One Day in Joshua Tree National Park
Traveling domestically is totally underrated. And quite honestly, it’s a bit embarrassing to admit how little of my own country I’ve actually seen. Maybe it’s the high cost of domestic flights or society’s emphasis on how cool traveling abroad is? But, let’s face it, the United States has so much to offer, including its 62 incredible national parks.
With a trip already planned out to Los Angeles to visit family last fall, it was a perfect opportunity to take a little detour and make a visit to my first national park. Located just two hours east of LA, Joshua Tree National Park (NP) is an excellent quick escape from the city.
Read on for: How to Spend One Day in Joshua Tree National Park
Credit: NPS
Designated as a national park in 1994, Joshua Tree NP is one of the largest national parks in the lower 48—spanning over 790,630 acres. The park encompasses two distinct deserts, the Mojave and Colorado, which gives visitors a chance to experience two different ecosystems.
Colorado: low desert, warmer temperatures, cactus
Mojave: high desert, wetter with more vegetation, Joshua Trees
Coming from Los Angeles, the drive along I-10 is stunning. On this scenic route, you’ll pass by the San Bernardino and San Jacinto Mountains on either side of the highway. I recommend driving one way through the park by entering through the South Entrance and exiting through the West Entrance. Make sure you fill up on gas before entering, as there are no gas stations within the park, and you’ll be driving approximately 60 miles from one entrance to the other. Once you enter through the South Entrance, take a quick detour to the Cottonwood Visitor Center where you can pick up a park map and use the restroom. From here, just follow Pinto Basin Road to your next stop. The park only has a few main roads, making Joshua Tree NP extremely easy to navigate.
1. Cholla Cactus Garden
Take a walk through the Cholla Cactus Garden—a great introduction to Joshua Tree NP. There is a short 0.25-mile and easy to follow path which is surrounded by thousands of densely growing cholla cactus. We didn’t spend much time here, as the loop is so short, but it did not disappoint. These cacti are so unique and definitely worth a visit! The “teddy bear” cactus looks soft and fuzzy, but trust me, you do not want to touch them. The cactus’ spines are quite prickly and painful to remove.
Continue on Pinto Basin Road until you reach the intersection at Park Blvd and make a left following the sign for Keys View Joshua Tree.
2. Skull Rock Area
As you continue driving through the park, you’ll start to come across massive granite boulders. These rock outcroppings in the middle of the desert totally amazed me and seemed straight up weird, like how did they get there?! After some research, I learned that these formations have developed due to millions of years of erosion to the landscape. Pull the car over near the Skull Rock Area and spend some time climbing the granite boulders. Our stop here was an unexpected highlight of my day in Joshua Tree! Keep an eye out for the popular Skull Rock, which resembles a skull (duh).
Credit: NPS | Robb Hannawacker
3. Joshua Trees
At this point you’ll finally experience this park’s namesake, the famous Joshua Trees. When you start spotting Joshua Trees as far as the eye can you see, you’ll know that you’ve officially entered the Mojave Desert, which is the only climate that this plant grows. Fun fact: Joshua Trees are not a tree or a cactus; instead they are a branching yucca plant, which is a part of the agave sub-family! I recommend pulling off on the side of the road (we did a few times) to appreciate these trees up close and personal.
4. Ryan Mountain (5458’)
Get your heart pumping with a hike to Ryan Mountain’s summit, the second highest peak in the park. (The highest peak in the park is Quail Mountain, at 5,816 feet, but there is no developed trail for its summit.) Ryan Mountain’s trail is a 3-mile out-and-back with approximately 1000 feet of elevation gain and is rated as moderate. At the summit, you are rewarded with 360-degree views of the entire park. I really enjoyed this hike, as it wasn’t overly difficult, and it was nice to spend more time out of the car. Keep an eye out for bighorn sheep on the trail; I spotted a few during my hike.
5. Barker Dam
Last, but not least, on the itinerary is Barker Dam. Interestingly, the dam was built by cattle ranchers over a century ago to capture and store water, the most valuable resource in the middle of a desert. Visitors can follow a short and flat 1.1-mile loop which passes by the historical Barker Dam. This is another prime location to spot bighorn sheep, although we didn’t see any here. This was a fun and interesting way to end our day in Joshua Tree NP.
Credit: NPS | Hannah Schwalbe
After leaving the park through the West Entrance station, I highly suggest spending some time in the artistic town of Joshua Tree. It’s a funky lil’ town that hasn’t been overrun by tourism, yet. Check out some of the quirky sites, such as Noah Purifoy Outdoor Desert Art Museum or The World Famous Crochet Museum. If you’re looking to make an overnight trip, there’s some really unique (and glamorous) lodging options listed on AirBNB.
Overall, I highly recommend a visit to Joshua Tree NP. Everything about this place is unique (the landscape, the vegetation, the animals) and I doubt there’s anywhere else on this earth like Joshua Tree NP. Plus, it’s centrally located to some of the US’s largest cities, including Los Angeles, making it relatively easy to travel to. I hope this guide on Joshua Tree NP helps inspire you to visit!
