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What to See and Do
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If there was ever a piece of
public land that should have been designated a
national park, Joshua Tree National Monument was the
place. It is now a national park, thanks to the
California Desert Propection Act. This unique series
of ecosystems is one of the foremost treasures of the
American West, serving to provide a dramatic link
between the two great California deserts.
Sitting just east of Palm Springs, the northwestern
half of the park is in the high Mojave Desert. The
eastern and southern portions are in the low Colorado
Desert -- an offshoot of the Upper Sonoran Desert.
Dividing the two desert regions is a remarkable
transition zone, which is a mixture of the two -- sharing
plants, animals, and birds. A drive through the park
offers possibly the finest overview of our western desert
landscape. A drive through the park, taking less than a
day, is a vacation highlight for many.
Covering 850 square miles, the park is accessible from
several northern entrances, and one in the south, via
Interstate 10. The communities of Joshua Tree and
Twentynine Palms offer nearby overnight
accommodations, and the two northern gates to the park
are at these towns. The Parks Service operates nine
campgrounds, and all but one are a short drive from the
two communities.
What to See &
Do
The Landscape
The park is named for the Joshua tree forests that are
located in the Mojave portion, at about 4,000 feet
elevation. The best places to see these forests are the
Queen Valley, and Lost Horse Valley. Both
are accessible by the loop drive that connects Joshua
Tree and Twentynine Palms. The twisted trees, members of
the agave family (cousins of the lily species), stand in
unorganized array in the western part of the park. The
trees provide the basis for an amazing food chain. Birds
nest in the trees, insects infest the wood, night lizards
live in the toppled, dead remains of the trees, and worms
and termites turn the dead wood back into soil.
Jackrabbits and kangaroo rats are there too, caught and
eaten by coyotes, bobcats, hawks, and eagles. The desert
is deceptively busy.
Asie from the dry desert ecosystems, Joshua Tree is
blessed with several palm oases, each of which harbor
wildlife. At the northern edge of the park is the 29
Palms Oasis (Oasis of Mara), next to the main visitor
center and park headquarters. This was a classic Indian
oasis that became a sopping point for prospectors and
desert pioneers at the turn of the 20th Century. Also to
the north is the 49 Palms Oasis, on a spur road
which leads into the park between the two towns. A trail
of middling difficulty leads 1.5 miles from the end of
Canyon Road to this oasis.
The two southern oases, in the Colorado Dessert, are
located near the Cottonwood Visitor Center and
Campground. The largest oasis in the park (Lost Palmas)
is reached by driving on a back road, southwest from
Cottonwood (which has its own small oasis, and then
walking through a series of desert wasshes for four
miles.
The low desert is more barren, but the sshort
transition zone offers several fascinating features. The
Cholla Garden, at the southern edge of this zone,
along the road to Cottonwood, offers a short walk through
a display of trhe cactus. A grove of Ocotillo (the
sticklike shhrub) is situated slightly south and at a
lower elevation. The prime flowering season for yucca,
wildflowers, and cacti, is March and April.
There are several picnic areas: in the Queen Valley,
in Hidden Valley -- south of the town of Joshua
Tree -- and at Cottonwood.
Joshua Tree Hikes
Areas of the park were mined during the gold and
silver era, in the first half of the 1900s. A trail to
the Lost Horse Mine is a relatively easy 2-mile
climb from the end of a 1-mile road. The historical gem
of the park is the Desert Queen Ranch, a mill and
homestead during the teens and 20s, and the home of Bill
Keys, who raised a family here. Because of the fragility
of the site, permits are required to walk into the ranch,
which is in a canyon off Queen Valley. Guided tours are
given during the high season (October - March), and our
suggestion is to phone the park office (760-367-7511) in
advance of your visit to try to catch a group tour. Now
that Joshua Tree is a national park, this area should be
open to the publlic in the future, with the proper
protections and interpretation program in place.
Other hikes are available, the longest being the Boy
Scout Trail, which leads 15 miles (25.1 KM) through the
Wonderland of Rocks area east of the Quail Springs Picnic
Area. Backcountry hiking and camping are permitted with
camping allowed no closer than 1/4 mile from water
sources.
Staying in Twentynine Palms
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29 Palms Inn
73950 Inn Avenue, 29 Palms, CA 92277
Since the late 1920s, this unusual desert inn
has entranced visitors. Spread over 70 acres are
rustic adobe cottages -- each with its own name
-- with fireplaces and antique furnishings.
There is a pool, restaurant, and lounge.
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Best Western Gardens Motel
71487 29 Palms Highway, 29 Palms, CA 92277
There are 71 units in this motel on State Route
62 -- an easy drive to the entrance to Joshua
Tree National Park. Facilities include a heated
pool, whirlpool, and eight sleeping units with
kitchens.
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Circle C Motel
6340 El Rey Ave., 29 Palms, CA 92277
The Circle C is a small, non-chain motel with
eleven units, a pool, whirlpool, and laundry,
Refrigerators are available. The motel is 1.5
miles west of town, via SState Route 62, and
then one block north on El Rey.
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29 Palms RV Resort
4949 Desert Knoll Avenue, 29 Palms CA 92277
Located on 20 acres, the RV and trailer resort
has close to 200 sites, all with hookups, with
some on the eighth fairway of the Roadrunner
Golf Course. The park has a pool, laundry,
sauna, whirlpool, tennis court, recreation room,
and exercise room, plus shuffleboard,
horseshoes, and volleyball areas. The golf
course is open to the public.
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Joshua Tree Camping
The campground at Black Rock Canyon offers
100 sites with flush toilets, fireplaces, water, and a
dump station. This is the only campground for which
reservations can normally be taken, but the service is
not available right now (see Special Note, below)
Other campgrounds are filled on a first
come, first served basis. The Queen Valley has three
camping areas: Jumbo Rocks, Ryan Mountain, and Sheep Pass
(group camping). All are situated in the midst of twisted
rock formations. Hidden Valley Campground (on Quail
Springs Road) has 39 sites with water, tables, and
fireplaces. Belle and White Tank campgrounds (no water)
are located on the road that leads south to Cottonwood.
Indian Cove Campground, with 13 sites,
serves groups only. At Cottonwood, a campground offers 62
sites, and an adjacent picnic area. There is water here,
in addition to flush toilets, but there are no showers in
the park. Horses are permitted at Ryan, and Black Rock
Canyon campgrounds.
Special Camping Note:
A camping reservations system is in effect for many of
the national parks. For information, go
to this page.
© 1997/2005 - Fraser Bridges
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