One the thing to consider about vacationing in Joshua Tree National Park is the time you should take to adequately prepare. Many visitors aren't fully prepared for the heat and vastness. The park covers a massive expanse of 800,000 acres in California straddling the Colorado and Mojave Deserts at different altitudes.
To make it easier, you should prepare a sound travel plan, including choice of a nearby town and accommodations from where the attractions can be explored. Many visitors fly into Palm Springs or drive down from Los Angeles or San Diego. But to avoid the cost and hassle of traveling back and forth every day, the best solution is to set up base at the north entrance along Hwy 62.
The only viable choices here are in the towns of Twentynine Palms and Joshua Tree. Within these two towns, the preferred choice for lodging is to be found in Twentynine Palms, on Inn Avenue. Since the early 1920s, the historic inns here have been open for travelers. For those in dire need of relief from the desert heat and grime, these inns offer Adobe bungalows and wooden cabins immune to the desert heat and cold nights, not to mention an oasis lagoon and poolside drinks under the cool shadow of swaying palm trees.
These accommodations are usually all quite well connected with poolside wireless internet and free use of computers. Rooms will have at least a queen bed and bathrooms with showers. Most guests will get a private patio to enjoy the desert view in the north and the mountains to the west.
With Twentynine Palms as the base, it's time to plan for how to get around and what to see and do. Moving around involves a vehicle, walking or biking. Most of the major attractions are accessible via ordinary vehicles, but some may need a 4 wheel drive (such as the Geology Tour Road).
Hiking is obviously a very popular activity among travelers vacationing in Joshua Tree National Park. There are 12 self guiding nature trails, including the 1.3 mile Barker Dam loop and the very popular 0.25 mile Keys View loop. The view from Keys View is spectacular, and on clear days visitors should be able to see Mexico from across the Salton Sea.
Regardless of how visitors choose to move around, a day spent here is bound to be extremely exhausting. At this stage, it's a tough job to have to drive back to a far-off destination. The smart travel planners will have a comfortable room waiting in an inn just outside the park entrance. They'll be sipping a cool drink by the pool while others will still be in their cars, struggling to reach a hotel that's still a long way off.
To make it easier, you should prepare a sound travel plan, including choice of a nearby town and accommodations from where the attractions can be explored. Many visitors fly into Palm Springs or drive down from Los Angeles or San Diego. But to avoid the cost and hassle of traveling back and forth every day, the best solution is to set up base at the north entrance along Hwy 62.
The only viable choices here are in the towns of Twentynine Palms and Joshua Tree. Within these two towns, the preferred choice for lodging is to be found in Twentynine Palms, on Inn Avenue. Since the early 1920s, the historic inns here have been open for travelers. For those in dire need of relief from the desert heat and grime, these inns offer Adobe bungalows and wooden cabins immune to the desert heat and cold nights, not to mention an oasis lagoon and poolside drinks under the cool shadow of swaying palm trees.
These accommodations are usually all quite well connected with poolside wireless internet and free use of computers. Rooms will have at least a queen bed and bathrooms with showers. Most guests will get a private patio to enjoy the desert view in the north and the mountains to the west.
With Twentynine Palms as the base, it's time to plan for how to get around and what to see and do. Moving around involves a vehicle, walking or biking. Most of the major attractions are accessible via ordinary vehicles, but some may need a 4 wheel drive (such as the Geology Tour Road).
Hiking is obviously a very popular activity among travelers vacationing in Joshua Tree National Park. There are 12 self guiding nature trails, including the 1.3 mile Barker Dam loop and the very popular 0.25 mile Keys View loop. The view from Keys View is spectacular, and on clear days visitors should be able to see Mexico from across the Salton Sea.
Regardless of how visitors choose to move around, a day spent here is bound to be extremely exhausting. At this stage, it's a tough job to have to drive back to a far-off destination. The smart travel planners will have a comfortable room waiting in an inn just outside the park entrance. They'll be sipping a cool drink by the pool while others will still be in their cars, struggling to reach a hotel that's still a long way off.
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Planning a trip to Joshua Tree National Park? Get the exclusive inside scoop on the best hotels in Twentynine Palms now in our comprehensive guide to top Joshua Tree hotels .
