California – Exciting Things to do in Joshua Tree National Park
After exploring Joshua Tree for a day and a half, I confessed to my friend, “I worried that you wouldn’t enjoy the desert scenery when I asked to meet up here. What do you think?” My friend was living in the Pheonix area for the last couple of weeks, but she was equally as enchanted as I was with the unique environment of Joshua Tree National Park.
Especially on the north side of the park, Joshua Tree has, as you can probably guess, hundreds of Joshua Trees. Except instead of endless flat land, enormous stacks of boulders interrupt the area. The unusual stacks paired with the Joshua trees and other vegetation make for an incredibly picturesque landscape. And the best thing about this National Park is that you do not need to hike for miles. Many of my favorite sights are a short walk from the main road.
Friendly reminder that there is no cell service in Joshua Tree National Park, so be sure to save the following places and bring plenty of water. You can mark these spots on GoogleMap and download the map, mark it on a physical map, or otherwise make a note of it in a way that is accessible without cellular service.
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Best Time to go Sight-Seeing in Joshua Tree
I highly recommend planning your day around sunrise and sunset when heading to these sights, no matter the season. The lighting is so much more dynamic, soft, and beautiful. In the middle of the day, you will be combating harsh shadows and washed-out light. And at sunrise, there is the bonus of being practically alone with the scenery. If you’re camping in the park, you can bring your JetBoil or pocket stove with you and find a quiet place to make a cup of coffee and soak in the scenery. We did this at both Heart Rock (after seeing Arch Rock) and Barker Dam.
It is best to go from November to May when temperatures are bearable. The two times I’ve visited have been in January and February, where it is chilly at night (think low-40’s), but surprisingly a pleasant temperature to hike during the day. Also, by going in the winter season, sunrise isn’t as early! But you will want to consider the crowds during the winter and spring season. I recommend going on weekdays, if possible. While leaving on Saturday mid-day, we passed by a line-up of cars heading into the park.
Arch Rock
Arch Rock is exactly as it sounds – an arch made of granite-type rock. It’s massive, with two boulders within the archway. The arch snuggles up against other rock boulders stack, making it a little tricky to photograph. The first time I visited was at sunset a few years back, and it was busy (probably around eight or so people watching the arch. However, at sunrise, my friend and I had the Arch to ourselves for at least 20-30 minutes. We photographed the formation as the sun rose and even caught the rays coming through the arch.
Arch Rock is adjacent to the White Tank campground. I recommend parking at the Arch Rock trailhead because there are only two half-spots on the White Tank Campground road. I’m not sure I would even call them parking spots. Although we did utilize one of these half-spots, I felt a tad uncomfortable walking through the camp to get to Arch Rock. Instead, park in the spacious parking lot where the signs direct you and walk 5-ish minutes to the arch.
Please be careful with the arch. Although I felt comfortable shimming up the arch’s backside to stand on one side, it is not the easiest thing to do, and it has a steep drop off the one side. Those with a fear of heights should not attempt to climb on the arch. I did not feel comfortable walking on top of the arch and wouldn’t recommend it to maintain the rock’s integrity for generations to come.
Heart Rock
Don’t try to find this rock without the coordinates or a map!! Although this giant heart-shaped boulder seems like it would be easy to find, whew, it is not. The Heart Rock trail is NOT on a maintained trail in the National Park. So there are no signs, no markers, and massive boulders with footprints in every direction. Luckily I had popped the coordinates into Google maps before heading to the National Park, or I am not sure I would have found it. The easiest way to access the boulder is from the Arch Rock Trail that leads from the Arch Rock Trail Parking, at the point the trail curves toward the parking area. If you are doing any climbing, you are not likely in the correct location.
What I liked about Heart Rock was how heart-shaped it is and that we had it entirely to ourselves for 30+ minutes. After watching the sunrise at Arch Rock, the sun takes longer to hit Heart Rock due to the topography of the hill east of these locations. My friend and I had fun posing with the rock and doing a timelapse video of us running around it. Very cute!
For more detailed directions, read this thorough blog post about heart rock from The Whole World is a Playground. AND add the following coordinates into your favorite mapping software: 33°59’17.6″N 116°00’47.8″W
Cholla Cactus Garden
For most of the drive to the Cholla Cactus Garden, there is only a sparse amount of Cholla. Then, suddenly, they are EVERYWHERE. There is a small walking path through a particularly dense area of Cholla with a parking area. The walking path weaves its way through the “garden” of dense Cholla. The type of Cholla seen here is the Teddy Bear variety because each of the branches looks like it has fluffy Teddy-Bear ears. When I visited, there were also yellow flowers on some of the cacti. By the way, did you know that you use either cacti or cactuses, and it will be correct? Cacti is a bit more scientific, which is something I learned while writing this post.
It is fun to pose with the Cholla Cactus, but be careful not to get too dramatic and lose your footing! We took a few good shots through the Cholla or by pretending to touch them. Also, be sure not to back up while taking photos or video. We left the Cholla Cactus garden unscathed, and I hope you do too. Both times I’ve tried to visit this location, it took longer than expected, and I missed the sunset. It took a good 40 minutes from Ryan Campground to get to Cholla Garden. I recommend buffering an hour or more to get there from outside the park.
Skull Rock
Right off the main road is the famous Skull Rock. Although recognizable, it takes a tiny bit more imagination than Heart Rock or Arch Rock. It is immediately visible upon parking and fun to photograph. I was able to climb up the right side and snuggle into the right eye socket. My friend simply stood and hugged the right side for an equally cute photo. It might be tricky to photograph with harsh shadows during the midday, so try to head there in the early morning or evening.
Due to the accessibility and number of cars parked there one morning, we almost didn’t visit. But we decided to stop and were pleasantly surprised to have the skull to ourselves for about 10 minutes. I’m not sure where everyone else was, but one group was climbing around the rocks beyond Skull Rock. This site is near the Jumbo Rocks Campground.
Wonderland of Rocks Wash Trail
The Wonderland of Rocks Wash trail is my favorite “hike” in Joshua Tree, but not for everyone. The national park does NOT maintain the “trail.” Instead, it roughly follows a dry streambed as far as you like into the boulder stacks. It is more of an exploratory hike with no real goal destination. You’re likely to see rock climbers on some of the larger rocks as this is a climber’s dream destination.
I wrote an in-depth blog post about the hike – check it out here if you’re interested in doing this exploratory hike.
Barker Dam
Well, February 4-6 in 2021 did not have any water, but it still a nice little trail. The trail is only about a mile long and leads deeper into the boulder stacks to an area that sometimes collects water. There are neat signs that talk about the birds that survive based on the water at the dam. It’s a generally gentle trail that is wonderful to do at sunrise. Again, we found a little nook to make coffee and watch the rocks glow orange as the sun rose. I believe it connects into a loop, but we only utilized it as a there-and-back trail.
I had hoped that the recent rainfall in California would collect at Barker Dam, but no luck this time. If you know when the Barker Dam has water, make sure to leave a comment for my future reference and other travelers!
Hiking in Joshua Tree Gear Recommendations
The hikes that I list in this post are relatively short. However, being in the desert, you should always be prepared with a downloaded map (there is absolutely zero service in the National Park), and a backpack
- Download a map before you enter Joshua Tree – I use AllTrails for the hikes, but you can also download GoogleMaps or from the National Park Service
- Day Pack – I used a small 16L backpack from Amazon. Consider the Gregory May 16 or small Osprey pack.
- Water bottle – You cannot go wrong with a handy dandy Nalgene
- Layers to add and remove as needed – in winter, I needed a tank top, long sleeve shirts, and heavy jackets
- Sturdy hiking shoes with grip
- Sunscreen – I use this sunscreen for my face, and this one for my body
- Hat for shade
- Small tripod for photos
- Always have snacks on you!
Pioneer Town
About 10 minutes outside the town of Joshua Tree, Pioneer Town is a working old-timey movie set. There is a main street with various buildings – bathhouse, jail, etc. – and some shops sell local arts and crafts. If you have time in the area and are looking for something different, Pioneer Town is an excellent option for a change of pace. The drive up to Pioneer Town is also pretty cool, with a winding road through the rocky hills.
I’ve visited Pioneer Town twice now, and each time the restaurant of Pappy & Harriets is popping off! It has a barbeque-based menu with rustic decor. Honestly, I haven’t eaten here, but if you’re into a rustic vibe, then this might be your jam. Everything from Pioneer Town to this restaurant screams influencer from Los Angeles to me but is also fun to stop by and see. A great family destination.
Camping in Joshua Tree National Park
Outside the park, in Twentynine Palms and Joshua Tree, there are hotels, motels, and Airbnbs. If you would like to sleep inside the park, you’ll need to prep for camping. During this last trip, I decided to try camping, and it has benefits and drawbacks. Some of the benefits include stargazing, sleeping amongst the boulders and picturesque scenery, and having quick access to scenic spots throughout the park for sunrise and sunset. The main drawback was how cold it was at night! I had pleasant low-70s weather during the day. When the sun went down, the temperature dropped 30 degrees to be in the high-30s and low-40s. It was challenging to be comfortable, even with a campfire after dark. If you decide to camp, bring ALL the goodies to stay warm.
Overall Thoughts: Things to do in Joshua Tree
Going back to Joshua Tree after several years, the scenic beauty of the area was just as stunning as I remember it. The variety of plant life paired with the enormous boulder stacks makes for an incredibly scenic place to frolic and explore. Also, since it is a desert location, Joshua Tree National Park is a great destination to visit in the winter, when other parks are less accessible. However, it does get chilly at night!
I hope that this list of things to do in Joshua Tree encourages you to explore the park’s outdoor activities. And don’t forget to check out my other post about hiking the Wonderland of Rocks Wash Trail.
What are your favorite things to do in Joshua Tree National Park? Each time I visit, I’m struck by the scenery and look forward to returning. Let me and other travelers know in the comments what I should look forward to in the future!
Happy Travels,
Hanna
