This
March we decided to do things a bit different and instead of going to our
regular big city travel destinations, we went to the
Joshua Tree National park located in south-eastern California, about
135 miles from Los Angeles. It is spread over in an area of about 1230 square
miles in Mojave and Colorado Deserts, with about 75% of the park's designated as
wilderness area. The main roads through the park are paved and easily accessible
by car. The hills of Joshua tree national park are famous for rock climbing ,
camping and scrambling enthusiasts.
Hiking: Among the popular and easiest hikes of the park is the Barker Dam
Loop. It is easy and accessible, and also among the best places to view the
local wildlife. Barker dam holds water for mining use and the cattle and this
1.1 mile loop makes a great day hike. Another one we found interesting was the
16 mile (roundtrip) Boy Scout Trail which is moderately strenuous and
passes through the edge of the Wonderland of Rocks. Other popular trails of are
49 Palms Oasis ( 5 miles), Lost Horse Mine (6.5 miles), Lost Palms Oasis
(11 miles), Ryan Mountain ( 5 miles - Strenuous) and Eureka Peak Trail (10
miles- Strenuous). Smaller ones (less than a mile) include the Cholla Cactus
Garden and Indian Cove. For all the trails we recommend that you should carry
sufficient water & energy bars while hiking.
Joshua tree park is also great place for Rock climbing with more than
4,500 established routes. It is a great place for photographers and you may also
come across some wildlife like Coyotes, Jackrabbits and Bobcats (although rare).
Birdlife includes vultures, golden eagles and roadrunners.
Camping:
Although there are no hotels inside the park, there are many campsites like
Black Rock Campground, Cottonwood Campground near the park's south
entrance (my favorite) and Indian Cove Campground, most of the other sites have
no water availableJoshua Tree National Park is located in south-eastern California, 40 miles Northeast of Palm Springs and 128 miles East of Los Angeles. The park actually lies at the meeting point of the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts with miles of wild, un-spoilt desert scenery. The Little San Bernardino Mountains run through the southwest edge of the park. The park is popular due to two factors, the spiky Joshua trees which grow densely in many areas, and occasional clumps of huge granite boulders that are up to 100 feet high. Along with the trees and rocks, the park is also popular for hiking, rock climbing and camping. The best winter rock climbing anywhere in the United States is here at Joshua Tree National Park. It also consists of several historic sites and five oases where California fan palm trees grow in their natural surroundings. At least 240 species of birds have been observed at the Joshua Tree National Park. A good place to view wildlife is at Barker Dam which is at a short hike from the parking area near Hidden Valley. Bighorn Sheep are sometimes spotted near the dam.
The reptiles in this park include a variety of snakes, lizards and one tortoise.
Do visit the official site for the latest information: nps.gov/jotr/
Phone Number and Visitor Information: (760) 367-5500
Address: 74485 National Park Drive, Twentynine Palms, CA 92277
7-Day Vehicle Permit: $15
Joshua Tree National Park Pictures
