If you’re a working-class professional like most people, you might be looking to take a break from your hectic schedule and routine and go to an international tourist destination at least once a year.
If you’re thinking along those lines, we’ve got just the destination for you. The Joshua Tree National Park in California, USA. The Joshua Tree National Park has a lot of desertic flora (especially Joshua trees), hiking spots, oases, and picturesque areas.
It is the perfect holiday destination for young people, especially adrenaline junkies and hiking enthusiasts. In this article, we’re going to have a look at the top 10 things to do in Joshua Tree National Park as per the Joshua Tree hiking map. So, kindly read on to find out.
Specialties of the Joshua Tree National Park
The Joshua Tree National Park gets its name from the iconic Joshua Trees found in the park. These trees served as an inspiration for the Truffula trees mentioned in Dr. Seuss’s novel. The Joshua Tree National Park lies between the Colorado Desert and the Mojave Desert. It is home to a wide variety of reptiles, birds, rodents, and insects.
The Mojave Desert is on the west side of the Joshua Tree National Park and the Colorado Desert is on the east side of Joshua Tree National Park. Of these two deserts, the Mojave Desert is cooler, especially at night as it is at an elevation of 4,000 meters from the sea level. The Joshua Trees in the Mojave Desert get their moisture from the fog that descends on the desert at night.
Last but not least, the San Andreas Fault Line runs a few kilometers southwest of the Joshua Tree National Park. Fault Lines are formed deep beneath the Earth’s crust, just above the Earth’s mantle. They divide two or more continents.
The Joshua Tree National Park was open to the public on October 31st, 1994. Around 3 million people visited the park on that day making it the eighth most visited national park in the US. This national park is excellent for hiking especially if you have a Joshua Tree hiking map. The Joshua Tree National Park is spread out over 8,00,000 acres and has three main entrances.
Top 10 things to do in all trails Joshua Tree National Park, California, USA
Hiking
There are many hilly trails and mountain peaks in the Joshua National Park that you can hike if you are a hiking enthusiast. Some of the noteworthy mountain peaks and hilly trails in Joshua National Park are Arch Rock Trail, Cap Rock Nature Trail, Skull Rock Trail, Barker Dam Nature Trail, Warren Peak, Mastodon Peak, Forty Nine Palms, and Ryan Mountains.
Explore the Hidden Valley
The Hidden Valley is a valley between a lot of hillocks that have a lot of giant boulders and desertic plants. This valley can be explored by people of all ages as it is not at all steep. There is a dedicated picnic area in this valley with lots of barbeque grills. This is an ideal tourist spot for family vacations.
Visit the Keys Ranch
A couple with a husband named Bill and a wife named Frances had lived on the ranch about a century ago. The ranch is named after the husband’s surname ‘Keys’. The couple not only survived in the valley but raised five children in the valley by breeding their cattle and selling the mined metal ores found in their ranch.
The state government of California was so impressed by the couple’s skills and determination that they named their ranch after them and made their ranch a historical site after the couple’s deaths. It must be noted that the Keys Ranch is only open for tourists between October and May every year.
Enjoy panoramic views of the deserts from a hillock in the Keys Ranch
There is a hillock in the Keys Ranch not far from the couple’s home. You can trek it to get a panoramic and picturesque view of the surrounding deserts. The contrast of parched dark brown boulders and landscape against some snowy white peaks in the distance is quite beautiful and admirable.
See the Skull Rock in the Skull Rock Trail
The Skull Rock is truly a miracle of nature. We reckon it should be the eighth wonder of the world. What are the odds that a random boulder in the middle of a desert would be weathered enough to closely resemble the shape of a human skull? You must visit the Skull Rock in person to truly appreciate its wonder and eeriness.
See the Heart Rock in the Arch Rock Trail
This is another huge miracle of nature. What are the odds that a random boulder in the middle of a desert would be weathered enough to closely resemble the shape of a human heart? This rock figured in the movies ‘The Love Rock’ and ‘Whisper of the Heart (1995)’. You must visit the Heart Rock in person to truly appreciate its wonder and beauty.
See the Arch Rock on the Arch Rock Trail
The Arch Rock is another natural wonder in the Arch Rock Trail. As the name suggests, this rock looks just like an arch made out of bricks. It has two large sections on either side connected by an arched stone (part of the boulder) at the top. This rock is ideal for snapping selfies alone or with others and adding them to your best hikes in Joshua Tree Reddit and/or Instagram accounts.
Visit the Split Rock on the Split Rock Trail
The Split Rock is not as amazing or wonderful as the Heart Rock or the Skull Rock but it is still noteworthy enough to deserve a mention in our article. You can find this rock in the Split Rock Trail.
If you get a picture of yourself standing in front of the split or with one of your palms resting on either side of the split portions of the rock, it will look as if you emerged by splitting the rock, which will be a great picture to add to your best hikes in Joshua Tree Reddit and/or Instagram accounts.
Drive to the Eureka Peak
You’ll need an SUV to drive to this peak. To know about the current top 10 SUVs in the USA, kindly watch this YouTube video created by The Luxury Insider channel. The area around Eureka Peak is littered with beautiful Joshua trees. You can also get panoramic and picturesque views of the surrounding San Bernardino Peak and the Santa Rosa Peak from the Eureka Peak.
Stargaze from the Sky’s the Limit Observatory
The Sky’s Limit Observatory is located in the International Dark Sky Park, which is a part of the Joshua Tree National Park. There is also the beautiful Cholla Cactus Garden in the International Dark Sky Park.
From the observatory, you can get breathtaking views of our Milky Way galaxy. The night sky can also be observed from the open rooftops of luxury sedans or SUVs. Stargazing is best done on no-moon nights as the white light of the moon can glare your view of the stars.
It must be noted that the Sky’s Limit Observatory is only open to the public during fall and tickets for the Dark Sky Festival where people view the Milky Way galaxy from the observatory are sold well in advance.
Conclusion
Though the Joshua Tree National Park is better suited for young people, especially hiking enthusiasts, there are many areas with date palms, cactus plants, and Joshua trees that can be visited by people of all ages. In short, the Joshua Tree National Park has something to offer for everyone.
The amazing rocks like the Skull Rock, the Heart Rock, the Split Rock, and the Arch Rock will make your trip to the Joshua National Park worthwhile and fill you with wonder. Nature is after all full of beauty and surprises.
Selfies in front of these amazing rocks will surely attract a lot of views, likes, reactions, and user engagement in your best hikes in Joshua Tree Reddit, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter accounts.
Stargazing at night is another amazing activity that you can do at the Joshua Tree National Park. In conclusion, visiting the Joshua Tree National Park alone or with company will be worthwhile, will fill you with wonder and admiration for nature, and will immensely boost your social media profiles.
FAQs
- Which is the most prominent tourist attraction at the Joshua Tree National Park?
Observing our Milky Way galaxy from the Sky’s Limit Observatory, especially during the Dark Sky Festival is the top tourist attraction at the Joshua Tree National Park.
- Are there any rules to be followed in the Joshua Tree National Park?
Yes. Some of the major rules to be followed at the Joshua Tree National Park are as follows.
- If you’re planning to visit the park with your friends or family, your group’s size should not be more than six people (including children).
- Attaching lines to vegetation, including Joshua trees and junipers, is prohibited.
- There are separate fees for camping, visiting the Keys ranch, and Sky’s the Limit Observatory apart from the entrance fee.
- Camping fees must be paid within one hour of selecting a campsite.
- Littering anywhere in the park is prohibited and will attract a fine if violated.
- The Sky’s the Limit Observatory can only be visited during the fall for which tickets have to be bought in advance.
- Is the Joshua Tree National Park open 24/7?
Yes. The Joshua Tree National Park is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year. Visitors can drive in and out of the park at any time though the Sky’s the Limit Observatory is only open during the fall season.
- Is the Joshua Tree mentioned in the Bible?
There is no mention of the Joshua Tree in the Bible. The tree has been considered sacred because it resembles Joshua outstretching his arms in the Bible, praying to God to halt the sun’s movement and give his forces more time to fight by daylight. God not only stopped the sun but also unleashed a storm of hail and fire on the enemy, helping the Israelites to victory.
- What was the Joshua Tree called by the Native Americans long before European colonizers arrived in the US?
The Joshua Tree was known as the ‘Yucca Tree’ by the Native Americans long before European colonizers arrived in the US.
- Who founded the Joshua Tree National Park and when?
The Joshua Tree National Park was inaugurated by the US President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1936. It was considered a National Monument back then. It was accorded a ‘National Park’ status in 1994.
- Which tribe first inhabited the Joshua Tree National Park?
A tribe known as ‘Pinto Culture’ first inhabited the Joshua Tree National Park around 10,000 years ago!
