Joshua Tree National Park
Low and high desert regions converge in this southern California park, named for the distinctive species of yucca trees that can grow up to 50 feet high here.
Plan Around Joshua Tree National Park
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Joshua Tree National Park Details
Low and high desert regions converge in this southern California park, named for the distinctive species of yucca trees that can grow up to 50 feet high here. The 1,200-square-mile park also contains a segment of the Little San Bernardino Mountains with unique flora and fauna. Dotting the landscape are palm oases fed by underground water sources, the remnants of abandoned 19th century gold mines, and traces of past human habitation. A park loop road offers easy access to the joshua trees, while those with 4-wheel-drive vehicles can follow the 18-mile Geology Tour Road, with stops marked by interpretive plaques. A trail network welcomes both hikers and mountain bikers, with destinations like the Lost Palms Oasis and the top of Mastadon Peak. Rock climbers can enjoy hundreds of marked routes up formations like the Jumbo Rocks, and ranger-led tours interpret life on the once-thriving Desert Queen Ranch.
Difficulty
Open
Distance
N/A
Estimated time
N/A
Region
National Parks
Nearby Parks Around Joshua Tree National Park
Compare nearby parks around Joshua Tree National Park when deciding whether to expand the route after this stop.
Nearby Points of Interest Around Joshua Tree National Park
Use nearby POIs to quickly expand your options beyond Joshua Tree National Park while the map context is still fresh.
0.8 mi away
Hexie Mountains
The Hexie Mountains lie within the higher northern Mojave Desert area of the park, and feature numerous washes and a mixture of low and high desert flora and fauna.
2.1 mi away
Silver Bell Mine
About three-quarters of a mile south of Pinto Basin Road is the Silver Bell Mine, which operated between 1934 and 1962.
2.3 mi away
Cholla Cactus Garden
The Cholla Cactus Garden exists in the unique ecosystem created by the merger of the upper Mojave Desert and the lower Colorado Desert.
2.3 mi away
Cholla Cactus Garden Nature Trail
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.
2.9 mi away
Wilson Canyon
Pinto Basin Road, one of the main access roads in Joshua Tree National Park, passes through Wilson Canyon.
