A Tale of Two Desserts: Joshua Tree National Park

We decided it was a great idea to visit Joshua Tree National Park in August. I’m not sure this was our best travel decision ever with the intense heat and temperatures soaring to 115 degrees. But the bonus was having the park almost entirely to ourselves. While others might think we were crazy, we had an amazing time exploring this truly unique park.

Know Before You Go

Located east of Los Angeles, Joshua Tree National Park is a fascinating place where two deserts meet: the Mojave and the Colorado. This convergence means the landscape and plant life can change dramatically depending on where you are in the park.

A few things to keep in mind before you go:

• Limited Service: Cell phone service is extremely limited inside the park, so be prepared to disconnect. You won’t have a choice.
• Be Self-Sufficient: There are no places within the park to buy food, water, or gas. Fill your tank and pack all the supplies you need before you enter. The towns of Joshua Tree and Twentynine Palms, just outside the northern entrances, are excellent places to stock up on necessities.
• Respect the Sun: The desert sun is no joke, especially in the summer. Wear sunscreen, a hat, and protective clothing. Even with precautions, you’re likely to get a little sun during your visit.

Our Journey Through the Park

For our tour, we used the Shaka Guide app, a fantastic tool for national parks. It offers a narrated tour with turn-by-turn directions and stories about the sights you’re seeing. It’s flexible, so you can go at your own pace and take detours. We were a little nervous about using it without consistent cell service, but the app never lost our location and provided excellent directions. However, it’s always smart to grab a physical map from a visitor center just in case.

We entered the park through the western entrance at the town of Joshua Tree. The visitor center there was the largest of the three we visited, with a small exhibit, a gift shop, and park rangers available to answer questions. Our boys were also able to get their junior ranger books and national park stamps here.

We immediately started seeing the famous Joshua trees. These funny-shaped trees look like a mix between a palm tree and a cactus, or really something out of a Dr. Seuss book! Our first stop was Hidden Valley, where we took a short, one-mile loop hike. It was an incredible area with a variety of foliage, including cacti, palm trees, and even oak trees. It was amazing to have the trail almost entirely to ourselves.

A little further down the road, we stopped at Barker Dam, another great short hike of just over a mile. With the heat, this was our last hike of the day, but there are many other trails available throughout the park of various lengths to meet a variety of skill levels.

Must-See Sights of Joshua Tree

There are a lot of things to see in this park. Joshua Tree is filled with impressive rock formations. Skull Rock and Split Rock are both worth stopping to see. We also saw the Cholla Cactus Garden, located in the lower, Colorado Desert, which is a neat contrast to the Mojave Desert where the Joshua trees thrive. Make sure to stop at Hidden Valley, Barker’s Dam, and Arch Rock.

Keys View was a nice stop. It is a high point in the park so you can see for miles. The day we visited was pretty clear so we could see Coachella Valley and the San Andreas Fault. Apparently on a really clear day, you can even see part of Mexico.

The Cholla Cacti are fun to see but be careful where you walk! The Cholla Cactus Garden has a walking path, but stay on the path! They are also called the Teddybear Cholla and they look really fluffy, but don’t hug these guys! These little plants drop their needles and the needles apparently stick on just about anything.

One really cool plant we saw along the way was the Ocotillo plants. You can see them just south of the Cholla Cactus Garden area. They look a little like pipe cleaners with flowers. They are not a cactus, however. They are a really fascinating plant that can grow leaves very quickly, in mere days. When there is even the smallest amount of rain, the Ocotillo will bloom new leaves so it can take advantage of the rainfall. We got to see the Ocotillo with leaves on them which is lucky because the leaves will quickly fall off again so if you see them with leaves, you know it recently rained.

Iconic Stargazing Opportunities

After a long day of exploring, we went back out to the park after dinner for some stargazing. Joshua Tree is a designated International Dark Sky Park, and with minimal light pollution, the stars are stunning. We recommend checking out the designated stargazing areas at Quail Springs, Hidden Valley, Cap Rock, and Ryan Mountain.

We visited during an almost full moon phase, which was still really great, but the best viewing is during the moon’s new phase on a clear night. Apparently, during that time, you can even see the Milky Way from inside the park.

Keep in mind that even with the full moon we experience, it still got incredibly dark at night, so stay close to your car so you don’t get lost. The park also recommends using red lights instead of traditional flashlights, as they help preserve your night vision. Even at night, temperatures can stay in the 90s, at least during August, so be sure to bring water. You may also see some nocturnal animals, so stay aware of your surroundings. We saw several small mammals but also saw a coyote.

Tips for Your Trip

• Download the NPS App: The National Park Service app is a great resource and its content is available offline. Just be sure to download what you need before you lose service!
• America the Beautiful Pass: If you have a fourth-grader in your family, they can get a free pass that grants entry to the National Parks for the student and their family.
• Pets: Pets are allowed in the park but not on most of the hiking trails. Also, at least in the summer, it is too hot for them to remain in the car so this might not be the best park for your furry best friend.
• Open 24/7: The park is open all day and all night, so you can enter and exit whenever you like.
• Bring Water: This is the most important tip. The desert air means you need to drink water, so always have plenty of water on hand. The park’s motto, “Don’t Die Today,” is sold on hats and T-shirts for a reason. The dry heat can be deceptively dangerous. You don’t realize how much you’re sweating, and you need to drink far more water than you think. We can’t emphasize enough the importance of staying hydrated.
• Leave No Trace: Whatever you pack in, be sure to pack it out.

Joshua Tree was truly amazing; unlike any other place we’ve visited. The unique landscape of deserts, trees, cacti, and rock formations created unforgettable memories for our family. We’ll definitely be returning, but probably not in August!