Joshua Tree National Park is named after the Joshua Trees that are native to this part of the Mojave Desert (the park also includes the lower Colorado Desert). They were named because of their unique shape, which looked like Joshua with his arms up to heaven.
The ‘trees’ are definitely unique and interesting, but there is much more to the park than just Joshua Trees. There are many varieties of cacti, incredible rock formations, beautiful oases, abandoned historic mines with decaying vehicles, stunning mountain views and much more.
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Joshua Tree National Park at a Glance
⭐ State: California
⭐ Main attractions: Joshua trees, cacti, rock formations, oases, abandoned historic sites (mines)
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Joshua Tree National Park Travel Guide
Planning a trip to Joshua Tree National Park can be overwhelming – but it doesn’t have to be. Use this Joshua Tree National Park guide for all your trip planning. Click on the links below to go to detailed guides and answers to your questions.
How to Plan a Trip to Joshua Tree National Park
Here are my top travel tips for Joshua Tree National Park
This guide will help you with what you should AVOID doing when you plan a trip to Joshua Tree National Park.
Entrance Fee for Joshua Tree National Park
There is an entrance fee for the park. Find the latest fees on the NPS website.
To avoid long lines and save money, if you are planning to visit more than just Joshua Tree this year, it can be great value to purchase an America The Beautiful pass.
The one-year pass includes standard entrance at all sites managed by the National Park Service, Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and Army Corps of Engineers. The pass covers the entrance fee for a driver and all passengers in a personal vehicle or up to 4 adults at sites that charge per person.
Get an America The Beautiful pass here
There are other types of passes available for seniors, veterans, etc.
Read More: NATIONAL PARKS PASSES
Joshua Tree National Park Visitor Centers
There are several Visitor Centers.
ℹ️ The Joshua Tree Visitor Center is located in downtown Joshua Tree five miles from the West Entrance. It’s open all year.
ℹ️ The Cottonwood Visitor Center is located on Pinto Basin Road, approximately 7 miles north of Interstate 10 (exit 168) and is convenient for the south entrance. It’s open all year.
ℹ️ The Joshua Tree National Park Visitor Center is located in downtown Twentynine Palms. It’s open all year.
ℹ️ The Black Rock Nature Center is located in the Black Rock Campground. It’s open year-round except for Juneteenth (June 19) and Independence Day (July 4) and is closed for an hour from 11 am to 12 pm each day.
Best Tours of Joshua Tree National Park
🎧 Get a self-guided audio tour of Joshua Tree National Park
Best Hikes in Joshua Tree National Park
There are some really great hikes, ranging from very easy to challenging.
Read More: BEST HIKES IN JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK
Where to Stay In and Near Joshua Tree National Park
⛺ There are nine campgrounds inside Joshua Tree National Park.
⛺ There are also a number of options for camping outside of the park.
🛏️ There are no lodgings inside the national park.
🛏️ However, there are plenty of options nearby. The main gateway towns/ villages for Joshua Tree National Park are Palm Springs, Twentynine Palms, Joshua Tree and Indio.
The are plenty of vacation rentals in the desert surrounding the national park.
Read More: BEST VACATION RENTALS JOSHUA TREE
➡️ Find a hotel near Joshua Tree National Park on Expedia.
➡️ Find more vacation rentals near Joshua Tree National Park on VRBO.
How to Get To Joshua Tree National Park
The most common ways to get to Joshua Tree National Park are to drive or fly to a nearby airport and pick up a rental car there.
Read More: HOW TO GET TO JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK
🚗 If you need a rental car, find one on RentalsCars.com
✈️ If you’re looking for a flight, find a good deal on Skyscanner
The Nearest Airports to Joshua Tree National Park
See all the airports near Joshua Tree National Park with the pros and cons of each of them.
This is the closest airport to Joshua Tree National Park.
Read More: CLOSEST AIRPORT TO JOSHUA NATIONAL PARK
✈️ If you’re looking for flights, use Skyscanner to scan the Internet for the cheapest deals.
How to Get Around Joshua Tree National Park
There are no shuttles in Joshua Tree National Park, so the only way to get around is to have your own vehicle or take a tour. The main roads are paved and there are no restrictions on RVs and trailers on these roads.
🚗 If you need a rental car, find one on RentalsCars.com
The Best Time to Visit Joshua Tree National Park
The park is open all year.
A quick summary of the best time to visit the national park for different interests and priorities.
Read More: BEST TIME TO VISIT JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK
Take a look at what the park’s like in each season and month to help you decide when to visit Joshua Tree National Park.
Read More: VISITING JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
How Long to Spend in Joshua Tree National Park
How many days you should go to Joshua Tree National Park for depends on when you have time off, how much time you have, your budget, and your interests. However, I recommend at least two days in the park if you like hiking, though you could easily spend longer.
Travel Insurance for Joshua Tree National Park
In addition to working out the logistics of your trip using this travel guide, Joshua Tree National Park planning should also include travel insurance. Protect yourself against trip cancellation, loss or theft of your property, or any medical emergencies.
A great insurance option is Travelex. It has coverage for all you’ll need. You can compare Travel Insurance plans here or get a quote right now:
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About the Author
James Ian has traveled to 82 countries and all 7 continents. He has visited all of the main national parks in the United States, as well as many national monuments and state parks.
He has rafted through the Grand Canyon; rappelled down slot canyons near Zion and Arches; hiked among the hoodoos in Bryce and the enormous trees in Sequoia; admired the waterfalls in Yosemite and the colored hot springs in Yellowstone; seen moose in Grand Tetons and seals in the Channel Islands, and much more.