Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park
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  • Sui_Generis94
    Phoenix, Arizona2 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful park; interesting town
    The national park was beautiful and amazing. Only two days, really, is needed. It's like being on another planet! The town of JT was a bit odd. I can't really describe it - except for odd. I'm not sure we would go back except to stop in the park for hiking for a day.
    Visited September 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written October 12, 2023
  • Cazz K
    London, United Kingdom145 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Awesome place to visit
    Fantastic. Can’t find the words to sum up this amazing place. Joshua trees absolutely amazing so did. Cactus garden in the middle of the park a great place to visit. Many weird cactus plants, very sharp so don’t touch. Went in late October which was great as it wasn’t packed with tourists.
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written November 1, 2023
  • Gurugilly
    60 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Download the NP app and use offline
    We visited at the start of November with the temperature in the low 70’s though the dry atmosphere made it feel hotter. Wouldn’t like to do any serious walking in the height of summer. No water or food in the park so come self sufficient. Entered by the West Entrance which gives access to some main areas. Worth downloading the NP app and checking for Ranger guided walks and talks (usually free) either on the app or at the visitor centre. We did a 2 hour, there and back walk up Ryan Mountain, well defined trails but the heat makes a 3 mile walk feel more exhausting, so there are few popular walks longer than 3/4 miles. Despite the heat, it’s worth wearing long trousers and sleeves because of the sun and spikey plants!
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written November 3, 2023
  • DemiHale1
    2,181 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Joshua Tree Is Beautiful! A Desert US National Park and Treasure
    The United States has many beautiful National Parks and Joshua Tree is one of them! Really stunning desert landscape with unusual trees and cactus and rock formations. Plenty of spots to stop and get out and take pictures. The park is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. You are welcome to drive in and out at any time. There is an entrance fee, but sometimes the fee booth is closed. You may be asked to show your pass or pay the entrance fee on your way out. Disabled visitors can get a free pass presenting disability paperwork at the fee booth. Reservations are not required for entrance. There are no gas stations, restaurants, grocery stores, or hotels. Bring all your own food, water, and supplies. There is no water available in the interior of the park. Cell phone reception is very limited. Pets are not allowed on trails. They must always be on a leash and can't be more than 100 feet from a road. I did bring my dog and had no issues. The park can be crowded on holidays, weekends from Oct-May, and during spring break season (mid-Feb-April). Be prepared for long lines, limited parking, busy trails, and full campgrounds. You can camp, check the website for rules and fees. It really is a beautiful and serene place!
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written November 12, 2023
  • Ron C
    Newbury Park, California612 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fascinating plants & geology
    We did the driving tour starting at the west entrance. Very nice NPS ranger station with maps, guides. You could spend days exploring all the trails. The main road is good and there are some that are high clearance only.
    Visited December 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written December 4, 2023
  • TheJs
    London, United Kingdom86 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful and unique landscape
    Beautiful and unique landscape, wonderful to drive through, and explore by foot if you want to hike on one of the many trails. Tickets for this national park can be purchased in advance online, from the visitor centre (def worth a visit), or from one of the kiosks at all the entry points to the park. The ticket will allow you to enter as many times as you like for one week. think it was $17. Annual passes are also available, as are the national park annual pass which allows you to visit all of the nation parks for just $80 for the year. Staff at the visitor centre are really helpful and knowledgeable. Highly recommend this drive at least once in your life.
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written December 12, 2023
  • E.L.E
    Brno, Czech Republic18,877 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Joshua Tree
    Better than expected! Spent three hours in the park and loved it. Desert, Valleys, Cactus Garden, Giant Rocks and a green Safari looking area. So worth it for a day trip
    Visited December 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written December 21, 2023
  • cohoman
    Sammamish, Washington2,394 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Interesting Desert Perspective
    Cottonwood visitor center is the closest to I-10, however, you won't see any actual joshua trees anywhere around the center. The closest location of a joshua tree is 27 miles North of Cottonwood. My family stopped by on our road trip to Phoenix (Dec 23), and I was surprised by the number of people in the visitor center and on the trails. Lots of people walking everywhere, climbing on the rocks taking pictures. There's a unique campground (no reservations) with each campsite nessled between large boulders. Definitely a nice place to visit or camp if you want to experience the desert. Also, no cell service anywhere (even at the visitor center). But, there is cell service as you get close to I-10.
    Visited December 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written December 24, 2023
  • vaughanm1976
    Amarillo, Texas695 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Day Trip from Vegas
    We were staying in Las Vegas and did a day trip to the park. We entered the park at the north entrance and drove the Cottonwood trail road exiting at the south gate. Lots of stops along the way to take photos. Not as dramatic as some of the other parks but worth while.
    Visited December 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written January 2, 2024
  • nzp0ppy
    New Zealand27,711 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fantastic, unique and loved it all
    We had a fantastic 2.5 days at Joshua Tree National Park in early January. we walked about 12 miles (20km) each day. We stayed in an air bnb at joshua tree and this was ideal for our group. A few minutes walk to the coffee shop on the corner of park blvd and a wonderful outdoor area at our accommodation with bbq, and a gas firepit. We went into the park between 8am and 8.30am each day and had no issues with delays or queues - and it was peak time. Every walk and place we visited was different and they were all interesting Highlights include Keys View, Ryan mountain, Hall of horrors, Barker Dam, Wall street. Hidden Valley, Arch rock, Oasis, Cholla cactus garden. Day one we did keys view, cap rock, intersection rock, hidden valley and lost horse valley and then lost horse mine (this would be the one place i would leave off if you were time pushed). We parked along the main road opposite cap rock and walked the trail to hidden valley as a wedding was on and the parking was closed at hidden valley. Day two we did skull rock, hall of horrors, ryan mountain, barker dam, wall street - a really great combination. And on the way out enjoyed the sunset. Day three we went to Arch rock, heart rock, cholla cactus garden, ocotillo gardens, the cottonwood spring oasis. i enjoyed exploring off the trail at arch rock and we found some awesome rock formations, holes in rocks, caves and all sorts of fantastic places to explore. It was my favourite. We took our own picnic lunch each day and besides our drink bottles we took a big cube container of water to top up ur bottles during the day. We had clothing for hot temperatures and cold temperatures and needed both in a day - it can be very hot during the day and then get very cold in shaded areas or when sun gets lower. remember to make sure your vehicle fuel is sufficient. Go to the most popular places early in the day to get parking. Wear good closed sole walking shoes and enjoy. its fantastic for photography
    Visited January 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written January 8, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles847 reviews
Excellent
692
Very good
120
Average
27
Poor
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5

Julie M
canastota 28 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2021
Although our trip was only 3 days, we purchased a week's park pass because we heard the lines can be long to get into the park.

04/11/21 We trekked the Lost Palm Oasis trail 7.2 mile moderate hiking level. We passed maybe a dozen other hikers on the trail. We hiked from 8:30 to 12:30 and the sun on the way back was pretty intense. Hindsight, we should have started the hike at 7:30 am. The last half hour of our hike was pretty intense. We each went through 2 Liters of water on this hike. Great hike.

04/12/21 Rock climbing with Mojave Rock climbing tours at Indian Cove, Amazing-followed by an evening hike on the Barker Dam trail. We loved the Barker Dam trail. We felt like little kids climbing the boulders. It got cool in the evening and we definitely needed a light jacket or wind breaker. After the hike we went to Hemingway's loop then made our way down to the boy scout trail parking lot where we watched the sunset and waited for the stars to illuminate the night sky. Beautiful.

04/13/21 We got up a little earlier and started our hike at 7:30 AM. We hiked the lost horse trail that takes you up moderate terrain to the old mine and loops back around to the parking lot. This trail was more intense than the Lost Palm Oasis trail. The views from the top are amazing! We had on good hiking boots and still slid on the gravel coming down the mountain. However, the last two miles of this trail are flat and filled with Joshua trees as the landscape.
That night we came back to the park and stopped by the Skull but it was too crowded. We stopped at Hidden Valley. This little spot is truly a hidden Gem.
It looks like a professional landscaper came in and designed the area. It was more populated than the longer trails but still a place you could hear yourself think, great meditation place!

The main trails have outhouses conveniently located in the parking lot. Tips would be make sure you have sunscreen, head covering, light jacket and 2 liters of water for each hike.
I wish we had more than three days to spend here. My next hike would have been Ryan's Mountain.
Written April 15, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jason G
Baltimore, MD703 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020
Absolutely stunning park. Plenty to see and do. The joshua trees are all around and you can either get your pics of them on the hikes or pull over on the side of the road (at least coming from the north end of the park along Park Blvd). Hidden Valley hike is a nice 1 mile trek and probably about as long as you want to hike in the summer (arrive early as it will get blazing hot). Cholla Garden is also worth walking through especially if you're a cactus lover like my wife. The ocotillo patch is also neat (just a short drive beyond the cholla garden) if you're into desert plants. In general, be prepared for bees though. Our car got swarmed by them at Key's View where there ironically wasn't any warning signs about them (Cholla Garden had signs and we didn't see a single bee). Apparently, as we were told later, the bees are thirsty during the summer and are attracted to the moisture generated by cars. Fortunately we didn't get stung and all of the bees either died in the car from heat or flew out while we were driving, but if you know you have any kind of allergic reactions and plan to visit during the summer (we're told they're not as bad in cooler months), just come prepared or look out for them and avoid those spots. Overall, even though it's crazy hot in the summer, if that's when you can visit, don't be deterred. Even though some of the areas are closed and you'll want to avoid any serious physical activity in the middle of the day, we had no problem arriving early and leaving by noon and feeling like we got our money's worth. Also, you'll likely basically have the park to yourself since summer is the off season. I don't think we saw more than about 10 cars throughout the day. Also, just know that if you arrive super early to beat the heat, if there's nobody at the front gate to pay, you can just pay on the way out.
Written August 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Boo913
Hawkins, TX1,210 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Couples
We visited this park five years ago during our honeymoon and pretty much had the place to ourselves. My what a difference a half a decade makes! When we arrived at the West entrance we found a long line of vehicles waiting to enter. This was very unexpected as it was not a holiday or weekend but early on a Friday. Nevertheless the park, landscape, rock formations and of course the Joshua Trees are so very unique it was worth the wait, even for a second trip.
Written March 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mark Cloherty
Miami, FL163 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
Fantastic park, our whole family loved the experience. We were there around Christmas
and there was a lot snow which made it even more of an incredible time. We would recommend getting there early, there was a huge line of cars waiting to gain entry to the park when we left around 12pm. We arrived around 8am. Lots of great hikes, a little more difficult in the snow. We loved it all, our kids loved it too.
Written January 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Russ855
Palm Springs, CA473 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2021
If you are coming from Palm Springs for a day trip, I would come in from the north which seemed to be the most striking part of the park. I might go to Twentynine Palms for lunch, come in that gate and go out the west gate. The route to I-10 is very long and takes you through vast expanse of desert as you transition from the high Mojave Desert to the low Colorado Desert. The Joshua trees are in the northern part of the park, as well as the most interesting granite rock formations. The park was busy even on a weekday. The line backed up at noon at the west gate so they just let a lot of cars through and requested you pay on the exit. That meant you did not get the park map before entering which was a great disadvantage. I would not recommend going here without some literature like that. It allows you to judge where to stop and what sort of features or hike lay ahead. Like all parks it is expensive, $30 per car or $20 for a senior one year pass. It is definitely one of the more memorable parks I have been to. It is nice going during the winter season when the temperatures are manageable.
Written February 23, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Alejandro A
National City, CA87 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2020 • Couples
My wife and I visited JTNP on Thanksgiving weekend. The park was crowded and we were happy to see how people was wearing mask and keeping distance from each other.

The park is nice and mystical. Great environment to relax and find yourself with nature. Beautiful and enormous rocks that you can climb on. We liked the many short and easy to do trails. Since we are not avid hikers, walking short trails was very nice to admire the scenary.
Down side, park ranges closed ma y sections of the park too early and they don't even waste their time telling you why. The Keys ranch tour was completed book for the entire weekend and spots were available until the end of December.
We couldn't camp in the park because all sites were filled, so we rented and Airbnb pretty close to the park with this nice Japanese lady artist.
Written December 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ttbryan1
Atlanta, GA310 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
I was lucky enough to be able to visit this historic place with my husband and two friends on our holiday break. We drove from Palm Springs, which took about an hour. When we arrived, they were supposed to charge us an entrance fee, but they were only stopping the members to show their badge. The person told navigating traffic told us to pay on the way out. So, we entered and immediately stopped at the restrooms and checked out the routes and maps. We drove slowly through like everyone else. It was especially great to see when we did because there was snow all over the place. It was so peaceful, tranquil and beautiful. There is nothing like it in the world. We spent a good hour driving through, stopping to look and take pictures and then exiting. We had expected to pay when we were exiting, but they were not monitoring the exit since so many cars were coming in the entrance. We felt guilty for not paying, but had to keep moving. This is such a special place and everyone, no matter what age, should check it out.
Written January 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

egslade
Portsmouth, NH122 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2023
We were staying in Palm Springs and Joshua Tree was less than an hour drive from there. The visitor center was closed for training when we arrived but luckily we had a map that I’d picked up in PS.

Our friend had recommended two short trails, Hidden Valley (1 mile) and Barker Dam (1.3 miles). He also suggested that we stay off the moderate trails (these were both easy) since the terrain all looks very similar and it’s easy to get lost. If we were up for a bigger hike, I would have done Mt. Ryan which has great reviews and, with more elevation, is just over 3 miles. When I mentioned this to our friend after the fact, he said that would have been a good choice.

If you looked at photos, you won’t be surprised by Joshua Tree. The trees, named by the Mormons since they thought they looked like the Profit Joshua raising his arms to heaven, are, of course, very visible. You can also see really interesting rock formations, many of which look like they might tumble down with one strong push. It’s the desert, so there is lots of sand as well as desert plantings.

A highlight of the trip to Joshua Tree was the Keys Ranch Tour, which you need to sign up for well in advance.

Bill Keys established the Ranch around 2013 and brought a wife, Frances, from LA a couple of years later. They went on to have five children on the ranch, which in the early years, was a two-day ride to the nearest town.

Bill Keys was a very resourceful man. Although he had no formal education, he was an engineer, who built his home from lumber and parts that he picked up from abandoned mines and ranches nearby. The family had an orchard with pear and apple trees. They built a shack to serve as a school for their children up until grade 8 and hired a teacher and welcomed neighborhood children to participate.

It was evident that he tried to make a buck in whatever way he could. When I asked about the rusted bed frames that were scattered around the property, the guide told us that he started a tourist business, inviting visitors to sleep outside under the stars.

The tour lasted about an hour and a half and, at five dollars for seniors, it was money well spent.

We spent about five hours in Joshua Tree and while we missed some highlights such as Cholla Cactus Garden, Arch Rock and Skull Rock, we did the two hikes, the Keys Ranch Tour, and Keys View (breathtaking).
Written February 5, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

RoseBowlTraveler
Cincinnati, OH404 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2020
Enjoyed our visit to Joshua Tree NP - so glad we stayed on "Eastern Standard Time" while in California as we woke early and made our way to the park where upon arrival (8:30am) on Saturday after Thanksgiving learned it was "the busiest day of the year".
We were advised by ranger to enjoy a couple of hikes and get out by noon when it becomes so congested. We enjoyed several hikes, ate lunch and took Ranger's advice since we had more days planned at the park and noted upon departing a line 2 miles long (we measured) of cars waiting to enter West Entrance at about 12:30pm.
Great park to visit - lots to do with varying degrees of difficulty. We experienced numerous hikes over several days and noticed lots of families enjoying the park.
Barker Dam, Wall Street Mine, Hidden Valley, Lost Horse Mine were all good and everyone should check out Keys View. Can't wait to return!
Best Advice: get there early before crowds and heat!
Written December 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Becca W
Toronto, Canada5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
We went to Joshua tree for three days and LOVED it. We were there over break (dec 29-31) so the park was crowded, but for the most part we didn't feel it. One thing that really helped that I would recommend is going to the ranger station before going into the park and asking them about where to go. The ranger we spoke to was friendly and suggested some hikes that were more off the beaten path (but still beautiful/fun) so that we weren't in places that were mobbed. There are lots of hikes of varying lengths/difficulty that aren't on the map of the park that they give you-so it's worth it to ask. If hiking isn't your thing, there are lots of short walks or sites you can basically just drive to as well. We did 2 intense hiking days and one laid back chill day in the park. Bring layers and food since you can't get it in the park (although there are cute restuarants in Joshua tree the town where we stayed- highly recommend).

Yay have fun!
Written January 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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