I’ll admit, Joshua Tree wasn’t even in my top 20 parks to visit when I started creating my grand wish list years ago. The one person I knew who’d been there had nary a good thing to say about it. I’m pretty sure the description was “a bunch of big, boring, brown rocks in a big, boring, brown desert.” Since nothing piques my curiosity more than brown and boring, I decided to see for myself. My husband and I spent two weeks traveling from Phoenix, AZ to Yosemite National Park in May 2024, and Joshua Tree was our first stop. Here’s how we started our far from boring two days in Joshua Tree National Park.
Let’s Get To It
We entered the park from Highway 10 at the Cottonwood Spring entrance. As usual, we started at the sign. You can’t go to a National Park and not get a photo with the sign! There are rules, people.
Next stop, the visitor center. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to stop by a visitor center before you start exploring any national park. You can get some very valuable information there- maps for starters. Also, park rangers can give you information about road and trail closures, wildlife warnings, and best times to visit specific sites. All stuff you need to know. You can find restrooms (ADA accessible) and a water bottle filling station there, too.
Speaking of Water…
You can never have too much water in the desert. In fact, I would take at least one extra gallon jug to leave in your vehicle. Make sure you refill your water every chance you get, too. Keep in mind, if you (heaven forbid) have car trouble, it may be quite a while for a park ranger to reach you.
You don’t want to be stuck in a hot, dry desert without water. While we were in the visitor center, rangers were arranging a rescue for a group with car trouble, no food, and no water. Don’t be those people.
I scout water bottle filling stations before I ever get to the parks by studying online maps. Never rely on all stations to be in working order, though. We’ve been in several parks with stations temporarily unavailable. You can find Joshua Tree’s water bottle filling station locations on the park’s FAQ page.
“They (Joshua trees) serve as a metaphor for the human spirit, reminding us to never give up in the face of adversity.”– Ralph Waldo Emerson
Cottonwood Spring Trail
Cottonwood Spring Trail is a .1 mile long, flat walk making it a good choice for people with small children or people who aren’t able to walk for long distances. We really enjoyed this introductory trail. There are a number of palm oases in the park, but this is one of the easiest to access. I wouldn’t plan to spend more than 30 minutes here unless you take lots of photos like I do.
How are these giant palms surviving in a desert? They are watered by a spring. This spring has seen a lot of action throughout history. As you can imagine, any place in a desert with the reputations of having a reliable water source is going to be popular for humans and animals, alike. You can learn more about the history of the area on the park’s website.
We saw some beautiful wildflowers growing right on the trail, as well as some of my favorite desert beauties- ocotillo cacti. Small lizards were scampering all over the place and we heard a symphony of birds and bees in the palms. Cottonwood Spring is known as a prime birding spot, so get your binoculars ready!
From Cottonwood Spring Trail, you are able to access the 3-mile Mastadon Peak and 8-mile Lost Palm Oasis trails if you’re ready to kick your hiking into gear. Those are on my “next time” list, for sure!
Now, let’s head to Cholla Cactus Garden!
Cholla Cactus Garden
Look for the Cholla (pronounced “choya”) Cactus Garden on the left side of Pinto Basin Road as you head north from Cottonwood Spring. The best time to see the garden is at sunset when you can see the cholla spines take on a yellow glow. At least, that’s what hundreds of people have said. I wouldn’t know for sure, because we were there about 4 hours earlier than sunset. The views were still stunning.
We walked the .25 mile loop stopping for just a few photos, but if you’ve never seen chollas, this is a place you may want to stay a little while. Let me warn you about these little cholla boogers, though. They might be cute, but they are not friendly! Cholla aren’t nicknamed “jumping cactus” for no reason.
A long time ago, in a land far away (Arizona), we saw a cholla garden on the side of a road.
We pulled over so I could see the “adorable, fuzzy bushes” up close. Really, that’s what I said.
I just thought I’d see what they felt like. Slowly, I reached out my hand, and Mary, Mother of Jesus did I regret it! I barely, and I mean barely, touched it. The pain was indescribable. Turns out they aren’t fuzzy at all. Not even a little bit.
Just so you know, cholla spines are almost impossible to remove by hand. They are hard to see and have a barb on the end that refuses to let go without a fight- those pricks! Not knowing the risk, I tried pulling them out using my fingernails- a valiant, but stupid effort. I ended up sticking every other finger before I realized there wasn’t a thing I could do but suffer through it. I used tweezers back at the hotel to remove what I could, but my hands stayed red and irritated for the rest of our trip. I’ve kept tweezers in my backpack ever since. I suggest you do the same!
P.S.- This is why you should NEVER expose your pets to cholla.
I love that Joshua Tree staff created this “hospital” post at the trailhead for sticky situations. Needle nose pliers- GENIUS!
Now, on to check-in at the motel and grab dinner!
Ramsey 29
We looked for a budget-friendly place to stay in Twentynine Palms, and Ramsey 29 fit the bill perfectly. The motel is a locally owned charmer with a history pre-dating WWII.
The current owner is re-designing all of the rooms in a modern style that still pays homage to the motel’s vintage roots. It’s creative, cozy, and memorable which is exactly what we look for when choosing lodging. The fact it’s literally right next to the Joshua Tree National Park entrance was also a huge selling point!
We chose one of the regular room options, Room Number 3, but there are suites available. I recommend a suite if you like to hang out in your room during the day, or if you plan to stay more than a couple of nights. Space is at such a premium here. Room 3 was perfect for our needs, though. It was a welcoming place to crash after our jam-packed days in the park.
One of the coolest things about this motel is the funky, eclectic courtyard hidden behind it. Complete with firepit, plenty of seating, lawn games, and lots of interesting cacti, it is pure desert whimsy! The courtyard serves as the connector between the motel and Kitchen in the Desert, a restaurant on property. We’d already eaten dinner by the time we discovered the courtyard and restaurant, but we’ll absolutely be eating there if we’re ever back in the area. What a perfect place to chill in the evening with a cocktail. I hear Kitchen in the Desert has some good libations!
By the way, Ramsey 29 is dangerously close to Jelly Donut which has delicious old-fashioneds and maple bars. Definitely check it out one morning!
*Note: I’m not sure about all of the rooms, but I know when we visited in May 2024, there wasn’t an in-room coffee pot available. It wasn’t that big of a deal for me, because I love McDonald’s coffee and McDonald’s is practically next door to Ramsey 29. I know how some people are about their coffee, though. Just a head’s up.
GRND SQRL
An unassuming little place in downtown Twentynine Palms, GRND SQRL lived up to its hype. We were lucky to be there on a night when live music was offered. (Check out GRND SQRL’s calendar online.) The menu here isn’t extensive, but it should accommodate just about anyone’s tastes. From our experience and from others I’ve read, you should expect a little bit of a wait on your meal. We both agreed the food was so tasty, it was worth our 20-minute wait. If you’re into craft beer, GRND SQRL has you covered, so just enjoy one or two while you’re waiting on your food.
I had the Dank House Salad which sounds off-putting- like your grandma’s basement- but it was fantastic! The beets, blue cheese, brussel sprouts, apples, candied walnuts, and bacon were such a flavor punch in the mouth. Yum! I could barely eat it all. For $13, I thought it was a very good value. My husband enjoyed his burger (of the plain-old cheese variety), and the truffle fries were everything I hoped. GRND SQRL = winner!
Stargazing
After dinner, we headed back to the park to try some stargazing. My husband always wants to see the stars when we go to “dark sky parks” (Joshua Tree is one). We’re hoping the day will come when I’ll know my ISO from a hole in the ground and take a proper celestial picture. We’ve got the necessities- red flashlight, tripod, willpower. I just don’t have the camera skills. Like the stars, my Sony camera is way over my head!
I encourage you to go out at least one night and wish upon some stars in Joshua Tree National Park. You will most likely see the Milky Way, and that’s a dream come true no matter how many times you’ve seen it. For professional tips on astrophotography in Joshua Tree National Park, click HERE.
From The Library
For this trip I relied heavily on the book On Foot in Joshua Tree National Park purchased from Thriftbooks. I got lucky with this used copy. The former owner made notes next to the trails he hiked which helped me decide which ones I wanted to do.