Joshua Tree National Park

Achieving national park status in 1994, human history in the Joshua Tree region is said to stretch back more than 5,000 years. The park protects more than 838 documented archaeological sites, five cultural landscapes and 160 historic structures.

A foreboding desert landscape, Joshua Tree National Park lies between the cacti-studded Colorado Desert and the Mojave Desert, creating a vast, otherworldly panorama of huge, rugged rock formations and parched desert.

The Flora and Fauna

A dozen-plus cacti species flourish in Joshua Tree, from the Beavertail prickly pear to the California barrel cactus and silver cholla. California fan palms provide a lush respite at five oases in the park; 154 lichen taxa appear on rocks, soil, bark and wood, from the intertidal zone to the top of mountains; and the scent of hardy creosote bushes is carried by the wind after rare desert rains.

Not surprisingly, the real spectacle at the park is the eponymous, Dr. Seuss-like Joshua trees, which depend on well-timed rains to survive. The twisty tree — a member of the agave family — sports clusters of white-green flowers on long stalks when spring conditions allow. Beyond populating the park with their quintessential silhouette, Joshua trees are a habitat for birds, lizards, mammals and insects.

Home to coyotes, California ground squirrels and Mojave pocket gophers, the park also hosts rare desert harvest mice, desert grey shrews and longtailed weasels — not to mention well over a dozen species of bats, tarantulas, scorpions and 75-plus butterfly species.

The Weather

There’s great variation in the elevation at Joshua Tree National Park — it spans from 536 feet at its lowest point to 5,814 feet above sea level at the pinnacle of Quail Mountain. As such, conditions vary greatly and should be closely monitored.

Although it’s open year-round, the best times to visit the park are from March to May and October to November, when the average high is about 85 F.

John Ko

The Hikes, Drives and Viewpoints

Joshua Tree Scenic Drive

Experience the scope of the land on 106-mile, point-to-point Joshua Tree Scenic Drive. It’s also a jumping point for off-road adventures. Alternatively, a short, 20-minute drive from Park Boulevard down Keys View Road brings you to Keys View Lookout, with its panoramic views of the Coachella Valley.

Cholla Cactus Garden

Meander through the singular Cholla Cactus Garden, a .2-mile wonderland on the western edge of Pinto Basin. Known for its short, fuzzy, sharp cacti, it’s a sight to behold.

Cap Rock Trail

A one-mile loop out to Barker Dam reveals a rare source of water in the park, while the .4-mile Cap Rock Trail takes you through winding boulder fields and groves of Joshua trees.

Hidden Valley Trail

Looking for an excellent, one-mile hike for families? Bathed in golden sunshine and deeply shadowed as the sun starts to set, the Hidden Valley Trail offers a chance to scramble up boulders and explore what’s thought to be an erstwhile cattle rustlers’ hideout.

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Skull Rock Trail

Don’t forget to see the most iconic rock formation in the park — Skull Rock, its two depressions resembling eye sockets. A 1.8-mile loop takes you through Mojave mid-elevation mixed scrub, riparian corridors and oak woodlands set among boulders.

Ryan Mountain

Want to tackle something challenging? Ryan Mountain is one of the only summits in the park and a three-mile trail to the top ascends 1,050 feet.

Zach Josephson

Lydiah Koh

About the Park

Location - Straddles the Colorado Desert and Mojave Desert

Established - October 31, 1994

Area - 790,600 acres