- 1. Hidden Valley Nature Trail and Day Use Area
- 2. Look at the keys
- 3. Barker Dam Nature Trail
- 4. Camping
- 5. Chola Cactus Garden
- 6. Skull rock
- 7. Rock climbing and bouldering
- 8. Ryan Mountain Hike
- 9. Keys Ranch (Guided Tour)
- 10. Cottonwood Spring Oasis
- 11. Arch Rock Trail
- 12. Wildflowers in spring
- 13. Bird watching
- 14. Horse riding.
- 15. Gaze at the stars.Where to Stay in Joshua Tree National Park
- Map of things to do in Joshua Tree National Park
With its Dr. Seuss-like Joshua trees and almost lunar landscape of giant granite boulders and rolling mountains, Joshua Tree National Park is like something out of a children’s storybook. It’s not uncommon for people to describe how they feel about the park using terms like magical or spiritual.
The most popular things to do here are walking or hiking among the trees, climbing high rock walls, camping under the stars, capturing the beauty in pictures, or soaking up the tranquility of the desert.
Set at the confluence of the Mojave and Colorado Deserts, the park features a complex landscape, with varying landforms and vegetation depending on elevation. Some areas are covered with mature Joshua trees as far as the eye can see, and others are completely bare of them but still offer their own unique beauty.
Nature trails, hiking trails, and vehicle pull-outs are spread throughout the park, providing easy access to this spectacular landscape.
Although the park covers approximately 800,000 acres, most of it is not accessible by road. Two main roads pass through the park: Park Boulevard, which runs from west to east. Twentynine Palms and from the north entrance to the west entrance and to the town of Joshua Tree; And Pinto Basin Road, which merges with Park Boulevard. and runs south to north from Interstate 10 and the Cottonwood Visitor Center to the north entrance and the town of Twentynine Palms.
Park Boulevard is the main part of the park that is of interest to most visitors, but other points of interest are found on the northern side of Pinto Basin Road.
Remember that Pets are not allowed on the trails in the park.; The only exception is Mara’s paved trail oasis. Pets are allowed on a leash on dirt roads and on roads within campgrounds and picnic areas.
To help plan your visit, check out our list of things to do in Joshua Tree National Park.
1. Hidden Valley Nature Trail and Day Use Area
Joshua’s Hidden Canyon area is one of the most beautiful and easily accessible areas of the park. It’s perfect if you want to take a short hike or wander between trees and rocks.
۔ Hidden Valley is a nature trail. An enjoyable one A mile loop The trail enters through a hole in a large bowl surrounded by stone walls. It is believed that due to the geography, Hidden Valley was once used by cattle drives, which led cattle into the area to hide.
This is a relatively easy and scenic trail, making it one of the most popular hikes in Joshua Tree National Park. It doesn’t have many Joshua trees. Notable on this trail is the giant monolith known as Huge Burrito, a popular climbing area in the park.
۔ Hidden Valley Picnic AreaOn the opposite side of the parking lot from the trailhead, is much more beautiful, with an abundance of large Joshua trees scattered around large boulders and rock piles. It is a wonderful place to enjoy a picnic and stroll around.
From the last picnic area at the west end, a very short beginner trail leads out to the back of the boulder stand, which opens up into a wonderful country of rocks and trees, perfect for photography.
2. Look at the keys
It’s worth the drive to Keys View, a lookout at over 5,000 feet, with sweeping views of the Coachella Valley. In the distance, you can see the San Andreas Fault Line, Palm Springs, the Salton Sea, and, on a clear day, Mexico beyond. If the air is clear, the scenery is spectacular and it’s a great way to familiarize yourself with the surrounding geography.
As you drive here, the elevation changes, the temperature cools significantly, and the landscape takes on a completely different character.
3. Barker Dam Nature Trail
Another short walk is Barker Dam. 1.3 miles loop Trails If you just want to do a short trail in Joshua Tree, this is your best bet, with large Joshua trees, rocks, and an area of water that often attracts birds.
At the very end of the loop are the remains of a water tank left by cattle ranchers who once lived in the area. Many people walk to this point and turn around leaving this way, but this is a mistake. Although it may be a bit short, it is worth continuing with lots of great scenery and the biggest trees outside the dam.
4. Camping
Joshua Tree is a real treat for campers. Camping among Joshua trees, surrounded by exotic rocks, the experience here is different from your standard camping trip.
Several excellent Joshua Tree campgrounds are conveniently located for exploring the park. Each of them has its own look and feel, but all are worth spending a night or two under the starry sky.
The best time to camp here is spring and autumn: March, April, October and November. The nights are cool, but the days are sunny and warm.
This isn’t jumbo RV camping: The campgrounds are relatively small and are primarily for tent camping, RVs under 25 feet, or small pop-up style camp trailers.
One of the best campgrounds. Hidden Valley Campground, but this is a first-come, first-served area. If you want the security of making a reservation before your arrival is the best option. Jumbo Rocks. Both are close to all the main things to see and do.
5. Chola Cactus Garden
For nature lovers, the Chola Cactus Garden is one of the most spectacular spots in the park, with more than a thousand densely packed cholis spread across the desert floor. While chollas are often scattered among other vegetation in the desert, here they are. only Cactus in this natural garden.
In the morning light or late afternoon sun, the backlit needles almost glow, and the mountains in the distance provide the perfect backdrop. An easy, level walking trail takes you to this magical place.
Chula Cactus Garden is on the road to Cottonwood Springs, past the Belle and White Tank campgrounds.
Along this road, leading to Cottonwood, is this. Ocotillo Patch, but there are only a small number of these plants at this pull-out location. If you plan to leave the park on this road, there is no need to stop here as there are many more Ocotillos on the way to Interstate 10, beyond Cottonwood.
6. Skull rock
Perhaps nowhere else in the park is the almost comic-book landscape better described than at Skull Rock. You can see faces and images in the rock formations that dominate the park, but at Skull Rock it takes little imagination to see the shape of a skull peeking out from the rocky rubble. This huge, naturally sculpted rock is located right next to the road, and it always draws crowds.
The entire area around this roadside stop is interesting, with an expanse of rock piles, perfect for walking or a gentle stroll. Remnants of trails run through the area, but many people wander around, find high spots to explore, sun themselves on rock slabs, or simply take a break.
Across the street is a 1.7 mile hiking trail Scattered around are a few Joshua trees through rocks and scrubby vegetation.
7. Rock climbing and bouldering
Climbing and bouldering are the most popular recreational activities in the park, and one look at the landscape will tell you why. There are 8,000 climbing routes and hundreds of climbing formations in the Joshua Tree neighborhood. Information pamphlets and maps are available at visitor centres.
Climbers frequent Joshua Tree National Park, especially during the winter months when the great climbing destinations further north, such as Yosemite, are out of season. Climbers congregate in several areas, but the Hidden Valley area and other nearby areas at the west end of the park are the main hotspots.
As a result, the campgrounds at this end of the park are consistently full throughout the winter, especially in February and March, when climbers and recreational campers are looking for spots.
8. Ryan Mountain Hike
From Park Boulevard, the hike up Ryan Mountain seems a bit arduous and relatively unspectacular, but the hike is all about the reward at the top, where the views from the top of the park span 360 degrees. It is relatively tough, Three miles up and downWith an elevation of 1,000 feet.
The exposed trail offers little or no shade and is less than exciting as it climbs to the top of a barren hill, but from the summit, at 5,457 feet, the view is fantastic, making the effort worthwhile. .
9. Keys Ranch (Guided Tour)
In an area that few would describe as hospitable are the remains of the Keys Ranch, the former home and ranch of William F. Keys, who settled in the area in the 1910s.
The property, which includes the house, schoolhouse, store, and workshop, is a National Historic Register site and can only be seen on ranger-led guided tours. These tours take place seasonally throughout the winter and spring.
The tours are very informative and give an insight into the Keys, who were quite a character, and the challenges the family faced and the ingenuity required to live here. Check the park website for information on tour dates and times.
Reservations are required and can be made up to 60 days in advance. 90-minute tours are offered for a fee and include a half-mile walk.
10. Cottonwood Spring Oasis
Cottonwood Spring Oasis is a permanent spring, a rarity in the desert. Flow varies but is currently about 500 gallons per day.
The spring was revived by an earthquake many years ago and has since been used by local Cahuilla Indians, miners and prospectors for years. You can still see old gold processing equipment and some concrete ruins.
Cottonwood Spring is one of the park’s best birding areas. A reliable source of water, shade and trees attracts birds and other wildlife to the area. Keep a close eye out for: Gamble’s quail, hummingbirds, bush tit, and the titmouse with its pointed crown.
11. Arch Rock Trail
Arch Rock Trail rewards hikers with great scenery without much effort. Only 1.4 miles long, the Lollipop Trail ensures you see new scenery for most of your trek. About halfway along the trail, you’ll come to an arch. Hikers who have been to other national parks, such as Utah’s Arches, may find the arch a bit underwhelming. However, the arch’s setting amidst an area of oddly shaped rocks makes up for its diminutive size.
The trail is easy, with only about 100 feet of elevation gain from start to finish and is one of the more popular hikes in the park.
12. Wildflowers in spring
Spring is a wonderful time in the desert, and Joshua Tree National Park is no exception. Joshua trees themselves bloom, but so do many other plants, shrubs, and cacti in the park.
The best place to see wildflowers can depend on the week you’re visiting, but as a general rule, the park area near Cottonwood Spring and the road leading to Interstate 10 is the spring. There are wonderful varieties of wildflowers that bloom in large numbers. .
Not far from the Cottonwood Visitor Center, thousands of miniature Joshua trees dot the landscape, scattered as far as the eye can see in some areas. The spring blooms here are spectacular, even more so than the giant Joshua trees because the blooms are low to the ground and close to eye level, making them easy to see.
From Cottonwood Spring to Interstate 10 there can be a kaleidoscope of colors, from yellows, oranges, and reds to pinks, purples, and blues.
Flowering times vary throughout the winter depending on elevation and weather conditions. Lower elevations typically begin blooming in February, and higher elevations may bloom as late as June. March and April are always a safe bet to see wildflowers.
13. Bird watching
Joshua Tree National Park’s location, at the junction of the Mojave and Colorado deserts, combined with a few permanent waterholes, draws birders from far and wide.
The park is a wintering ground for white-crowned sparrows, pine waxwings, juncos and many others. Some resident birds include greater roadrunners, colorful hummingbirds, red-tailed hawks, kestrels and cactus wrens. Be sure to keep an ear and an eye out for the ever-entertaining Gamble’s quail and street walkers.
Best birding spots are Barker Dam, Lost Palm Oasis, Cottonwood Spring, and The Oasis of Mara.
14. Horse riding.
The majority of the park is pure wilderness and ideal for horseback riding. About 250 miles of equestrian trails run through the park, many of which are well marked and easy to follow. Most horseback riding is in the Black Rock Canyon area along the trails near the park’s west entrance.
The trails are in open desert, along canyon floors, and over and over small passes. Note that water is not available anywhere along the route.
The park has two campgrounds, Ryan and Black Rock, with areas for horses and stock animals. Black Rock has a special horse camp, which can be reserved in advance. Ryan is first come, first served.
15. Gaze at the stars.
Because of its desert location, with clear nights and relative solitude, Joshua Tree National Park is a great place to stargaze in the night sky. Joshua Tree holds the title. International Dark Sky Park.
If you live in a city where the lights obscure the sky, you’ll be amazed by the spectacular view of the Milky Way and easy-to-spot constellations like the Big Dipper and Orion’s Belt. Winter is the best time to stargaze because of the short days and long nights, but be sure to bring warm clothes, as the temperature drops quickly as the sun goes down.
To see the stars in their full glory, give your eyes at least 20 minutes to adjust to the darkness.
