Planning a trip to Joshua Tree National Park
Information
Contact Joshua Tree National Park, 74485 National Park Dr., Twentynine Palms, CA 92277 (tel. 760/367-5500; www.nps.gov/jotr).
In addition to the free newspaper offered by the park, the Joshua Tree Guide, the following publications might prove helpful: Robert Cates's Joshua Tree National Park: A Visitors Guide (Chatsworth, Calif.: Live Oak Press, 1984), and Bill Cunningham's Best Easy Day Hikes Joshua Tree (Falcon Guides, 2000). Order them from the Joshua Tree National Park Association, 74485 National Park Dr., Twentynine Palms, CA 92277 (tel. 760/367-5525; www.joshuatree.org).
Visitor Centers
Your best sources of information in the park are the Park Service's three visitor centers. The park headquarters and Oasis Visitor Center, 74485 National Park Dr. in Twentynine Palms, is on the road to the North Entrance Station. The Cottonwood Visitor Center, at the south end of the park, houses a gift shop and bookstore, as well as an interpretive exhibit on the area's wildlife.
The Joshua Tree Visitor Center, 6554 Park Blvd. in Joshua Tree, is on the road to the West Entrance Station. In addition to providing visitor materials and information, this center has a bookstore and gift shop, a cafe, and an exhibit gallery. Oasis and Joshua Tree are open daily from 8am to 5pm, and Cottonwood 9am to 3pm.
Fees
Admission to the park is $15 per car (valid for 7 days). The nine developed campgrounds charge fees of $10 to $15 for individual sites, more for group sites. Backcountry camping is free, but self-registration is required.
Special Regulations & Warnings
In addition to the standard national park regulations designed to protect fragile ecosystems, keep these in mind while enjoying Joshua Tree:
- Dehydration is a constant threat in the desert; even in winter, carry plenty of drinking water and drink regularly even if you don't feel thirsty. Recommended minimum supplies are 1 gallon per person per day, or twice that if planning strenuous activity. Water is available at five park locations: Cottonwood Springs, the Black Rock Canyon Campground, the Indian Cove Ranger Station, West Entrance, and the Oasis Visitor Center. The water for RVs at the Oasis Visitor Center comes from a coin-operated fountain -- bring plenty of quarters.
- Sections of the park (identified on the official map) contain abandoned mines and associated structures. Use extreme caution in the vicinity, watching for open shafts and prospect holes. Supervise children closely, and never enter abandoned mines.
- Flash flooding is a potential hazard following even brief rain showers, so avoid drainage areas and be especially observant of road conditions at those times.
When to Go
Seasons & Climate
Joshua Tree National Park's 794,000 acres -- 585,000 of them designated as wilderness -- straddle two distinct desert climates. The eastern half of the park is hot, dry, Colorado Desert, and most points of interest lie in the higher, slightly cooler and wetter Mojave Desert. The Mojave will occasionally get a dusting of snow in winter, but neither section sees more than 3 to 6 inches of annual rainfall. Winter temperatures are in the comfortable 50s or 60s (lower teens Celsius) during the day and often approach freezing overnight; summer days can blaze past 100°F (38°C) at noon, and even nighttime offers little relief in August and September, when lows are still in the 80s (upper 20s Celsius). At the park's higher elevations, however, the summer climate is much more bearable. Overall, the fall tends to be the best season for hiking.
Seasonal Events
Best between February and May, the springtime wildflower viewing is dependent on rainfall, sunshine, and temperatures, but you can see brilliant blooms somewhere in the park most years. Rangers lead interpretive walks to the best displays, and 24-hour recorded information on prime viewing sites (updated at least weekly during the Mar-May wildflower season) is available from the park at tel. 760/367-5500. Information is also available online at www.nps/gov/jotr.
Avoiding the Crowds
Joshua Tree chief of interpretation Joe Zarki knows all about the park's natural flora and fauna. He offers the following tips for maximizing your enjoyment even during the most crowded months:
- Joshua Tree's greatest visitation occurs in spring, when temperatures are moderate and wildflowers are blooming. From March to May, the number of monthly visitors is 150,000 and up. Compared to summer, which sees about 60,000 to 70,000 people each month, these figures are staggering. The fall months are also popular, with numbers around 100,000. If you can, time your visit outside of these crowded periods, and stay away during spring break. If you can't, try to visit during the week to avoid the crush of weekenders from nearby Los Angeles.
- Choose to enjoy the more popular activities (such as designated nature trails and easy hiking routes) before 9 or 10am. Most people see the park between 10am and 4pm, so the evening hours can also offer some respite from crowds. Remember that the sun sets after 7pm from May to September. In addition, you'll enjoy cooler temperatures during the morning and evening hours.
- Campers eager to stake their claim in the campground of their choice need to be diligent in the spring, because all but two of the park's campgrounds are first-come, first-served. (Black Rock Canyon and Indian Cove take reservations.) Generally, it's best to arrive between 9am and noon to snatch an available space. The campsites near popular rock-climbing areas (Hidden Valley, Jumbo Rocks, Indian Cove) fill first. If you're staying over a weekend in peak season, try to claim your site Friday morning, before weekenders arrive.
Tips for Families
Joshua Tree National Park is a great place for the kids. They'll see unusual plants and animals, learning just enough to stimulate their imaginations but not so much that they zone out. From identifying familiar shapes in rock formations to investigating the mysterious "teddy bear" cactus, the possibilities are endless. Parents must exercise caution with regard to the weather and other dangers. Bring plenty of water, sunscreen, and protective clothing for children, and keep a close eye (if not a grip) on them at all times to prevent their straying into perilous desert terrain with prickly cacti, steep rocks, and abandoned mine shafts.
Start by taking the kids on a designated nature trail (listed in the free Joshua Tree Guide and indicated by roadside signs). The park's 11 nature trails have numerous plaques along the way to help your family interpret the rocks, plants, and other characteristics you'll see in the context of their geological history and significance to animal and human desert dwellers. They're all short (.25- to 1.3-mile loops) and relatively flat, making them ideal for most visitors. Four of these (Keys View, Oasis of Mara, Bajada Trail, and Cap Rock) are paved and wheelchair accessible.
The Park Service is eager for younger visitors to learn nature appreciation and conservation. Available at the park's visitor centers, the free Junior Ranger publication offers several educational activities for kids, ranging from sketching rock formations and plants to taking quizzes on the park's facilities. If your youngster is interested enough to complete five of the activities, rangers at the Oasis and Cottonwood visitor centers will reward him or her with an official Junior Ranger badge.
Getting Around
There are two main roads through the park, and by driving them both you'll be able to see virtually every feature that distinguishes Joshua Tree; there are even a couple of easy opportunities to stop and stretch your legs.
Park Boulevard loops through the high northern section between the North Entrance Station in Twentynine Palms and the West Entrance Station in Joshua Tree. Along the drive, which takes about 1 hour one-way, you'll get an eyeful of the rock formations and oddly shaped Joshua trees. Stop at one of the well-marked interpretive trails along the way, but don't miss the detour to Keys View, one of the most popular spots in the park. A paved road leads to this mile-high mountain crest, where a series of plaques describe the land below. You'll also have a panoramic view that encompasses both the highest (Mt. San Gorgonio) and the lowest (Salton Sea) points in Southern California.
Pinto Basin Road crosses the park from top to bottom, forking away from Park Boulevard near the North Entrance Station and winding down to the Cottonwood Entrance off I-10. Driving it, you'll pass from the higher Mojave Desert into the lower Colorado Desert, across the "transition zone" snaking through the middle of the park, a fascinating melting pot where the two climates are both represented. Stop to marvel at the Cholla Cactus Garden or the Ocotillo Patch, where the spidery, tenacious desert shrub sports flaming red blooms following spring rains. At the park's southern end, you can explore the lush Cottonwood Spring or see relics of World War II training maneuvers. Driving from end to end takes about an hour.
Getting There
There are three roads into the park. The most commonly used is the West Entrance Station, on Park Boulevard in the town of Joshua Tree along Calif. 62. The North Entrance Station, at the end of Utah Trail in the town of Twentynine Palms, on Calif. 62, 40 miles north of its junction with I-10, is also a popular gateway to the park. On the southern side of the park is the Cottonwood Visitor Center, about 40 miles east of Palm Springs along I-10.
The Nearest Airport -- The closest airport is the Palm Springs International Airport, 3400 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way (tel. 760/318-3800; www.palmspringsca.gov). Alaska, Allegiant, American, Continental, Delta, Frontier, Horizon, Sun Country, United, US Airways, and WestJet fly here, and Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National, and Thrifty rent cars, as does Go Rentals (tel. 800/464-8267; www.gorentals.com).
