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Outdoors Joshua Tree

Joshua Tree National Park

An outdoor spot in Joshua Tree, moderately priced ($$) and worth most of a day (about 8 hours). Best time to go: Oct–Apr.

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Joshua Tree National Park
Photo: Jarek Tuszyński · CC BY-SA 3.0 · license

Why go

Granite boulder piles and Joshua trees across two deserts.

It is one of 10 curated places we feature in Joshua Tree, alongside 2 activities, 2 places to eat and 2 outdoor spots. The closest of our other picks is Cholla Cactus Garden, 3.9 mi away as the crow flies. Set aside most of a day (about 8 hours) here; it works best as the anchor of a day rather than a quick stop.

Type
Outdoors · Nature
Neighborhood
Joshua Tree
Price
$$
Time needed
8 hr
Best time
Oct–Apr

Nearby

The 5 closest curated picks in Joshua Tree, measured as straight-line distance.

  1. 1
    Cholla Cactus Garden

    Dense stand of teddy-bear cholla on a short boardwalk.

    Outdoors · 3.9 mi straight-line
  2. 2
    Ryan Mountain Trail

    3-mile round trip climb to 360° views over the park.

    Activity · 16 mi straight-line
  3. 3
    Keys View

    Lookout over the Coachella Valley and the San Andreas Fault.

    Sight · 17 mi straight-line
  4. 4
    Barker Dam

    Short loop to a small reservoir and petroglyphs.

    Outdoors · 18 mi straight-line
  5. 5
    Hidden Valley Nature Trail

    1-mile loop through a boulder-ringed valley once used by cattle rustlers.

    Activity · 18 mi straight-line

On these curated routes

Joshua Tree National Park is a stop on our Palm Springs & Joshua Tree route. Open it to see the full day-by-day plan.

More to do in Joshua Tree

Joshua Tree National Park is our only outdoors pick in Joshua Tree; here is what else we recommend there. See the full Joshua Tree guide.

When to go

Average daily highs in Joshua Tree run from 57°F in December to 102°F in July; January is usually the wettest month. For Joshua Tree National Park itself, we suggest: Oct–Apr.

Modelled monthly averages for Joshua Tree from NASA POWER, not a forecast. Full Joshua Tree weather by month.

Getting there

Map links open a live search for Joshua Tree National Park, so hours and directions come straight from the map app.

Address
California, USA
Coordinates
33.87342, -115.90099
Destination
Joshua Tree, California
Website
nps.gov

Joshua Tree National Park: quick answers

How much time do you need at Joshua Tree National Park?

Plan on most of a day (about 8 hours) at Joshua Tree National Park. That is our curated estimate for a typical visit; groups that linger will want more.

When is the best time to visit Joshua Tree National Park?

Our pick: Oct–Apr. Insider tip: Enter at the West Entrance early; no water inside.

Where is Joshua Tree National Park?

Joshua Tree National Park is at California, USA, in Joshua Tree. The Google Maps and Apple Maps links on this page open it for directions.

Which TripsCircle routes include Joshua Tree National Park?

Joshua Tree National Park appears on Palm Springs & Joshua Tree, a curated route you can open on TripsCircle and plan with your group.

Add Joshua Tree National Park to your crew's plan

Save it to a shared TripsCircle itinerary, settle the timing with a quick poll, and split the costs with everyone going to Joshua Tree.

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Lists & regions

Also in Joshua Tree

Curated recommendation, not live listing data. Confirm hours, prices, bookings and access before you go.