Snapshot Planning Your VisitWhen we visited the park We visited Joshua Tree the second week of February, Valentine's Day to be specific. It was a great time to be outside in the desert for some exploring. The mornings were cold, and a jacket was necessary. When the sun rose, the temperatures quickly rose to a comfortable hiking temperature. By the afternoon, shorts and a t-shirt were all we needed. Our time in California was, surprisingly, filled with days of rain. We didn't see rain the desert, but it did impact large areas of California while we were out there. There was a lot of adjusting to the unpredictable weather they were having in February. If you plan to visit in winter, I would pack layers and a raincoat.  weather-us.com Things to Consider 1. The first thing to know is there are 3 main roads in the park that take you to 3 different cities on the outskirts of the park. There is no lodging in the park, so pick a place to stay close to what you want to see in the park. 2. Early morning is the best time to see the park. Sunrise is beautiful at Keys View or Cholla Cactus Garden (my preference) depending on what you like to see. 3. Pack more water than you think you will need, even more than your back up. There is little cover here in the desert, and it heats up quickly with the sun. 4. There are two deserts that meet here, the Mojave and the Colorado. There is unique life and geography for each desert, with the Mojave being in the northern part of the park with the Joshua Trees and the Colorado desert in the south with more cactus style plants. 5. If you are looking for a highly recommended hike, Andres Canyon is a little Oasis worth the off beaten path. This park is about 40-60 minute drive from the park, depending on what entrance you are at.  How to Get There The West Entrance is located five miles south of the junction of Highway 62 and Park Boulevard at Joshua Tree Village. This entrance will take you on a scenic drive through some of the best trees in the park. The North Entrance is in Twentynine Palms, three miles south of the junction of Highway 62 and Utah Trail. I highly recommend staying at 29 Palms while visiting. Such a unique place and takes you back in time with their hospitality. The South Entrance near Cottonwood Spring is an access point along Interstate 10, 25 miles east of Indio. This is the closest entrance to Palm Springs, a beautiful vacation spot. Additional Maps Provided by the Park Where to Stay Camping Black Rock This 94-site campground is located near Joshua Tree, at the North entrance of the park. This campground offers running water and electric sites that start at $35 an night. Showers are not available here. Cottonwood This 62-site campground is located in the southern region of the park, near the Cottonwood Spring and Visitor Center. This campground allows tents and RVs, with the cost of a site starting at $35 a night. This campground only has non-electric sites, but running water available. Indian Cove This 91-site campground is located near the north entrances between Joshua Tree and Twentynine Palms. This campground allows for tents and RVs. There is no drinking water or electric sites here. It costs between $35-$55 a night to rent a site. Jumbo Rock This 119-site campground is located centrally, towards the Park Boulevard and Pinto Basin junction. It offers tent and RV sites, starting at $30 a night. This is the closest campground to Skull Rock and Elephant Rock. Ryan Campground This 30-site campground is located centrally, near Cap Rock on Park Boulevard. It offers tent and RV sites, some electric, so non-electric. It costs $30 a night to rent a site. Outside the Park Joshua Tree, CA is located just north of the park. This small town will over several lodging locations, restaurants, and one of the park visitor centers. There is a lot of culture here to explore. Twentynine Palms, CA is located to the northeast of the park. It is a quieter area, but there is still some options for lodging here. Palm Springs, CA is located near the south entrance to the park. This the largest city in the area, when countless amenities. You will find more luxury type lodging options here, golf courses, and other activities to keep you busy for a vacation here.   What We Did We stayed at 29 Palms, minutes away from the northeastern entrance. This allowed us to quickly access the park and enjoy the unique accommodations in the desert. We left early in the morning to catch sunrise at Cholla Cactus Garden. It was beautiful watching the sunrise and walking among these unique plants. We decided to start our day here, partly for the unique vegetation, but also because this area is known to have a large population of bees. We wanted to avoid them and any allergic reactions our family would have had if we had been stung. We didn't stay long here, but was able to enjoy the beginning of our day here. Next we headed north to Skull Rock and the scenic Park Road drive to see the famous Joshua Trees. It was still early, so we only saw one other group here. We hiked around the rock formations, did some rock scrambling, and enjoyed the sun as it warmed us up. We saw our first roadrunner here! It took off between the rocks we were climbing, but was so cool to see live in person. We also saw birds and lizards along the trail. After finishing our time at Skull Rock, we decided to head back to heart Rock, then down to the Cottonwood Visitor Center. This is located near Cottonwood Spring, and I highly recommend walking this trail. It is an oasis in the desert, and a nice walk among the palms. We got our Junior Ranger books at the visitor center here, and they were some of the most impressive Junior Ranger books we have gotten. On our way back to LA, we stopped at Andres Canyon, and it was one of my favorite things we did in the desert. Walking through here was definitely more exciting than the short hikes we did in Joshua Tree. I like being able to hike among trees, and this trail offered more options than Joshua Tree did. If you have time, this trail is definitely worth it, even if it is a little outside of the park. Where this fit in our Road Trip This was the first place we went on our road trip. We flew into LA, stocked up on supplies and headed to the desert. We stayed at a small cabin in 29 Palms, just outside of Joshua Tree National Park. We only spent a half day at the park, and were able to see most of what we wanted to with an early start to our day. NPS App and All Trails Maps I highly recommend using the National Park Service (NPS) App, as well as the All Trails App for hiking. There is limited service in the park, so planning ahead is helpful. These two apps allow you to download sights, maps, and trails so that you can access information anywhere. The NPS app also links to the full National Parks Website, with a plethora of information.
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