Andrew’s Joshua Tree Golden Hour House Guide Book
Sightseeing
An absolute “must-do” while staying in Joshua Tree, I wanted to first and foremost highlight Joshua Tree National Park. Here’s what you need to know:
1. Getting into the park
You can purchase passes into the park at the following locations:
North Entrance Station (near the city of Twentynine Palms)
West Entrance Station (near the town of Joshua Tree)
Joshua Tree Visitor Center
Oasis Visitor Center
Cottonwood Visitor Center
Below are the fees for passes:
Weekly Passes
Entrance Fee - $30.00
7-day vehicle permit, admitting the passengers of a single, non-commercial vehicle on the day of purchase and for the next six days.
Motorcycle Entrance Fee - $25.00
7-day entrance permit, per motorcycle.
Individual Entrance Fee - $15.00
7-day entrance fee, per person on foot or bike.
Annual Passes
Joshua Tree National Park Annual Pass - $55.00
This pass is valid for 12 months from the month of purchase. It covers the entrance fee to Joshua Tree National Park for the pass signee and accompanying passengers entering in a single, non-commercial vehicle.
2. Plan ahead!
If simply driving the park and wandering amongst the Joshua Trees and boulders, you certainly will not be disappointed with your trip. However, if you want to see specific points of the park, please be advised that the vast majority of the park does not have cell service. Once you are in the park, you can’t look up attractions to see on your phone, so make sure you plan where to go beforehand and save the destinations in your phone’s GPS! The visitor centers and park entrances have maps provided that will help as well.
3. Bring water, food, and sunscreen
There are no amenities other than restrooms in Joshua Tree National Park, so please make sure to bring ample supplies with you. If you are hiking, make sure to bring plenty of water, especially during the hot summer months.
4. Pack it in, pack it out
Joshua Tree residents really take pride in keeping the area, especially the National Park, as untouched as possible. We expect visitors of the area to give it that same respect. Any trash, food, etc. you bring into the park, please respect the wildlife and the park’s integrity by bringing it back out with you.
5. Hikes, Sites, and Activities
Now on to the fun part. Below, I’ve included a list of many of the popular sites and hikes. There are so many hikes to do and attractions to see in Joshua Tree National Park, so please feel free to do more research to find some off-the-beaten-path places to explore as well! Here are just a few based on level of difficulty:
Easy
o Hidden Valley Nature Loop (1 mile) – One of the most popular day hikes, featuring an opening into a large bowl surrounded by rock walls. Of note on this trail is the giant monolith known as the Great Burrito.
o Keys View (drive-up overlook) – At over 5,000 ft. of elevation, you can see San Andreas fault line, Palm Springs, the Salton Sea, and on a clear day, beyond to Mexico.
o Barker Dam Nature Loop (1.3 miles) - Huge Joshua trees, rocks, and an area of water that often attracts birds.
o Cholla Cactus Garden (short walk) - Arguably one of the most awesome sites in the park, with more than a thousand densely packed chollas stretching out across the desert floor.
o Skull Rock (short walk) – A giant rock shaped (you guessed it) like a skull, it’s one of the most recognizable rock formations in the park.
o Cottonwood Spring Oasis (short walk) – A permanent spring, a rarity in the desert, that flows about 500 gallons per day.
Medium
o Ryan Mountain Hike (3 miles) - This hike is all about the reward from the top, where the views extend 360 degrees out over the park. This is a relatively strenuous, three-mile up-and-down hike, with 1,000 feet of elevation gain with little-to-no shade.
o Lost Palms Oasis Trail (7.2 miles) – Relatively flat out-and-back hike with a little bit of everything: an oasis, palm trees, native mortars, big horn sheep, Joshua Trees, boulders, and views of the Salton Sea.
Hard
o Wonderland of Rocks Traverse (5.5 miles) – If you’re looking for a place to scramble over, under and around beautiful rock formations, this is the hike for you. Please be advised that this is a difficult point-to-point trail and needs to be planned as such.
o California Riding and Hiking Trail (37.6 miles) – A multi-day hike suitable for moderately experienced backpackers.
1713 (рекомендации местных жителей)
Национальный парк Джошуа-Три
An absolute “must-do” while staying in Joshua Tree, I wanted to first and foremost highlight Joshua Tree National Park. Here’s what you need to know:
1. Getting into the park
You can purchase passes into the park at the following locations:
North Entrance Station (near the city of Twentynine Palms)
West Entrance Station (near the town of Joshua Tree)
Joshua Tree Visitor Center
Oasis Visitor Center
Cottonwood Visitor Center
Below are the fees for passes:
Weekly Passes
Entrance Fee - $30.00
7-day vehicle permit, admitting the passengers of a single, non-commercial vehicle on the day of purchase and for the next six days.
Motorcycle Entrance Fee - $25.00
7-day entrance permit, per motorcycle.
Individual Entrance Fee - $15.00
7-day entrance fee, per person on foot or bike.
Annual Passes
Joshua Tree National Park Annual Pass - $55.00
This pass is valid for 12 months from the month of purchase. It covers the entrance fee to Joshua Tree National Park for the pass signee and accompanying passengers entering in a single, non-commercial vehicle.
2. Plan ahead!
If simply driving the park and wandering amongst the Joshua Trees and boulders, you certainly will not be disappointed with your trip. However, if you want to see specific points of the park, please be advised that the vast majority of the park does not have cell service. Once you are in the park, you can’t look up attractions to see on your phone, so make sure you plan where to go beforehand and save the destinations in your phone’s GPS! The visitor centers and park entrances have maps provided that will help as well.
3. Bring water, food, and sunscreen
There are no amenities other than restrooms in Joshua Tree National Park, so please make sure to bring ample supplies with you. If you are hiking, make sure to bring plenty of water, especially during the hot summer months.
4. Pack it in, pack it out
Joshua Tree residents really take pride in keeping the area, especially the National Park, as untouched as possible. We expect visitors of the area to give it that same respect. Any trash, food, etc. you bring into the park, please respect the wildlife and the park’s integrity by bringing it back out with you.
5. Hikes, Sites, and Activities
Now on to the fun part. Below, I’ve included a list of many of the popular sites and hikes. There are so many hikes to do and attractions to see in Joshua Tree National Park, so please feel free to do more research to find some off-the-beaten-path places to explore as well! Here are just a few based on level of difficulty:
Easy
o Hidden Valley Nature Loop (1 mile) – One of the most popular day hikes, featuring an opening into a large bowl surrounded by rock walls. Of note on this trail is the giant monolith known as the Great Burrito.
o Keys View (drive-up overlook) – At over 5,000 ft. of elevation, you can see San Andreas fault line, Palm Springs, the Salton Sea, and on a clear day, beyond to Mexico.
o Barker Dam Nature Loop (1.3 miles) - Huge Joshua trees, rocks, and an area of water that often attracts birds.
o Cholla Cactus Garden (short walk) - Arguably one of the most awesome sites in the park, with more than a thousand densely packed chollas stretching out across the desert floor.
o Skull Rock (short walk) – A giant rock shaped (you guessed it) like a skull, it’s one of the most recognizable rock formations in the park.
o Cottonwood Spring Oasis (short walk) – A permanent spring, a rarity in the desert, that flows about 500 gallons per day.
Medium
o Ryan Mountain Hike (3 miles) - This hike is all about the reward from the top, where the views extend 360 degrees out over the park. This is a relatively strenuous, three-mile up-and-down hike, with 1,000 feet of elevation gain with little-to-no shade.
o Lost Palms Oasis Trail (7.2 miles) – Relatively flat out-and-back hike with a little bit of everything: an oasis, palm trees, native mortars, big horn sheep, Joshua Trees, boulders, and views of the Salton Sea.
Hard
o Wonderland of Rocks Traverse (5.5 miles) – If you’re looking for a place to scramble over, under and around beautiful rock formations, this is the hike for you. Please be advised that this is a difficult point-to-point trail and needs to be planned as such.
o California Riding and Hiking Trail (37.6 miles) – A multi-day hike suitable for moderately experienced backpackers.
Outdoor Activities
Joshua Tree Climbing Guides
63576 4th Street SouthRock climbing guide! Learn a fun new skill while in Joshua Tree.