Get up early, really early - between 5 & 6. The weather will be flawless, the temperature in the 60s or 70s. Walk, hike, bike, wear yourself out. Between 8 & 9 the sun will hit you full force and the temperature will start toward the…Read More

Get up early, really early - between 5 & 6. The weather will be flawless, the temperature in the 60s or 70s. Walk, hike, bike, wear yourself out.

Between 8 & 9 the sun will hit you full force and the temperature will start toward the 90s.

Have breakfast at Crossroads.

After breakfast take a nap, go to the movies, read a book, get a manicure in Yucca or 29 Palms but whatever you do, do it with the air conditioning ON or in a swimming pool with lots of waterproof sunscreen on.

Around 5 you can head up to the high altitude parts of the park - the temperature is lower and it'll take you a while to get there.

The sun doesn't go down until 8-ish so you've got two to three hours to do anything you want & if you've got a flashlight you can keep going as late as you want. The park is open 24 hours so there are no gates to keep you in. If you're there after dark remember to keep track of your map (they'll give it to you when you pay your entrance fee) so you can get out, there are no overhead lights & it can be a tad bit confusing working your way back out at 2 in the morning.

AND remember there is no water or food of any kind for sale (or free for that matter) in the park - if you want anything at all you have to bring it with you.

Not affiliated with the park but think they share profits with the park. This place was closed for a remodeling when I was in town recently but didn't want to neglect mentioning it. They sell guide books of the park & surrounding areas, maps &…Read More

Not affiliated with the park but think they share profits with the park. This place was closed for a remodeling when I was in town recently but didn't want to neglect mentioning it. They sell guide books of the park & surrounding areas, maps & etc., also a decent cup of cappucino. In the winter it's usually quite busy and opens very early.

Next door is a thrift store with really cheap books in case you're in need of low price entertainment.

Take Route 62 to a street called Cascade, make a right (east) onto Cascade. Go to the end and you'll hit a dirt road, make a left and in front of you, about a quarter mile is the oddest house ever. Well, maybe not ever. It's owned…Read More

Take Route 62 to a street called Cascade, make a right (east) onto Cascade. Go to the end and you'll hit a dirt road, make a left and in front of you, about a quarter mile is the oddest house ever.

Well, maybe not ever.

It's owned by an artist of the 'limited edition painting of a lone Navajo in winter' type of prints.

It's been under construction for over 10 years and still isn't finished. One of the neighbors told me the architect called it 'jurassic architecture' and that it has already cost over $15 million. Anyway it's built into the hills and the rocks and is somewhere between a mushroom and a space ship and a boulder in looks.

The home-owners family lives at the bottom of the hill (in a plain old normal house) behind a gate so you can't get too close.

There is a highway patrol office in the middle of Joshua Tree on route 62 (the main drag). In other words, you can get tickets easily. I've never gotten one because I'm paranoid but I always see people getting pulled over around there. A friend…Read More

There is a highway patrol office in the middle of Joshua Tree on route 62 (the main drag). In other words, you can get tickets easily. I've never gotten one because I'm paranoid but I always see people getting pulled over around there. A friend of mine who lives there half the year tells me the Highway Patrol knows the locals from the non-locals & then tickets accordingly... but who knows.Close

I had never seen a Joshua Tree before this trip. I could not believe the sheer volume of these trees in the park. They look like tree trunks with no leaves and huge palmetto thorns on the ends. They sort of look…Read More

I had never seen a Joshua Tree before this trip. I could not believe the sheer volume of these trees in the park. They look like tree trunks with no leaves and huge palmetto thorns on the ends. They sort of look like cacti but are covered in what appears to be a tree bark. Some grow like vines and create a huge twisted gnarled mass of tree and spines. Very interesting! Close

Surprisingly, Joshua Tree National Park had several great restroom areas located in convenient areas of the park. Most of these were free-standing buildings and were relatively clean (for a public facility).…Read More

Surprisingly, Joshua Tree National Park had several great restroom areas located in convenient areas of the park. Most of these were free-standing buildings and were relatively clean (for a public facility).Close