Day 30 - 31: Joshua Tree National Park
National Park #12
If you love scenic desert terrain, rock scrambles, and unique flora, you’ll love Joshua Tree National Park. Named after the iconic Joshua Tree (more here on how the Yucca brevifolia got its more well-known name), the park covers nearly 800,000 acres of the Mojave deserve in Southern California. The park has grown in popularity in recent years (be ready for crowds and lines for parking), and is a must-see for anyone visiting Southern California.
Our first day we spent in Rattlesnake Canyon, which is a bit off the beaten path but a great way to get away from the throngs of park-goers. The canyon is essentially a giant rock scramble, so if you enjoy that sort of thing (we do!) it’s a great way to spend a couple hours as you make your way to the top. We saw zero rattlesnakes, though several signs warned us to be vigilant.
Our next day at Joshua Tree was a Saturday, and you can certainly tell that this has become a popular weekend escape from LA. Lots of people, lots of traffic, very few parking spots. If you have to go on a weekend, get there early.
We started the day with the Barker Dam trail - a great way to see Joshua Trees up close and personal. Despite what the name suggests, there’s no water here (though clearly there used to be) but you do get to walk around a dried up riverbed and climb around on the aforementioned dam.
Our next stop was Hidden Valley Nature Trail - the name of which is hard to hear and not think of the Arrested Development “Sudden Valley” gag. The valley was created in 1936 when a rancher blasted a notch in the rocks to create better access for his cattle. It was also apparently a notorious hideout for cattle rustlers. We saw neither cattle, dynamite, nor salad dressing…but the hike itself was great.
What you need to know:
The park gets very busy during peak times and weekends. If you do go during those times get there early and get a parking spot near one of the main trailheads.
Rattlesnake Canyon, Barker Dam, and Hidden Valley give you a great snapshot of the park. We also heard great things about Ryan Mountain but weren’t able to get there this time.
Give yourself at least two-days to explore the park and all that it has to offer.
Cell service in Joshua tree was fairly spotty, but comes back pretty quickly the second you get outside the park.