Everything you need to know about visiting Joshua Tree National Park

A little bit greater than two hours east of Los Angeles, Joshua Tree Nationwide Park is an otherworldly expanse protecting practically 800,000 acres within the excessive Mojave Desert of California.

Right here, majestic boulders combine with putting Joshua timber, recognized for his or her spiky, spiny, twisty profiles. These crops — which, enjoyable reality, usually are not truly timber however succulents — are discovered solely in California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah. This nationwide park is arguably the most effective place to look at giant, undisturbed clusters of them.

With greater than 3 million annual guests, it is throughout the prime 10 most-visited national parks within the U.S., in line with the Nationwide Park Service — and for good purpose. Along with admiring the park’s namesake crops up shut, you possibly can see the place two totally different desert ecosystems meet alongside all kinds of crops and wildlife. Plus, Joshua Tree Nationwide Park provides darkish evening skies and geologic wonders that draw hikers, campers and vacationers from around the globe.

The park is a must-see, with an abundance of climbing and nature trails for all talent ranges and a number of campgrounds. You may go to on a day journey, keep in a single day in a tent or merely go by the park for a scenic drive between LA and Las Vegas.

Here is every thing you want to know.

Like at different nationwide parks, you will pay an entrance charge. A non-public automobile prices $30, a motorbike prices $25, and a person strolling in or being dropped off is $15. You may additionally buy an annual go to Joshua Tree Nationwide Park for $55. In the event you plan to go to greater than a few nationwide parks a 12 months, your greatest wager is to purchase the annual national parks pass for $80 (which covers one automobile or 4 per-person charges).

You should purchase passes on-site at a customer middle or whereas driving by an entrance sales space. Or, it can save you time by shopping for one forward of time online.

Reservations are solely required for campground stays or sure excursions, and you have to acquire permits for bouldering, in a single day backpacking and conducting scientific analysis.

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As soon as contained in the park, there aren’t any gasoline stations, lodges, eating places or grocery shops, however public restrooms can be found. It is crucial that you simply deliver any water, meals or provides you might want.

There are three customer facilities and one nature middle which might be all open to the general public for extra info to assist plan your go to when you arrive.

Joshua Tree Nationwide Park is 130 miles from LA, 40 miles from Palm Springs, California, and 218 miles from Las Vegas. Provided that it is located inside precise desert wilderness, it is not clever to depend on public transportation to get right here. You will doubtless be driving from one of many aforementioned cities, so you will want a automobile to go to and navigate the park.

Whilst you may be capable of arrive by way of a ride-hailing service equivalent to Uber or Lyft, relying on one to depart may very well be dangerous. Cell service will be spotty contained in the park, and drivers usually are not sometimes sticking round to search for prospects. Even when you did discover one who was, by probability, dropping another person off, it could be a dear journey given the park’s distant nature. A drive again to the closest main metropolis might value a whole lot of {dollars}.

The most suitable choice is to drive your personal automobile or hire one from wherever you begin your journey. It will make sure you arrive as deliberate, follow your price range and do not get stranded.

Greatest time to go to

It ought to come as no shock to study that it is best to keep away from visiting the desert in the summertime.

Although the park is open year-round, temperatures frequently common round 100 levels Fahrenheit in the course of the summer time months. Being exterior in such intense climate can go away you in danger for warmth stroke, dehydration and even loss of life.

In the event you do plan to go to in the summertime, attempt to keep away from being exterior for prolonged intervals of time in the course of the afternoon or in the course of the hottest components of the day. Remember to deliver an abundance of consuming water to remain hydrated.

Associated: Best national parks to visit in the spring

Though the desert location is related to heat, the world can expertise below-freezing temperatures in winter, too. Snow occurs, and hypothermia is an actual hazard to contemplate this time of 12 months.

As such, the most effective time to go to Joshua Tree Nationwide Park is in late fall to early winter — after the summer time warmth breaks however earlier than chilly temperatures and attainable snow transfer in. Alternatively, you would go to from late winter to early spring earlier than the warmth arrives.

What to see and do

Fashionable driving routes and sights

There’s a lot to see and do in Joshua Tree that you would simply spend a number of days right here. In the event you solely have at some point, stopping on the customer middle may also help you map out the highlights.

Even only a drive alongside Park Boulevard, the primary highway that goes by the park, will let you see giant fields of Joshua timber at each flip. There are a number of pull-off areas alongside the highway, in addition to giant parking tons related to fashionable trails and sights.

For the latter, Skull Rock is a prime sight. Rain erosion has prompted a big boulder to look as if it has hollowed-out eye sockets. With an adjoining 1.7-mile nature path, it is a great spot to snap a photograph after which take a brief hike.

Moreover, novice hikers ought to head to Hidden Valley, a comparatively simple 1-mile loop. Surrounded by magnificent boulders, the trail goes by a small valley crammed with desert crops. It may be rocky in locations, but it surely’s principally flat; the toughest components are just like climbing quick units of stairs.

There’s additionally Barker Dam, a principally flat, 1.1-mile loop by Joshua timber, monzogranite rock formations and a rock artwork website. The identify refers to an precise dam and reservoir, which might fill with water after heavy rains (although it’s sometimes dry).

For a simple nature stroll, cease on the Cholla Cactus Garden Trail. At only a quarter of a mile, this flat loop has {a partially} raised walkway by a panorama of spiky cholla cacti, affectionately often called teddybear cholla. Whereas the identify may sound lovely, be cautious: The spikes are extremely sharp. In the event you go to in spring, you possibly can spot hedgehog cacti that pop with vibrant, lovely magenta blooms. (Word: This path is closed every day from December 2024 to March 2025 to enhance the path’s circumstances.)

For an unimaginable vista over the desert, drive as much as Keys View. The totally paved 500-foot loop sits atop the Little San Bernardino Mountains; it overlooks canyons and your complete Coachella Valley, in addition to the Salton Sea and Mount San Jacinto within the distance. It is a phenomenal spot to look at the dawn or sundown.

Climbing trails

Joshua Tree is a hiker’s dream, and along with the aforementioned trails, a number of longer and extra strenuous hikes can simply fill one or a number of days.

Ryan Mountain is a well-liked hike that results in one of many tallest factors within the park with panoramic views. The three-mile out-and-back path positive factors 1,050 toes in elevation and passes by beautiful rock formations, together with pinto gneiss — the oldest kind of rock within the park, estimated to be 1.8 billion years previous.

For an extended hike, take into account Lost Horse Loop, a 6.2-mile path to a historic mining website in an space the place bighorn sheep roam. With little shade and unrelenting warmth, this path will be fairly tough in hotter months. Lost Horse Mine Loop is an identical however shorter possibility.

Whilst you could affiliate the desert with a harsh, barren panorama, the park can also be dwelling to oases with verdant vegetation. Fortynine Palms Oasis is one such path. The three-mile out-and-back trek positive factors 300 toes in elevation up and over a mountain ridge, resulting in a lush oasis crammed with leafy fan palms fed by a water spring. Simply bear in mind that the path closes in summer time to permit herds of bighorn sheep unique entry to the water, which they depend on to outlive. (Word: This path is closed Monday by Thursday from December 2024 to March 2025 for structural repairs.)

Lost Palms Oasis is an identical possibility, accessible by a 7.5-mile out-and-back route that features a difficult climb gaining 500 toes in elevation.

Lastly, for a group of reasonable to tough backcountry hikes, go to the Black Rock area of Joshua Tree Nationwide Park. This remoted part isn’t related by roads to different areas of the park. To entry it, you have to go away the primary space and re-enter south of Yucca Valley.

Biking

Cyclists have to know that bike using contained in the park is restricted to roads shared with motor autos, and bike using is forbidden on trails. There aren’t any bike lanes within the park, and most paved roads wouldn’t have a shoulder.

If you would like to cycle in Joshua Tree Nationwide Park, the most effective place to take action is on backcountry roads. There, you will discover greater than 1,000 sq. miles of wilderness with grime roads for mountain bikes, in addition to four-wheel-drive autos.

Mountaineering

With such spectacular boulders on show, mountain climbing can also be a serious draw.

The park has greater than 8,000 climbing routes to select from, however permits are required to position, exchange or take away mounted anchors. There are additionally a number of guidelines to know earlier than embarking on any bouldering. As an example, you must chorus from altering any rock or altering any established climbs; additionally, keep away from vegetation and use solely neutral- or rock-colored mounted anchors.

The place to remain

One of the best ways to make the most of every thing there may be to see and do inside Joshua Tree Nationwide Park is to make your go to an in a single day one. Whereas there isn’t a official lodge throughout the park, there are various lodging choices starting from lodges to on-site tenting, in addition to trip leases and glamping.

Accommodations

The widest number of luxury, boutique and family-friendly resorts are in Palm Springs, although that is about 45 minutes away. Staying nearer to the park entrance is extra handy, although lodging will probably be extra restricted.

Marriott, Hilton, IHG and Greatest Western loyalists can all earn or redeem factors at properties close to Joshua Tree Nationwide Park.

Within the adjoining city of Twentynine Palms, Holiday Inn Express and SureStay Plus by Best Western supply normal however snug lodging with one or two beds and outside swimming pools. Each are a brief drive from the park’s entrance and embrace breakfast. Vacation Inn charges begin at $115 or 24,000 IHG One Rewards factors per evening, and SureStay begins at $98 or 20,000 Best Western Rewards factors per evening.

At Marriott’s Fairfield Inn & Suites, additionally in Twentynine Palms, rooms vary from studios to suites. Facilities embrace a complimentary breakfast buffet and an outside pool, and charges start at $145 or 21,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors per evening.

Related: Highs and lows: The best places to stay near Joshua Tree National Park

Moreover, Hilton now partners with AutoCamp, an outside lodging model recognized for glamping-style lodging that vary from kitted-out Airstream trailers to luxurious cabins and tents. There’s an outpost in Joshua Tree Nationwide Park.

Every AutoCamp location is distinct, however all function signature facilities equivalent to a clubhouse for gathering and eating, in addition to grab-and-go objects to buy for a campfire or grill. The Joshua Tree location, particularly, has a pool, bicycle leases and morning yoga. Charges begin at $192 or 82,000 Hilton Honors factors per evening.

For a boutique possibility, Mojave Sands Motel in Joshua Tree is an intimate retreat with simply 5 rooms beginning at $195 per evening; every room has beamed ceilings, platform beds, non-public patios and report gamers with assorted vinyl. Some have outside showers or kitchens, too.

Pioneertown is a bit farther from the park entrance however not fairly so far as Palm Springs; it is a former working film set from the Forties for previous Western flicks that is been preserved for vacationers. Right here, you will discover the Pioneertown Motel, which was initially inbuilt 1946 to accommodate visiting film stars who have been on the town to movie. Famously, Gene Autry played poker until sunrise in Room 9. Charges start at $175 per evening. The motel is about 25 minutes from the park but it feels worlds and eras away.

Trip leases

Trip leases are maybe the most typical lodging choice to be discovered close to the park, and listings saturate the cities of Joshua Tree, Twentynine Palms and Yucca Valley. Right here, you will discover every thing from luxurious houses to geodesic domes and yurt-style tents. Airbnb and Vrbo are good locations to start out, however different choices exist, too.

For instance, Bungalows by Homestead Modern within the city of Joshua Tree is a group of 14 boutique midcentury-style suites. All of them include kitchens or kitchenettes, non-public patios, heating, air con, web, luxe Parachute linens, and Malin + Goetz toiletries. Whereas these are trip leases, staying right here consists of entry to hotel-like facilities equivalent to a communal outside area, a pool, a scorching tub, grills, a fireplace pit and wellness actions. Within the offseason, costs begin at $185 per evening.

Tenting

There are 500 campsites within Joshua Tree National Park, most of which function year-round. Most are reservable from six months earlier than your keep to the day of your keep. Whereas 500 websites may look like quite a bit, making a reservation forward of time is very really useful when attainable; that is very true over holidays and weekends or throughout excessive season. Simply know that some areas are first-come, first-served.

New campground fees go into impact Jan. 1, 2025. As a substitute of beginning at $15 per evening, in a single day charges will begin at $25 per evening in 2025. Facilities rely on every particular location. Just some have water; most have pit or flushing bogs and fireplace grates. It is necessary to analysis areas forward of time and are available ready with what you will want for the whole thing of your keep.

There are additionally close by campsites and RV parks exterior the park in cities equivalent to Joshua Tree, Twentynine Palms, Yucca Valley and Pioneertown.

The place to eat

Since there is no meals or drink accessible for buy contained in the park, be certain to reach with all of the provides you will want whereas exploring.

When you exit, the encircling cities have many locations to eat which might be nicely price a cease.

Conveniently close to one of many park’s customer facilities, Joshua Tree Saloon is a honky-tonk-style dive bar and restaurant serving staples like burgers, tacos and wings. It is open day-after-day of the 12 months, with reside music on weekends.

One other well-known and beloved institution is the legendary Pappy and Harriet’s in Pioneertown. This barbecue restaurant and full of life music venue is understood for drawing A-list expertise; Paul McCartney, Vampire Weekend and Phoebe Bridgers have all carried out right here.

About 25 minutes away within the neighborhood of Flamingo Heights, simply north of Yucca Valley, La Copine is a extremely lauded diner serving New American dishes that change with the season. It is the only option for foodies with extra of an upscale palate.

For a candy deal with or straight-from-the-oven baked items, do not miss Campbell Hill Bakery in Twentynine Palms. The homeowners labored in well-known New York Metropolis bakeries like Metropolis Bakery and Chook Bathtub Bakery earlier than relocating to the desert to open this tiny store; the menu modifications every day. Locals wait in lengthy queues for unimaginable truffles and cookies, scrumptious sandwiches, and fresh-baked loaves. Arrive early at first sells out.

• When navigating a harsh desert setting like Joshua Tree, it is necessary to reach overprepared, regardless of how lengthy you propose to remain.
• Staying hydrated is of the utmost significance, each within the intense summer time warmth and within the winter, to keep away from hypothermia. Water bottle filling stations can be found in three areas, and you’ll fill water jugs at sure stations and campgrounds, as nicely. Nonetheless, a lot of the park doesn’t have potable water, so deliver extra water than you suppose you will want. Equally, there aren’t any eating places or gasoline stations, so arrive totally fueled with each gasoline and nourishment.
• In the event you plan to drive the whole thing of the park, it’ll take roughly 45 minutes to journey between the west and north entrances. Driving between the north and south entrances takes round an hour; between the west and south is the longest drive, about an hour and a half.
• Cellphone service is understood to be very spotty, although there may be free public Wi-Fi inside customer facilities. Obtain free offline maps from the Nationwide Park Service earlier than you arrive, or seize a bodily copy from the customer middle or an entrance sales space to make sure you aren’t getting misplaced.
• Given the various temperatures, it is clever to decorate in layers. Even when you’re visiting in spring when the times are heat, the nights and mornings will be chilly.
• One of the necessary issues to know when visiting a nationwide park is to leave no trace. There are seven ideas to observe: eliminate all waste correctly, go away all pure objects — even one thing as seemingly easy as a rock — behind, chorus from taking something dwelling as a memento, respect wildlife by maintaining a protected distance, keep on designated trails and inside campsites, be courteous to different guests, and observe all NPS guidelines and laws.

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