Exploring Joshua Tree National Park
- Written by
- On Wednesday, March 3, 2021
Park: Joshua Tree National Park
Year Established: 1994
Acres: 790,636
Annual Visitors: 2,942,382
Entrance Fee: $15-$30
Located east of Los Angeles near Palm Springs, Joshua Tree National Park has become a favorite destination for anyone who loves the beauty of nature and all of the fun activities that come with it. The park uniquely sits at the intersection of two desert ecosystems: The Mojave and the Colorado. This intersection means that visitors are treated to a wide range of flora, fauna, and fun things to do.
The Mojave Desert is higher and cooler than the Colorado Desert and features hills of bare rock that are a popular destination for rock climbers and scramblers. Between these hills, you’ll find sparsely-populated Joshua Trees that give the landscape a sort of otherworldly appearance.
Meanwhile, the Colorado Desert sits 3,000 feet below the Mojave and features a mix of dunes, grasslands, and desert shrubs. It’s also home to California’s only native palm, the fan palm, which grow around the park’s five oases where water naturally occurs year-round, drawing lots of wildlife.
Speaking of wildlife, you’re most likely to encounter lizards, squirrels, and diverse birds in the park, but there are plenty of other animals that call Joshua Tree home. If you’re lucky, you might catch a desert tortoise lumbering about the lowlands in the Mojave. These tortoises have adapted so well to the desert environment that they barely drink water, getting most of their water from the plants they eat. At night, the park comes alive with nocturnal animals like coyotes, bobcats, jackrabbits, and snakes.
The park’s unique landscape lends itself to all kinds of fun activities for visitors. Anyone who enjoys hiking will find themselves in paradise, with seemingly endless trails that range from easy to highly challenging. If you’re in the mood for a quick, 15-30-minute hike, then you can hit the Cholla Cactus Garden Trail. The .25-mile loop will take you around thousands of dense, naturally growing cacti.
For those looking for a more challenging hike, the three-mile Mastodon Peak Trail is a great option. Typically taking two hours to complete, the loop will lead to an optional rock scramble that takes you up to the top of a granite peak. The latter part of the trail loop leads past an old gold mine, providing a great photo op.
Seasoned hikers looking for highly challenging trails also enjoy lots of options at Joshua Tree, like the eight-mile, six-hour Boy Scout Trail. This one-way trail leads you deep into the Wonderland of Rocks, finishing at Indian Cove. The 7.5-mile Lost Palms Oasis Trail is another challenging hike that will greet you with sandy washes and rolling terrain, culminating in a fan palm oasis. However, hikers should note that the park does not recommend that anyone embark on more challenging hikes during the summer months due to temperature, dehydration, and sun exposure risks.
The park also offers plenty of opportunities for climbing, bouldering, and highlining. In fact, Joshua Tree offers more than 8,000 climbing routes and 2,000 boulder challenges, ranging from beginner level to expert. And if you’re new to climbing or you want to expand your skills, you can book a guided climb day or take a class to sharpen your skills.
Given all that there is to do in the park, you may want to stay for a few days, in which case, camping is a stellar option. The park hosts about 500 campsites, which are available for reservation between September and May. Many of the park’s campgrounds close between June and August, but some first-come, first-serve sites are available during that time. Reservations aren’t necessary to staying at a campsite, but the sites fill up quite fast, especially on holidays, weekends, and during the spring months, so they’re highly recommended.
The different campsites are clustered in several areas, including Black Rock, Jumbo Rocks, and Indian Cove. Black Rock sits at 4,000 feet in elevation and features 99 sites, as well as flush toilets, fire grates, and water. Jumbo Rocks offers 124 sites and Indian Cove features 101 sites, both of which have pit toilets and fire grates but no water. Other campgrounds include Cottonwood, with 62 sites, and Ryan, with 31 sites.
In addition to a beautiful landscape, campers enjoy a stunning night sky, with Joshua Tree offering the darkest nights in Southern California. The stars are so stunning, in fact, that the park hosts an Annual Night Sky Festival, where a limited number of visitors are invited to stargaze, listen to astronomy lectures, and attend a Star Party, complete with 20 telescopes, music, and constellation tours.
Given its boundless things to do and see, Joshua Tree National Park is a must-visit destination for anyone who appreciates all of the beauty that nature has to offer.
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