Joshua Tree
What in the world is that? Great question, my friend! This strange, alien-looking thing is called a Joshua Tree. However, it's no tree - it's actually a part of the yucca family and its real name is "Yucca brevifolia" ... but we will just stick to Joshua Tree. The name "Joshua Tree" comes from the mid-1800's where a group of Mormon settlers used them as a guide when crossing the Mojave Desert and referenced the biblical story in which Joshua reached out his hand to guide the Israelites. Joshua Tree National Park covers a total area of 789,745 acres which include parts of both the Mojave and Colorado deserts. The park ranges in elevation from 934 feet at Pinto Wells and 5,813 feet on Quail Mountain.
Dang, Chad! Enough with the fact seminar, let's hear about your 4-day weekend in Joshua Tree. You got it, dude (or dudette)!
Getting There
Joshua Tree National Park is located in the southeast corner of California near Palm Springs (1 hr drive). For the shortest drive time, flying into Palm Springs and getting a rental would probably be your best bet. If you'd like to travel on the cheap, you can look at flying into Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Diego, or Los Angeles since the park is basically smack-dab in the middle (3-3.5 hr drive from each). When we went, we looked at these flights and found San Diego to be the cheapest. We just flew into San Diego (pronounced San-Dee-Ah-Go) early, enjoyed a half-day by the Pacific, and then drove the 3hrs to the town of Joshua Tree.
Joshua Tree National Park
There is one southern entrance to the park off of highway 10, but you will more than likely enter from one of the northern locations (east and west entrance stations). Before you go into the park, stop in town at the Visitor Center (6554 Park Blvd, Joshua Tree, CA 92252) for a map, some info about the park, and Joshua Tree branded souvenirs. I'd definitely recommend a paper map since cell phone service does not work in the majority of the park and the map also includes pictures and names of plants and wildlife that you will likely see. Once in the park, you can see the majority of the rock formations, terrain changes, and plant life from the main winding road - there are multiple places that you can park your vehicle and get out for pictures or hiking. Just driving around, we saw jackrabbits, lizards, kangaroo mice, a coyote, quails, and various types of birds. Not to mention, there are a lot of beautiful plant life like the ocotillo, palms, yuccas, junipers, and of course Joshua Trees.
Top 5 places to visit in the park:
1. Cap Rock (25 min from West Entrance) - We unfortunately found this place on our last night driving back from Keys View, but it had a little bit of everything! When we arrived, the sun had just set, but there was still plenty of light over the mountains to see Joshua Trees everywhere and a big rock formation that was easy to climb, relax, and watch the last bit of light disappear over the horizon. We saw another group of people there that took claim around a picnic table (which was smart) with their lanterns, drinks, and dinner. Next time I go, I'll be doing the same - drive in to town (there's a Walmart in Yucca Valley), grab some food and beverage, and hangout at the picnic table.
2. Lost Palms Oasis (1 hr and 15 min from West Entrance) - This location was the bread and butter of our trip and we had planned our entire Saturday around this 7.5 mi hike (including 1000 ft of elevation). For the hike, you need to turn near the Cottonwood Visitor Center near the southern side of the park. This area has campgrounds and multiple hikes including the Cottonwood Springs Nature Trail (2.5 mi loop) with the option to climb up the Mastadon Peak Loop, but of course we chose the longer Lost Palms Oasis trail. As you drive south through the park, you'll quickly notice how the terrain changes and how different the southern part of the park is. Down there (the Colorado Desert side of the park), the elevation is much lower and there are no Joshua Trees in sight but rather flat arid land with completely different foliage. If you are an avid hiker, hiking the Lost Palms Oasis trail may be easy for you - but it was a bit challenging for me. Follow the arrows and mile markers along the trail, but keep an eye out for lizards, jackrabbits, kangaroo mice, and various birds along with dozens of different types of vegetation. There are a few instances where you can see the Salton Sea over the southern hills, which was really cool! When you finally get to Lost Palms Oasis, you realize how 'worth it' the entire hike was. The ginormous palm trees at the bottom of the valley paired with the large rocky cliffs make for a perfect spot to sit, unwind, and take it all in. Don't be afraid to "walk the trails less traveled" as you may see some really cool wildlife and views, but keep in mind it'll just add to your total trip (ours ended up being almost 10 mi and about 3.5 hrs).
Hiking Tips: Prepare with the right clothing, pack, and water. Although it was a cooler day at 65 degrees, we probably still could have doubled our water supply and I'd recommend 2 liters per person minimum. Hiking shoes or boots are a must (sand, rock, incline, etc) and lightweight, breathable clothing would be a good decision. Lastly, bring a clean rag or tissues, sun screen, and a small first aid kit. On the way back, I must have touched the wrong plant or got dust in my eyes because they were extremely swollen and sensitive to the glaring sun. This made for a slightly miserable 3.5mi hike back, but luckily I have great friends that pointed and laughed at my misfortune the entire time, so there's that.
Believe me, you don't want to be that guy (or gal)!
3. Cholla Cactus Garden (45 min from West Entrance) - The Cholla Cactus is one of the coolest (and pokiest) cacti that you can find in the park. Although you can find them almost everywhere, this spot has the largest concentration of Cholla Cacti in the park which is neat to see and makes for great pictures.
4. Keys View (30 min from West Entrance) - On our very last night, we decided to catch the entire sunset at Keys View which I'd highly recommend. At 5,185 ft, Keys View is one of the highest points of the park that you can drive to and it overlooks a huge valley where you can see Coachella, Palm Springs, and the Salton Sea. This is the perfect location to watch the sun slowly descend over Mt. San Jacinto. I'd recommend getting there at least 30 min before sunset because the small parking lot gets packed quickly by visitors.
5. Skull Rock (25min from West Entrance) - As you probably would have guessed, Skull Rock is a rock in the shape of a skull (ohhh ... spooky). The rock itself is really cool, but this entire rocky area is a great place to take some pictures and do some moderate hiking or rock climbing. We were pretty fortunate to catch it at sunset and watched one side of the sky glow with pink/blue cotton candy colors and the other side turn into a fiery orange.
What to Do Around Town
The town of Joshua Tree is a strange combination of hipster, local, old western, and trailer park. It is very small, but combined with the surrounding towns (Twentynine Palms and Yucca Valley), there is plenty to see and do including shopping, restaurants, bars, and coffee shops.
For some of the freshest coffee you've ever had, head over to the Joshua Tree Coffee Company where they roast their coffee beans in house and by hand. We went for a cup of coffee in the morning, but ended up buying a couple of bags to take home (which I have unapologetically been smelling every day since I've got back). Not only are the beans roasted there, they don't grind the beans until you purchase a bag making it even fresher/better!
For food, I'd recommend getting any of the amazing pizzas at Pie for the People. We went directly after we left the park at sundown - which seemed to be everyone's idea because there was a line out the door when we got there. Our pizzas took about an hour to make, but it was well worth it. They have a bar if you want to chill and wait for the pizzas, but I'd recommend calling ahead and just picking them up. We were extremely hungry after our long hike at the Lost Palms Oasis Trail and ordered some cheese bread and two medium pizzas between the three of us. One pizza was 'The Parms' (roasted chicken over white sauce, topped with mozzarella, parmesan, ricotta, and red sauce drizzle) and the other was the 'The Plaza' (red sauce, pepperoni, sausage, bell pepper, red onion, and mushrooms).
If you're ready for a night out, check out the Joshua Tree Saloon for food, cocktails, beer, music, and karaoke. The menu has your normal bar food including tacos, burgers, and appetizers, but it also had steak and seafood options. We ordered simple burgers and tacos which were all pretty good. Whether you eat or not, you should stop by, grab a drink, and check out this saloon style bar. Most of the patrons are visiting from out of town, so start up a conversation and meet some people like we did!
Are you wanting to make this a memorable trip? Memorable - as in inked on your skin forever? Me too! That's why I made an appointment with Taylor at Love Always Tattoo, a tattoo shop and apothecary in Yucca Valley (10 min West of Joshua Tree). Taylor specializes in hand-poked tattoos and her artwork is stunning - each piece different than the next. Although she gets a lot of appointments for landscapes, animals, flowers, and Joshua Trees (as you would imagine), she will discuss your tattoo ideas when you make an appointment online as long as it is aligned with her "aesthetic".
Where to Stay
You have a few options when it comes to lodging near the park - hotels, camping, or AirBnB. If you don't mind small motels, there are a few two-star locations that will generally run you around $75 per night. If you came to stay in the park the entire time, there are 8 camping options, 4 of which are $20 and must be reserved (here) and the others are $15 and are first-come, first-serve when you get to the park (the earlier, the better). Most don't have water or electricity, but if you plan on 'roughing it', this would be an awesome option since the park is absolutely stunning.
Since it was our first time to Joshua Tree, we decided to book an AirBnB. When you look online, you'll see a ton of AirBnB options and most are really nice (but always check the reviews). We booked a house called the Solarium, which ran us about $185 per night and was well worth it! We had a hot tub, our own bedrooms, a kitchen, fireplace, A/C & heating, and the entire home was surrounded by a lush cactus garden. Since there was three of us, splitting the cost was not too bad.
If you're interested in reserving this one, I'll leave the link here (the host was great). This location is close to town, but just far enough to enjoy a quiet, star-filled night in the desert. Below is a time-lapse I did with my GoPro from the Solarium overlooking the cactus garden at night.
The Wrap-Up
My long weekend in Joshua Tree was one of the best experiences I've ever had. Somewhere between hiking with friends, eating good food, laughing about my allergic misfortune, and seeing the sun rise and set each day - I just can't believe some of these places really exist in the world. If you have the opportunity, you should definitely go ... and if you're down, invite me because I'd love to go back!
Travelingo 3x3
Where to eat:
Joshua Tree Saloon
Pie for the People
Pack a picnic and head to Cap Rock (in the park)
Where to drink:
Joshua Tree Saloon
Joshua Tree Coffee Company
Las Palmas Mexican Cuisine (for huge margaritas)
What to do:
Get a hand-poked tattoo at Love Always Tattoo
Drive through the park and hike to the Lost Palms Oasis
Rock some karaoke at Joshua Tree Saloon
Below are some products that I used during this trip and highly recommend:
