Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree national park of California has a mixture of rugged mountains, desert, boulders and of course Joshua trees which are also called as “J-Tree” by locals.

The park was established in October 1994, Major attraction consists of the splendid views of the Lost Horse Mine, Desert Queen Mine, Skull Rock, Jumbo Rok, and Keys View.

The Joshua Tree National Park is spread over 790,636 acres of land and is located near to Yucca Valley and San Bernardino.

Also in the Autumn season, don’t miss to attend the Wowza Joshua Tree Music Festival and Bhakti Fest.

When you will see Joshua Trees, it will look like they are trying to touch the sky with their branches.

The activities which will mesmerize you consists of hiking, stargazing, and rock climbing.

The parks major flora consists of Ocotillo, Pencil Cholla Cactus, Teddy Bear Cholla Cactus, Creosote Bush, and Paloverde and major fauna include black-tailed jackrabbits, kangaroo,  coyotes, round-tailed ground squirrel, kangaroo rat, and bighorn sheep.

No. Of Visitors in 2018

2942382

Best Time To Visit

March to April, June to August, October to November, December to February

March and April are the months of spring season where you will enjoy hiking and rock climbing, however, the park will be crowded in these months. June to August will be incredibly hot but even though these summer months will be a perfect destination for stargazing and it will have a small crowd.

October and November will be the season where the autumn will spread its magic everywhere in the park and the crowd will be less than that of the spring season. Whereas the winter season of December to February will be great for camping with a less crowd.

Things to carry

Here is the list of things to carry while roaming in Joshua Tree National Park

Clothing

Wear clothes that are light-coloured and loose-fitted to protect from hotness. Also, wear 

Convertible or long pants to protect your skin from getting scratched by the cactus spines.

Tweezers

If you get hurt by a cactus spines then tweezers can help you to remove it.

Water

You can’t use water of the park as it is reserved for wildlife, so carry 1-2 gallons full of a water bottle for drinking purpose.

Navigation Tools

Carry a whistle, signalling mirror, and a Map or GPS.

Along with the above things, do carry a tent, sleeping bag, hat, sunscreen, an extra layer of clothing, emergency kit, insect repellent and sunglasses.

Please don’t forget to carry trash back with you as littering is not allowed in the park.

Tips before Visiting

  • Buy your pass from the visitor center because if you go to buy it from the entrance gate, then you will face a queue for buying tickets at it.
  • There are over 300 campsites in the park so no worry of reservation. Also, the spot for camping is given on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • There is no water or electricity in the park, so bring all the necessaries along with you.
  • Ryan Mountain trail and 49 Palms oasis trail are very risky if you do it in the afternoon. There are no shades and there is extreme heat. The hike is not good for the people having heart, asthmatic and diabetic problems.