known Joshua Bushes (Yucca brevifolia) now, as you are formally within the Mojave Desert. The Mojave Desert, between 2,000 and 6,000 ft elevation, is the one place on the earth the place Joshua timber develop naturally.
Make a proper onto Barker Dam Highway, which dead-ends within the parking zone for one more brief (1.1 miles) and simple loop hike. The Barker Dam hike has slightly little bit of all the things: large monzogranite boulders and rock formations, loads of Joshua timber, and slightly space historical past.
About midway by the hike, you will attain Barker Dam itself, which is a water tank constructed by early cattle ranchers. You may get fortunate sufficient to go to when it has water in it, which is a fairly cool sight to see in such a dry desert panorama.
Look out for bighorn sheep on this hike, in addition to views of San Gorgonio Mountain.
Time spent: Permit about an hour; the path is flat, so that you may really end sooner!
5. Hidden Valley hike
From Barker Dam, head throughout Park Boulevard to the Hidden Valley path. That is in all probability the most well-liked hike within the park, so that you may discover it slightly busier than the others you have achieved to this point.
This 1-mile loop path requires a little bit of uphill climbing on the very starting and finish – however solely about 100 ft or so of elevation acquire. When you get into the valley itself, you will perceive the way it acquired its identify!
The legend goes that this “hidden valley” was utilized by cattle rustlers to cover stolen livestock. Right this moment, the hike right here takes you previous towering rock formations.
Time spent: Permit about an hour, although when you do not cease an excessive amount of you could possibly simply do it in much less time.
It won’t even be 11 a.m. but relying on what time dawn was, but it surely’s probably you will be prepared for lunch anyway after placing a number of miles below your belt. If that is the case, there is a good picnic space throughout the parking space from the Hidden Valley trailhead. I like to recommend packing a picnic lunch for the day, and having fun with it right here!
Observe: Particularly when you’re bringing meals/drinks into the park, you need to undoubtedly pledge to observe Depart No Hint rules, which embrace eradicating any trash/waste you herald or create, not harming any plant/animal life, and usually leaving the park in the identical situation as while you entered it. Be type to our public lands!
6. Cap Rock Nature Path
Hit the Park Boulevard once more again the best way you got here earlier within the day, this time detouring to Keys View Highway.
Not far previous this turn-off, you’ll be able to cease on the Cap Rock Nature Path, which is a brief (0.4-mile) loop path with some wonderful views and attention-grabbing data boards alongside the path telling you all in regards to the native desert natural world.
Time spent: half-hour when you cease to learn the data boards
7. Drive to Keys View
From Cap Rock, observe Keys View Highway to the tip (about 5.5 miles), the place you will end up at Keys View itself.
This lookout level at 5,185 ft affords up unimaginable views out over the Coachella Valley, which the San Andreas Fault runs by.
Beware that it may be extremely windy and COLD up right here, particularly outdoors of the summer time months. So make sure you throw on a jacket earlier than you get out of the automotive to absorb the view.
Time spent: 45 minutes-1 hour (together with the drive)
8. Corridor of Horrors
Yet one more place price stopping alongside Park Boulevard is on the “Corridor of Horrors” space. (Sure, I am going to admit we stopped just because I used to be curious in regards to the identify!)
There are some actually tall Joshua timber right here which can be nice for photographs, and a brief path leads by them and round some clusters of big boulders.
The extra adventurous may also do some rock scrambling right here, and even discover some small slot canyons! (Extra on methods to discover the slot canyons right here.)
9. Oasis of Mara
Assuming you entered and can exit the park by the North Entrance (the closest to the city of Twentynine Palms), then I additionally advocate stopping on the Oasis of Mara in your approach out.
This pure oasis is surrounded by tall palm timber, and was one of many most important locations round which native Indigenous individuals would have arrange their camps and settlements centuries in the past.
This additionally was once the location of one in all Joshua Tree’s customer facilities, however the Oasis Customer Middle closed in 2022. The brand new Joshua Tree Cultural Middle is now open as a substitute in Twentynine Palms at 6533 Freedom Means.
When you’ve got extra time…
The above itinerary will take you thru mid-afternoon in Joshua Tree Nationwide Park, which actually might be sufficient for most individuals, particularly when you begin your day earlier than dawn. (Personally, the panorama began to look a bit same-y to me after some time!)
However when you do have extra time, another belongings you may wish to do in Joshua Tree embrace:
- Keys Ranch – You’ll be able to tour this previous ranch/homestead throughout the park to study what it was like for the Keys household dwelling right here. Excursions are often provided October-Might, price $10 per individual, and have to be reserved upfront right here.
- Cottonwood Spring Oasis – Close to the southern entrance of the park (and close to one other customer heart and campground), a brief path leads you to an oasis the place fan palms and cottonwood timber develop.
- Forty 9 Palms Oasis hike – In the event you’re on the lookout for a harder and longer hike inside Joshua Tree, the 3-mile Forty 9 Palms hike could be for you. It has a 300-foot elevation acquire in each instructions, and ends at a fan palm oasis in a rocky canyon.
The place to remain close to Joshua Tree Nationwide Park
Even when you’re solely spending someday in Joshua Tree, likelihood is you could be within the space for an evening or two. I visited this park as half of a bigger California desert street journey, and we spent two nights in Joshua Tree.
Except you are visiting Joshua Tree as a day journey from someplace like Palm Springs, the very best locations to remain in shut proximity to the park are:
- Twentynine Palms – This small city sits close to the northern entrance of Joshua Tree Nationwide Park, and has some eating places and fairly a number of motels/motels to select from.
- Joshua Tree – The city of Joshua Tree is nearer to the western entrance to Joshua Tree, however has extra trip leases.
- Campgrounds within the park – There are 9 campgrounds throughout the nationwide park. Some require superior reservations, whereas a number of are first-come, first-served. Costs vary from $20-$50 per night time. Extra data right here.
There are lodge/motel choices round Joshua Tree, however there are additionally a TON of actually cute, design-forward trip leases within the space. My buddy and I rented an lovable 2-bedroom Airbnb in Joshua Tree city for a fairly honest price that got here full with personal sizzling tub! (It was this one, particularly.)
Seek for Joshua Tree trip leases right here.
And when you keep in Joshua Tree city, I can extremely advocate stopping for espresso at Joshua Tree Espresso Firm, and having a meal on the Joshua Tree Saloon.
Take a look at these different 1-day nationwide park guides:
Have you ever been to Joshua Tree Nationwide Park? If not, what issues would you most love to do/see there in someday?
