This past winter we toyed with the idea of staying in a mountain cabin with snow, or somewhere relatively warm. Being from the Central Valley of California, we’re not necessarily sticklers for a white Christmas. We’re used to the sunshine and crisp weather in December! Comfort took precedence in our decision, so we opted for a place that’s been on our national park bucket list for a while: Joshua Tree National Park.
We honestly didn’t know what to expect, as the only time we had ever been there was a brief overnight stop on our way back from our Sedona anniversary trip. We got into the Jumbo Rocks campground with just enough time to settle in for a campfire dinner and the most gorgeous sunset, but we hit the road upon waking (as we usually do on an 8+ hour travel day).
What we discovered during our extended stay is that Joshua Tree is absolutely incredible, and beyond what I could have ever imagined. As you drive through the park, there are thousands of Joshua trees as far as the eye can see, and majestic, rocky mountains peppering the skyline. Little did I know that this desert wilderness would nourish my soul more than any other destination we’ve been to on Our Great Big Adventure.
Thanks to our time here, we’ve been able to put together a fairly comprehensive overview on Joshua Tree National Park. Grab a beer and settle in for everything you need to know before visiting this vast protected land. “Alexa, play Burning Man by Dierks Bentley.“
- About Joshua Tree National Park
- Best Time of the Year to Visit
- Where to Stay
- What to Do in the Park
- Great Spots to Eat
- Cool Places Nearby
- What to Expect if Traveling with a Pet
- Final Things to Consider
About Joshua Tree National Park
Best known for its iconic flora – most notably the ever-present, slow-growing Joshua Tree – Joshua Tree National Park boasts 794,000 acres of stunning vistas and rewarding hikes. It’s a unique landscape as the park is made up of the Mojave and Colorado deserts. You can definitely see the difference between each as you drive through this expansive park. The Colorado Desert, a western extension of the vast Sonoran Desert, inhabits the southern and eastern parts of the park. You’ll know you’re here when you see the tall, spike-like ocotillo plants and the “jumping” cholla cactus. Across the northern part of the park you’ll find the southern boundary of the Mojave Desert. This is the home of the park’s namesake: the Joshua tree.
In regards to national park status, it’s relatively new. Joshua Tree National Park was designated as such in 1994, but the land has been protected as Joshua Tree National Monument since 1936. Thank goodness our fellow nature lovers had a sense to protect this natural gem!
There are three park entrance stations:
- The West Entrance is located five miles south of the junction of Highway 62 and Park Boulevard at Joshua Tree Village.
- The North Entrance is in Twentynine Palms, three miles south of the junction of Highway 62 and Utah Trail.
- The South Entrance near Cottonwood Spring is an access point along Interstate 10, 25 miles east of Indio.
You can buy a park pass (or pay your entrance fees) at any of these five places: the West Entrance Station (near the town of Joshua Tree), the North Entrance Station (near the city of Twentynine Palms), the Joshua Tree Visitor Center, the Oasis Visitor Center or the Cottonwood Visitor Center. The cost to enter by vehicle is $30, which grants you seven days of access to the park. We have always purchased a national park pass every year for $80. This is the way to go if you plan on traveling to other national parks throughout the year.
Best Time of the Year to Visit
With the desert, you can expect a broad range of temperatures depending on the time of the year. One thing to note is that Joshua Tree National Park ranges in elevation from 536 feet in the park’s extreme southeast corner to 5,814 feet atop Quail Mountain. This can lead to quite a variance in weather conditions depending on your exact location in the park.
If you’re looking for ideal weather conditions, the best time of the year to visit is March through May and October through November. Though the park is open year-round, temperatures are most comfortable in the spring and fall, with an average high of about 85 degrees. We stayed here between mid-December and mid-January, when you should expect mostly crisp, sunny days. The highs were usually around 50-60 degrees (which is warmer than it sounds on a sunny desert afternoon), and 36-45 degrees at night. If you’re planning a visit during this time, be sure to pack plenty of layers!
The timing of your visit is up to you – every season comes with perks! Staying in the winter like us? We were surprised with snow! It’s also the best time of the year to score a campsite in the park. Visiting in early spring? You’ll get to see all of the beautiful desert wildflowers in bloom. (Just note that it’s the busiest time of year here.) Love to hike in near-perfect weather? Fall in Joshua Tree is the right time to stay. Summer is the least popular time of the year due to the heat, but its also the best timing for epic late night stargazing.
Where to Stay
Airbnbs — Due to the length of our stay (and the time of the year), we opted to stay in an Airbnb. There are tons of adorable, desert-chic places to stay in and around Joshua Tree. We absolutely adored our Airbnb, The Sunburst House. You’ll want to choose an Airbnb with a superhost to ensure the best experience. A quick search on Airbnb will turn up some modern, drool-worthy stays! New to Airbnb? Use this link to get $55 off of your first stay!
Campgrounds — Joshua Tree has an abundance of places to camp in and around the park boundaries. Within the national park, there are nine campgrounds with nearly 500 campsites! Most of these are first-come, first-served. Only Black Rock, Indian Cove, Sheep Pass and Cottonwood Group campgrounds accept reservations from September through May, which is considered the high season for Joshua Tree. Reserved sites run $20/night, and first-come first-served campsites are $15/night. You can reserve your campsite here. There are also a handful of campgrounds near Joshua Tree, but the same rule of thumb applies here as far as seasonality and availability goes. Hipcamp.com is another great way to score a cool campsite if you’re not a fan of feeling like a sardine in an RV park.
Boondocking — Looking to save some cash, and in a self-contained RV, bus or van? You’ll want to look up where to camp on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land. It’s free to boondock, as long as you’re good to go without facilities like restrooms, hookups, water or trash. This also means you’re good with packing out whatever you pack in. It’s imperative that you leave no trace. With that said, it’s fairly easy to find BLM locations online. There are two easy-to-find locations on the north and south outskirts beyond the park. I’m going to make you do a little bit of work, because these are sacred spots that deserve to be discovered vs. shared openly.
Hotel Accommodations — While Joshua Tree is a sought-after destination, there aren’t a ton of conventional accommodations nearby. Unfortunately, I don’t feel that it’s fair to make a recommendation here given our lack of experience. My vote? Secure a campsite or get an Airbnb as you’ll likely enjoy a more authentic experience in the desert. Preferably within Joshua Tree or Yucca Valley for ultimate convenience.
What to Do in the Park
First things first – as with every national or state park, it’s best to seek out the visitor center. Because there are several entrances to Joshua Tree, you can’t miss one of the three visitor centers: Joshua Tree, Oasis and Cottonwood. We always make a point to stop and talk to the rangers, as they can give you some great recommendations as far as hikes and attractions go.
Hiking – There are so many awesome trails in Joshua Tree National Park! During our month stay, I hiked nearly 35 miles altogether, with at least 20 of those miles logged with the boys. Speaking of, here is our top 10 favorite hikes for families in Joshua Tree!
Scrambling – Somewhere between hiking and rock climbing is our new favorite activity – scrambling boulders. It’s pretty simple. You use your hands and feet to walk up steep terrain, and Joshua Tree offers some of the best given the massive rock formations. Some of our favorite spots to scramble (and hike) were Hidden Valley Nature Trail, Split Rock Loop and Hall of Horrors.
Climbing – You can’t go far in Joshua Tree National Park without spotting ropes and climbers. While we’re not climbers (yet?), this is apparently THE spot to climb. We even met some new friends while here who gave a quick lesson to Harvey and Steven! (Thanks Hart & Col!) And if you want to learn while here, there are outfitters who can teach you the ropes. ?
Catch the Sunset – I’m not sure I’ve ever seen more beautiful sunsets than I have here in JT. The kids named these cotton candy skies, and they did not disappoint. As the sun descends, the sky changes color from orange to pink and finally to a deep purple before darkness sets in. While I’m not sure there’s a bad view in the park, our all-time favorite was hiking the High View Nature Trail as the sun set. Epic!
Stargazing – Joshua Tree is THE place to take in the night skies. With minimal light pollution, you can literally stare up the stars for hours. I highly recommend downloading the Sky Guide app. We pull it out almost every time we’re outside after dark. It will tell you all about the constellations, stars, planets and moon activity. We’ve spotted many planets this way!
Great Spots to Eat
We didn’t eat out very often in Joshua Tree, but there really isn’t a ton of options to begin with. The good news is that we never had a bad meal while here!
JT Country Kitchen – Perfect for breakfast or lunch. Get there early, as it’s a very small space and it gets incredibly busy. Right in the heart of Joshua Tree.
Aki Sushi – OK, I know. Sushi in the desert? Trust me on this. Not only can you get fresh, high quality sushi, this place also offers half rolls for $4, $5 or $6. It’s a great way to try a variety of sushi! I recommend the Ninja and Hot Night rolls. Technically this place is in Yucca Valley, but it’s worth the 10 minute drive to “town.”
Boo’s Organic Oven – A local bakery with gluten-free and vegan options. The jalapeno cheddar bacon scone is TO DIE FOR. Also in “downtown” Joshua Tree.
Pappy and Harriet’s – just a 30 minute drive from Joshua Tree, this is a must-stop spot in Pioneertown. Best known for live music, we had a delicious BBQ meal here with good friends. (You also never know – rumor has it this is a popular stop for famous bands!) Make sure you bring your patience. Wait times for a table can get as high as an hour and half, and you’re sort of stuck out there unless you want to drive back to Yucca Valley.
Sam’s Indian Food & Pizza – Steven and I were craving Indian food, and when we saw that this place also serves pizza, hamburgers and fries we knew were in good hands. (Fellow parents… can I get an Amen?!) The butter chicken was incredible! In Joshua Tree. Side note: it’s next to a liquor store that has an awesome beer selection, according to Steven.
As far as groceries go, head over to Yucca Valley. There is Vons, Grocery Outlet and Walmart grocery. Better yet, go shopping before you get into town. While we found everything we needed in Yucca Valley, shopping proved to be a lengthy and tedious process. If you’re in Joshua Tree on the weekend, there’s a fantastic downtown farmer’s market that’s open from 8am-1pm every Saturday.
Cool Places Nearby
If you’re planning on staying in Joshua Tree for some time, there are a few other places you’ll want to check out.
Pioneertown – this is a fairly quick stop, but it’s pretty cool. Back in 1946, actors Roy Rogers and Gene Audry created this Old West movie set. There’s also some great hiking nearby. Chaparrosa Peak Trail is well worth the climb!
Whitewater Preserve – Ruby and I did a fantastic hike here, and I wish we had more time to explore some of the other trails. The Whitewater River is pretty close to the trailhead, so if you’re coming with kids, you don’t need to hike far to get to the action.
Palm Springs – While we didn’t spend any time here (outside of van maintainance), there’s lots to do in Palm Springs. Here’s a great resource!
What to Expect if You’re Traveling with a Pet
Pets are allowed in the park, but there are a lot of limitations that come with it as our domesticated pets can alter the natural behavior of wildlife. Here’s what you need to know before visiting with your pet:
- Pets are not allowed on the trails or in the backcountry.
- Your dog must be on a leash at all times, and said leash must be no longer than 6 ft.
- Pets aren’t allowed to go farther than 100 feet from any campground, picnic area or road.
- Leave no trace – owners must pick up any droppings.
With all that said, we had our dog Ruby with us on this stay – so I found a few workarounds! There are a lot of unpaved roads within Joshua Tree that see little traffic throughout the day. These are great spots to take your pup for a walk. If you download the app AllTrails, you can filter out some other dog-friendly trails outside of the park. Whitewater Preserve and Pioneertown offer up some excellent trails only a short drive away. Personally, if we weren’t traveling full-time with our Ruby girl, we would leave her in the care of a loved one or at a boarding facility as I had a really hard time finding enough outdoor activities for us. If you do bring your pet along, remember to bring plenty of water for your pet. Leaving pets in unattended vehicles is strongly discouraged – especially on warm days.
Final Things to Consider
It goes without saying that being prepared in the desert is absolutely key. But, we all need the reminder every now and again – so here it goes.
- Cell service is very sporadic in the park. We found that we were without any service in most places. If you’re hiking, you can download the map trails to your phone via the AllTrails app (paid version only). I bought the premium app for $29.99 a year while in Joshua Tree, and it was TOTALLY worth every penny. If you record your hike, it will ping you if you’re off the route. While most of the hiking is fairly straightforward, there were a few were this saved my butt!
- Make sure you have plenty of water on you, especially if you’re hiking. The desert isn’t very forgiving, and this is a remote location. Most folks don’t realize that you lose moisture from your body in the dry desert air no matter what the temperature is or how active you are. Dehydration is a year-round concern! I went through a 40oz ThermoFlask on most hikes, and often packed two just to be safe. Stock up before you head into the park! Most experts recommend having one gallon per person per day.
- Joshua Tree National Park doesn’t have any stores, gas stations, or food service once you’re inside the park. Come prepared with everything you need and some extras in case you encounter an emergency. We always planned ahead and packed snacks, sandwiches, sunscreen and other necessities before entering the park.
- While not necessarily a necessity, I recommend wearing hiking boots/trail running shoes in Joshua Tree. You’ll want that extra grip when scrambling boulders!
- Take a pack large enough to store your water, extra layers, a first aid kit and food. Having a backpack out on the trail was essential for us. You’ll also want to stick a pair of tweezers in your first aid kit. God forbid it happens, but the cholla cacti are no joke. Even on the unpaved roads, I had to pull stickers out of Ruby’s paws nearly every time we went into the park.
- Finally, I’ve said it before – but it’s worth saying again. LEAVE NO TRACE! This is a beautiful place that we hope all can enjoy for generations to come, so do your part to protect it.
So that’s it! Man, that was a lot of info… but I hope you found it helpful as you plan your trip to Joshua Tree. Let me know if I missed anything by dropping a question in the comments below! What excites you the most about visiting Joshua Tree?
