Joshua Tree National Park
On Highway 62, 1-hour east of Palm Springs, Headquarters and Visitors Center at 74485 National Park Dr. in Twentynine Palms, (760) 367-5500. Daily 8-5. $20/car.
Note that it is usually 10 to 15 degrees cooler at Joshua Tree National Park than in Palm Springs. Stop in at the Visitors Center to get oriented. The namesake trees—which, by the way, are technically not trees, but instead a shrub--begin growing at 2,500 to 3,000 feet and continue up to 5,000 feet. Featuring a beautiful desert landscape, this park covers 794,000 acres and encompasses two diverse desert ecosystems: the Colorado and Mojave deserts. Be on the lookout for bighorn sheep, golden eagles, and snakes. The Hidden Valley trail is an easy 1-mile, self-guided loop (off Route 12), and the Wall Street Mill trail is an easy 1½-mile trail leading to an old mine and stamp mill (1¾-miles east of Hidden Valley Campground, off Barker Dam Rd.). Some of this park’s fame is directly related to its attraction to the world’s rock elite--including U2, Keith Richards, Gram Parsons (who died of a drug overdose at the Joshua Tree Inn).
Things to do in nearby Palm Springs.
Travel articles to inspire and help you plan trips.
images c2015 Carole Terwilliger Meyers
Note that it is usually 10 to 15 degrees cooler at Joshua Tree National Park than in Palm Springs. Stop in at the Visitors Center to get oriented. The namesake trees—which, by the way, are technically not trees, but instead a shrub--begin growing at 2,500 to 3,000 feet and continue up to 5,000 feet. Featuring a beautiful desert landscape, this park covers 794,000 acres and encompasses two diverse desert ecosystems: the Colorado and Mojave deserts. Be on the lookout for bighorn sheep, golden eagles, and snakes. The Hidden Valley trail is an easy 1-mile, self-guided loop (off Route 12), and the Wall Street Mill trail is an easy 1½-mile trail leading to an old mine and stamp mill (1¾-miles east of Hidden Valley Campground, off Barker Dam Rd.). Some of this park’s fame is directly related to its attraction to the world’s rock elite--including U2, Keith Richards, Gram Parsons (who died of a drug overdose at the Joshua Tree Inn).
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| travel writer Carole Terwilliger Meyers in front of world’s largest living
Joshua tree, 45½-feet tall with an 8-foot circumference. |
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| Joshua Tree National Park |
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| desert view from Joshua Tree National Park |
Things to do in nearby Palm Springs.
Travel articles to inspire and help you plan trips.
images c2015 Carole Terwilliger Meyers
photographer of first image unknown
I've never actually thought about what a Joshua Tree looked like but I loved U2's album of the same name - one of my anthem albums. Now I know and it will be even more meaningful.
ReplyDeleteI am a tree person from way back. I have heard of the Joshua Tree on a couple of blogs from the States. We don't have them in Australia as far as I know. I'm visiting from Lifestyle 50 Facebook Link-up.
ReplyDelete