THE ULTIMATE 1-DAY ARCHES NATIONAL PARK ITINERARY: 17 BEST VIEWPOINTS & HIKES (POST-COVID) THE ULTIMATE 1-DAY CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK ITINERARY: DRUID ARCH HIKE & BEST VIEWPOINTS (POST-COVID) THE ULTIMATE 1-DAY JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK ITINERARY: 9 BEST HIKES & SCRAMBLES (POST-COVID) THE ULTIMATE 1-DAY YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK ITINERARY: 11 BEST VIEWPOINTS & HIKES (POST-COVID) If you miss grabbing a map (outside of staffed hours typically 8am-5pm) or prefer to use your phone, there’s a downloadable version of the NPS map available here.įor information on camping in and around Joshua Tree, an essential packing list, COVID-safe practices within the park, and HEAPS more information on planning your visit, check out this post: THE ULTIMATE 1-DAY JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK ITINERARY: 9 BEST HIKES & SCRAMBLES (POST-COVID)Įxplore more National Parks & public land Make sure to pick up a free map when you come through the entrance, as there is NO mobile reception within the park! Most viewpoints and hikes are extremely well signed, but it helps to have a paper map to plan your visit.Alternatively, grab an annual NPS pass for $80USD, which will get you into all 62 national parks and thousands of other national monuments and forests around the country! These can be purchased everywhere listed above (visitor centres, ranger stations & ), as well as from outdoor retailers like REI.You can also get a digital entrance pass from, just make sure to save to your phone since there is no reception in the park. In order to enjoy the hikes on this list, you’ll need to purchase a 7-day access pass to Joshua Tree NP for $30USD at the Visitor Centre (Joshua Tree or Oasis near 29 Palms) or at the entrance station (North or West entrances). The most direct way to reach Joshua Tree National Park is from Los Angeles, but highly variable traffic means the journey can take anywhere from 2-4.5hrs, so definitely try to avoid travelling during the weekday commute or peak times on the weekend. You can also access Joshua Tree in 3.5hrs from Phoenix, AZ, which will bring you to the very quiet Cottonwood entrance in the southern end of the park.Highlights: Adrenaline-pumping route that most visitors to Joshua Tree don’t even know about! Cholla Cactus Garden *Practical Information Trailhead: Hidden Valley carpark off Park Boulevard- the start of this trail is behind a palm tree up in the rocks at the far end of the carparkĭifficulty: Challenging, with lots of wayfinding, tight squeezes, and scrambling It also offers a great opportunity to explore the northern fringes of the national park, away from most of the crowds just by virtue of being inaccessible from the main entrances. There are actually several oases within Joshua Tree, each formed at the junction of fault-lines where water is forced up to the surface to provide for more lush vegetation.įortynine Palms is an excellent place to experience these unlikely spots in the desert, as it’s more of an outing than the short Oasis of Mara, but still more convenient than the Lost Palms Oasis near Cottonwood. Highlights: Incredible views of Mt San Jacinto & the Little San Bernardino Mountains Fortynine Palms Oasis 4 | Fortynine Palms OasisĪlso inside the park but with its own entrance is Fortynine Palms, a startlingly beautiful oasis hidden behind a rocky hill and protected by the shade of lush palms- it’s a sight immediately at odds with the arid surroundings, and one that equally justifies the uphill climb. Trailhead: Black Rock Campground off Joshua Lane (not accessible from main park entrances) Despite the sun exposure, though, this is an incredibly popular hike that definitely shouldn’t be missed! It’s not an overly challenging hike to the summit of Ryan Mountain, but there’s absolutely no shade, so come prepared with a hat, sunscreen, and heaps of water- it’s seriously hot the entire climb, with breeze only offering relief once you reach the top. On clear days, you’ll even get a glimpse of San Jacinto’s snowy peak rising above the blue and brown hills of the Little San Bernardino Mountains. Unlike most of the hikes in the park that wind through desert foliage and between Joshua Trees, Ryan Mountain is bit of a climb, getting you off the valley floor for expansive views of granite rockpiles and Joshua Tree forests as far as the eye can see.
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