Auto Tour, Joshua Tree National Park

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Twentynine Palms Highway (California Highway 62) runs north from its intersection with the I-10 freeway near Palm Springs.

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The Joshua Tree Visitor Center is located in the village of Joshua Tree, Calif.

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The west entrance to Joshua Tree National Park is five miles south of the junction of Highway 62 and Park Boulevard at Joshua Tree Village.

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One of Joshua Tree's most scenic roads is also one of its most accessible.

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This moderately strenuous trail skirts through the westernmost edge of the Wonderland of Rocks, climbing through steep mountains and rocky canyons.

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Hidden Valley Campground has 44 dirt-pad sites, able to accommodate tents and RVs.

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Barker Dam Road meets Park Boulevard near the aptly named Intersection Rock.

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The Cap Rock picnic area is located at the intersection of Park Boulevard and Keys View Road.

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This major spur road off Park Boulevard leads to the hugely popular Keys View Overlook.

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Ryan Campground has 31 sites, with about half large enough for RVs.

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The six sites at Sheep Pass Group Campground are tent-only.

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Beginning on Park Boulevard two miles west of Jumbo Rocks Campground in the northwest section of the park, the 18-mile roundtrip Geology Tour Road traverses fascinating landscapes within Joshua Tree.

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The home base for William F. Keys and his family, the Keys Desert Queen Ranch is today listed as a National Historic Register Site.

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The 124 sites at Jumbo Rocks Campground are nestled among huge boulders.

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Right along the main park road is Skull Rock, a popular stop for Joshua Tree visitors.

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Pinto Basin Road runs south from Park Boulevard shortly after you enter Joshua Tree from the North Entrance.

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The California Hiking and Riding Trail stretches for 35 miles in Joshua Tree, passing through pinyon/juniper forests, Joshua tree forests, and creosote-covered lowlands.

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The north entrance to Joshua Tree National Park is in Twentynine Palms, three miles south of the junction of Highway 62 and Utah Trail.

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The Oasis Visitor Center serves the Oasis of Mara area of Joshua Tree National Park

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As you might suspect, this is the access road to the Indian Cove section of Joshua Tree National Park.

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Belle Campground is closest to the north entrance from Twentynine Palms.

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White Tank is a quiet, small campground, located closest to the north entrance near Twentynine Palms.

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Stirrup Tank, so named because it's a natural depression that can hold water, is one of Joshua Tree National Park's many rock-climbing areas.

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Pinto Basin Road, one of the main access roads in Joshua Tree National Park, passes through Wilson Canyon.

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The Cholla Cactus Garden exists in the unique ecosystem created by the merger of the upper Mojave Desert and the lower Colorado Desert.

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A 30-minute drive from Cottonwood Campground is the Ocotillo Patch, a roadside stand of cacti that put on a dramatic floral display after even a light rainstorm.

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Traversing the Pinto Basin in the central part of Joshua Tree, 24-mile roundtrip Old Dale Road starts at the same point as Black Eagle Mine Road.

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Beginning at the same point as Old Dale Road, Black Eagle Mine Road heads east along the southern edge of the Pinto Basin.

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The Cottonwood Visitor Center serves the Cottonwood Springs area of the park.

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Seven miles from the southern entrance of the park, Cottonwood Spring Oasis offers plentiful day-use activities as well as nearby camping.

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Mastodon Peak, at 3,440 feet, stands sentinel over Cottonwood Spring Oasis and portions of the Lost Palms Oasis Trail.

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The hike to Lost Palms Oasis begins at a smaller oasis, Cottonwood Springs, right at the trailhead.

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Beginning at Cottonwood Visitor Center in the southern section of the park, this challenging 20-mile road travels west along Smoke Tree Wash before cutting down into Pinkham Canyon.

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This .3-mile walk on a *bajada*, or slope at a mountain's base, is wheelchair-accessible and features plentiful vegetation and 16 interpretive panels describing the desert flora.

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The south entrance to Joshua Tree National Park near Cottonwood Spring is an access point along Interstate 10, 25 miles east of Indio.

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Cottonwood Springs Road, exit 168 off the I-10 freeway, serves as the south entrance road to Joshua Tree National Park.

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The I-10 freeway connects Los Angeles, Calif., and Phoenix, Ariz., passing through the Coachella Valley and the famous desert resort towns of the Palm Springs area along the way.

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Near Cottonwood Spring is Lost Palms Oasis, which holds the highest concentration of native California fan palms in the park.

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Keys View, perched on the crest of the Little San Bernardino Mountains, is a popular stop for park visitors.

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Located in the Joshua Tree backcountry east of Barker Dam, the Queen Valley is home to the park's largest Joshua Tree.

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Constructed by early cattlemen in 1900, Barker Dam was raised in 1949 by rancher William F. Keys.

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The easiest way to access Cap Rock -- thus named because a boulder sits on top of the huge rock formation like a cap -- is via Cap Rock Nature Trail.

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Open all year, Black Rock Campground is located on the park's northern perimeter, in one of its thickest stands of Joshua trees.

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Cottonwood Campground is closest to the south entrance of the park.

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Indian Cove Campground is located in the interior of the park, with close proximity to steep rock formations, perfect for climbing enthusiasts.

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The easy Arch Rock Nature Trail weaves through large rock piles to the arch for which it is named.

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This easy, wheelchair-accessible path offers a great introduction to Joshua Tree's flora.

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Despite its nickname as the "teddy bear" cactus, hikers had best beware of the cholla cactus, which has small, stick-tight needles that will go right through clothes.

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The Cottonwood Spring Oasis, seven miles from the southern entrance to the park, was used for centuries by the Cahuilla Native Americans.

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Hi-View Nature trail offers a bit of a challenge for hikers, with 325 feet of elevation gain.

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On the crest of the Little San Bernardino Mountains, the popular Keys View offers panoramic views of the Coachella Valley and beyond.

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Located along Keys View Road, Lost Horse Mine is one of the best-preserved relics of the Gold Rush era.

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Desert Queen Mine Road intersects with Park Boulevard directly across from the better-known Geology Tour Road.

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The Hidden Valley Picnic Area is just off Park Boulevard near the intersection with Barker Dam Road.

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This giant, domelike slab of stone rising about 85 feet from the desert is one of the most popular climbing spots in the park.

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In addition to picnic tables and restrooms, this picnic area is a popular climbing spot.

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This easily recognizable rock, with a pronounced vertical split at its base, is at the north end of Split Rock parking area.

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The Live Oak picnic area is off Park Boulevard near Live Oak Tank and Ivanpah Tank.

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The Split Rock picnic area is off Park Boulevard at the end of the short Split Rock Loop Trail access road.

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How to reach the Covington Flats and Eureka Peak area of Joshua Tree National Park by car.

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The way to reach the Fourtynine Palms Oasis in Joshua Tree National Park.

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Fancy a desert hike among the Joshua Trees (and junipers, of course)? Check out the trails in the Juniper Flats area.