Travel Guide – Joshua Tree National Park

This travel guide for Joshua Tree is the first post of a new series I’m starting for places I’ve visited. I’ll write about places to eat, stay, and visit. In addition, I’ll include some suggested itineraries. I hope you find this helpful!

It’s no secret that Joshua Tree National Park is one of my favorite places to visit. Here are some of my previous posts about the park:

• Tribute to Joshua Tree National Park
• Astrophotography – Milky Way and Perseid Meteor Shower
• Lost Horse Mine, Mastodon Peak, and Pinto Basin
• Wonderland of Rocks and Barker Dam
• Hidden Valley and Cholla Cactus Garden

Where to Eat

If you’re coming in from CA-62E, I highly recommend stopping by Pioneertown for some BBQ. Pappy and Harriet’s serves up some truly excellent meals, but it can get packed. They also have live music performances some days and evenings and it can make for a great time! Plus, the decor is awesome – license plates, cheeky signs, posters, pictures – you name it. They also have great service.

But the best part, in my opinion? The ribs. I’m a huge ribs guy, and the first time we came here, Minhan told me that I ate the ribs in silence, savoring every bite. Juicy meat that’s well-seasoned with dipping sauce, coupled with mac ‘n cheese – YUM! We’ve been back a few times for lunch since it’s less crowded and have always been satisfied with the experience.

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Where to Stay

One of the great things about Joshua Tree National Park is the variety of lodging options. If you’re a big camper, there are plenty of campsites (but they fill up fast, so reserve early!). Unlike some other national parks, like Yosemite and Sequoia, staying at a hotel/motel and driving in only takes 15-20min. I suggest avoiding Motel 6 (this location is also called “No-tel 6” for a reason – you don’t get anything here!). It’s way overpriced for what you *don’t* get. So let’s skip it.

We have had excellent experiences at the Harmony Motel and Best Western Gardens Hotel. Don’t expect great service at Harmony Motel. But the room is a decent size, and the beds are comfy. It’s only a 10-15min drive to the entrance of Joshua Tree National Park. Also, they have a common area with a fridge/freezer and they keep it stocked with ice!

We’ve stayed at Best Western Gardens a few times and have loved it each time. They have unlimited chocolate chip cookies at the front desk all day! And free continental breakfast that has omelettes, pastries, hard-boiled eggs, juice, cereal, a waffle-maker, and more! We also got a free suite upgrade for some reason, and it came with a kitchenette. Curtains are heavy and block out the sun. And they’re environmentally friendly! Lastly, their Wi-Fi is really stable, which isn’t too common at other places around the area.

Where to Go

Of course, no travel guide to Joshua Tree National Park would be complete without sightseeing plans. Their website has an excellent map, which I used to outline some areas of interest.

Depending on the time of year and how difficult you like your hikes, here are a few suggestions for day trips, using the numbers in the map above:

• #1 (40 Palms Oasis) > #2 (Wonderland of Rocks) > #3 (Barker Dam) > #4 (Hidden Valley) > #5 (Cap Rock) > #7 (Skull Rock) > #8 (Jumbo Rocks) > #9 (Arch Rock) > #11 (Ocotillo Patch) > #10 (Cholla Cactus Garden)
• #9 (Arch Rock) > #8 (Jumbo Rocks) > #7 (Skull Rock) > #6 (Ryan Mountain) > #5 (Cap Rock) > #4 (Hidden Valley) > #3 (Barker Dam)
• #4 (Hidden Valley) > #13 (Lost Horse Mine) > #5 (Cap Rock) > #7 (Skull Rock) > #8 (Jumbo Rocks) > #9 (Arch Rock) > #11 (Ocotillo Patch) > #10 (Cholla Cactus Garden)
• Lost Palms Oasis > Mastodon Peak (see map below)

Here is a slideshow of some images from these locations. For more, see my posts listed above.

A Few Notes

• Wonderland of Rocks can take you anywhere from 30min to 6+ hours depending on how deep you want to go. The first time we went, we actually got lost and ended up there for 4 hours, finally making our way to Barker Dam. But it’s a less-visited place that offers great views and unique experiences!
• 49 Palms Oasis isn’t a hard hike, and there are actually palm trees at the end.
• Ryan Mountain can be a pretty rough hike, especially during warmer months. But the view from the top is worth it.
• Lost Horse Mine has a couple of options: an out-an-back and a loop. I suggest going the full loop, but it will take longer.
• If you’re going to visit Mastodon Peak, I suggest scrambling up the rocks (wear gloves!) to get a really beautiful view. It’s also a great place to have a snack or eat dinner (don’t forget to leave no trace!).
• If you want to see a beautiful sunset, I suggest saving #12 (Keys View) for the evening. It gets crowded there, so I suggest showing up 30-45min before sunset.
• Another area to see a beautiful, albeit earlier, sunset, is the Cholla Cactus Garden. I’ve been here for golden and blue hours and the way the sun illuminates the Cholla during these times is really pretty. Plus, it’s one of the darker areas of the park, making stargazing so much more rewarding!
• One of my favorite places to visit when they have events is Sky’s the Limit Observatory and Nature Center. Volunteers bring telescopes and aim them at objects of interest in the night sky. They also have a huge telescope for deep space objects! For more information on how to get the most out of a trip here, see my review.

Final Tips

If you’re lucky, you’ll be visiting the park on a rare snow day. The snow melts quickly during the same day, and I have yet to experience it. But it’s on my bucket list!

Also, there are a lot of interpretive trails. Be kind to the environment, but also be prepared. Bring lots of water, snacks, and plenty of sunscreen. Summer days are hot, winter days get very cold. A compass goes a long way, since GPS reception can be spotty. Also, since most, if not all, toilets don’t have running water or other facilities, bring toilet paper and wipes.

Lastly, remember that half the park is after dark! Joshua Tree National Park is a designated Dark Sky Park, and the Milky Way can be seen from May-October. Go during a new moon for extra dark skies!

That’s it for the travel guide to Joshua Tree National Park. If you have any questions or would like to add anything, feel free to comment below. I hope this was helpful!