I’ve long been a Gram Parsons fan. Growing up, his second solo album, Grievous Angel, was a particular favorite in our house. With much of our musical tastes heavily influenced by our college age brother, my sister and I would listen to the album over and over and over again. Even if you are a young fan, you can’t be a fan of Gram Parsons without knowing about the connection he had with Joshua Tree, and ultimately, the story of his untimely death there in 1973. Link: For the complete story see Rolling Stone‘s 1973 account of Gram Parson’s death.
Growing up as a Gram Parson’s fan, and hearing continued references to it over the years, Joshua Tree has always occupied a magical – and an almost mystical – place in my imagination. When Todd and I finally had the opportunity to visit, we jumped at the chance. Located in the California desert near Palm Springs, the town of Joshua Tree has long been a draw and haven for artists and musicians. With a funky vibe and very authentic feel, you will find locally owned live music venues, restaurants, art galleries, and shops ready for you to explore and enjoy. Don’t miss the opportunity to spend some time in town before or after your time in the park. It will be time and money very well spent.
Covering slighter more area than the state of Rhode Island, Joshua Tree National Park is located in the unforgiving desert landscape of Southern California. It’s actually the place where two deserts, the Mojave and the Colorado, meet, and each desert has it own distinctive ecosystem. The Mojave Desert has higher elevations and cooler temperatures which support the growth of the Yucca brevifolia, otherwise known as the Joshua tree, for which the park is named. The Colorado Desert supports the growth of dense brush vegetation including shrubs, cactus, and small trees. If you are a Bugs Bunny fan like we are, think of Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner landscapes, and that is Joshua Tree.
Things to Know about Joshua Tree National Park:
- An important aspect to planning your trip to Joshua Tree National Park is to remember you are visiting the desert. The climate and conditions can be difficult and unforgiving.
- In Summer the temperatures routinely soar above 100 degrees. (It’s a dry heat, right?) Potable water is available in only limited areas of the park. Make sure you prepare and bring along plenty of water for everyone in your group.
- In Winter the days are short and the temperature drops very quickly once the sun goes down. Remember to dress in layers and prepare for potentially frigid temperatures.
- Spring can be a lovely time to visit when all the desert flowers are in bloom, and Fall visits also allow for milder daily temperatures. However, with the milder weather will also come the crowds. If possible, avoid the weekend and enjoy mid-week trips which allow for the smaller crowds in the park.
- There are no lodging facilities in the park. You will find places to stay in the surrounding communities, however. There is camping available in the park and in nearby areas.
- There are no grocery stores or restaurants in the park. However, several picnic areas are available in the park.
- The cell phone service in the park is extremely limited.
- Expect to encounter wildlife. (During our time in the park we saw snakes, big spiders, and coyotes – story to follow later.) Keep your distance and do not feed the animals.
- Dogs must be on leash at all times and are not allowed on the trails.
Our Favorite Things to do in Joshua Tree National Park:
Star Gazing
My favorite time spent at Joshua Tree was definitely the opportunity for star gazing. Located in the high desert and hundreds of miles from the nearest city’s light pollution, the night sky is dazzling. I’ve read the starry sky is best viewed on the eastern side of the park, but to me the view is pretty spectacular from everywhere. We did not research the moon’s phases before our trip and plan accordingly for the darkest possible sky. We did have a fairly bright moon, but we were still astonished by the twinkling skies overhead.
Hiking
Joshua Tree National Park offers many hiking options for those who may be looking for either a short walk or a moderate or even challenging hike. Link: For information about all trails in the park and back country hiking.
Our time in the park was limited, so we were only able to hike one trail while visiting. We chose Lost Horse Loop, a 6.5 mile trek, which afforded us the opportunity to see and explore Lost Horse Mine, an old gold mine in the park. Todd and I visited Joshua Tree in April during the park’s high season. Although the park campgrounds were full of visitors, we did not encounter many folks on this trail, making for a lovely hike. The desert views along the trail were stunning.
While we didn’t encounter many hikers, we did encounter a snake. I don’t like snakes – at all. It’s not rational. I know that. It’s typically Todd’s job to walk in front to see and warn me about snakes on trails. He missed this one somehow, and I saw it first. Which meant I spent the remainder of the hike with my eyes glued to the ground, not trusting Todd to keep an eye out, and watching my every step. Sadly, I think I missed a lot of views on the latter half of the hike.
I also have to note, that while we didn’t see a lot of folks on the trail that day, some that we did see were ill-prepared for what they were doing. While it’s important in all parks and on all trails to have the proper equipment and supplies along, I can’t stress enough how very important it is in Joshua Tree to come prepared to hike. The desert can be unrelenting and stretches out in every direction for as far as the eye can see. You need plenty of water, sturdy shoes, a first aid kit, clothing layers, sun protection, and a solid sense of direction before heading out on a hike as some of the trails wind through wadis and hillsides that have multiple switchbacks, twists and turns. Joshua Tree National Park is not the place to just jump out of your car and start a hike willy-nilly. Respect the inherent dangers of the desert.
Climbing
Joshua Tree is a haven for the rock climbing community. Todd and I are not climbers, but I have to say spending an afternoon watching the climbers around our campground was spectacular.
In the park we pitched our tent at Hidden Valley campground, a busy spot for climbers. By the time we arrived at the park, and then found and set up our campsite, the afternoon was winding down. We decided to scramble up some rock formations and just take in both the scenery and the action. With a small picnic, a blanket, and a couple books, we settled into a spot as high as we dared go, which afforded us sweeping views in every direction. From our perch we could watch novice climbers with their instructors, experienced climbing teams, and some folks who were scrambling up rocks to places they had no business going. We wiled away the late afternoon keeping tabs on everyone’s progress.
The most heart stopping climbing exhibition we saw came the next morning during breakfast. We saw our first free solo climb. Free soloing is climbing unassisted – no ropes, no harnesses and no type of protective equipment whatsoever. The climber relies solely on his strength and abilities.
As we were enjoying our breakfast I glanced up and saw the climber begin his ascent. At first I was amazed. It was a little thrilling. Within a few moments the mother in me kicked in, however. I wanted him to stop before he hurt himself. As our breakfast continued, every once in a while I would sneak a peek to make sure he hadn’t fallen. It was unnerving to watch. Once he made it to the top, he sat on the ledge for a little rest and to take in the view. I imagine it was something to see. His decent was slower and seemed to be a little more of a challenge for him. Once he reached the ground, he just walked away.
Camping and Coyotes
Joshua Tree National Park has eight campgrounds featuring almost 500 campsites. It’s important to note that only two campgrounds, Black Rock and Cottonwood (with 161 sites between them), have access to water and are equipped with flush toilets. There are no electrical hookups in the park, and cell phone reception is all but non-existent. During the high season, October through May, campgrounds often fill up on weekends, and from February through May campsites are usually full during the week as well. Campsites at Black Rock and Indian Cove can be reserved during the high season, and you can reserve group sites located in other campgrounds. But year round, most sites are first-come, first-served, and in summertime, all campsites are available first-come, first-served. Some campgrounds are closed during the summer months. There is a good bit of camping available outside the park in the surrounding area.
During our April visit, Todd and I arrived just after check-in time to locate an available campsite. We drove through several full campgrounds before finally coming upon an open spot in the Hidden Valley Campground. Depending on the campground, a camp site costs $15-$20 per night, and payment is made by dropping registration envelopes in drop boxes located at each campground.
Hidden Valley is a great and centrally located campground that’s surrounded by large boulders, rock outcroppings, and Joshua trees. Campsites are fairly well spaced apart and each includes a picnic table and fire ring. No water is available at Hidden Valley and must be carried in with you. But it does have pit toilets.
We set up our tent on an extremely windy day and thought we were being smart (and very lucky) to have the rock formations at the site that allowed us to tuck in our tent as a wind break. The large boulders around us formed a tunnel. We slid our tent right into the mouth of the tunnel and away from the high winds. Little did we know, our tent set up would eventually come back to haunt us-and potentially bite us. But in the meantime, we passed the afternoon watching the climbers in the area. Later, we decided to climb the rocks above our tent and enjoy the sunset.
As nighttime overtook the desert, we enjoyed dinner around the campfire, marveled at the starry sky, and finished the rest of the bottle of wine while coyotes howling at each other serenaded in the distance. As we sat by the fire, we even had one coyote run through the adjacent campsite about 20 yards away. It was a little bit startling, but he ran away as quickly as he had shown up. Eventually at about 11 pm or so, we retired to the tent for the evening exhausted, but relishing everything the park had offered us that day.
But you know how it sometimes can go… a bottle of wine, a starry night, an evening of intimate campfire conversation, and rather quickly one thing led to another inside the tent. I don’t know how much time passed, but I remember hearing a coyote howl off in the distance. The next thing I remember was MANY coyotes howling back their reply. However, these howls were surrounding our tent on all sides – just RIGHT outside the walls. Todd and I froze immediately. I looked at him, and he looked at me with big eyes while we heard a deep growl just outside the tent, the only thing separating us from the coyote being the tent wall – not very reassuring. I can’t speak for Todd, but my heart immediately started beating even faster than it was previously! Todd jumped up and grabbed the hatchet. I’m not sure what he thought he was going to do. But just like that, the coyotes were gone. Of course, we immediately realized that we had tucked our tent right into the mouth of a tunnel that has probably long served as a concealed avenue of movement for the coyotes in the area. At least we can say the romance was the only thing actually killed that night!
Joshua Tree really is a magical and mystical place, and if you ever get the chance, by all means visit. It is beautiful. But don’t underestimate that at its core, it can be an unforgiving and rugged desert landscape. However if you respect the inherent dangers that spending time in the desert can present you, it will be a wonderful experience. Just be careful. You don’t want to experience your own version of … as Todd and I now fondly refer to our evening in Joshua Tree … “coyotus interuptus.” “Beep Beep,” or should that read, “Bleep Bleep.”
Coyotus Interuptus😂