Joshua Tree & Me

Third time’s the charm for me and Joshua Tree. My first two visits were very brief business trip excursions. Three hours in the park is really just a tease, it’s barely enough time to drive from one entrance to another. This time I had every intention of camping in the park because I just wanted to see the stars over these crazy Seussical trees. I didn’t wind up overnighting in Joshua Tree, but I got to explore Pioneertown and finally see the park after dark. If I find myself in the general area, I will always try to find my way there, it will never get old, and I will shout from every mountain top that if you can find a way, you should find yourself there for as long as you possibly can.

My first couple of trips were so fast, but I guess that saying about leaving them wanting more is true. I couldn’t wait to get back. Skull Rock is an iconic spot, and magic hour around the jumbo rocks is really beautiful. They say sunset is best at Keys View, but I’ve also heard amazing things about the magic hour in the Cholla Cactus Garden. I didn’t have the timing quite right, but I agree that the views aren’t to be missed, regardless of the time of day.

There are a couple different entrances to the park. I recommend starting at the Joshua Tree entrance because it has the best visitor’s center/gift shop. The Pioneertown entrance is part of an adorable hippy desert town originally built as a western movie set. There are some really cute shops and bars, so if you can make it there during opening hours, you’re golden. Your daily entrance fee allows in/out privileges, so feel free to pop out of the park for additional explorations and then head back in for the evening. Arriving on a Tuesday like I did, was a little less successful than I hoped. I thought the park would be empty, but the line to get in was longer than I’d ever seen it. I also didn’t realize the entrance towns would be pretty closed down. I was able to explore Hoof and the Horn (I’ll take one of everything) and had a prickly pear Arnold Palmer at Frontier Cafe, and that alone would be worth a revisit. I peeped in the windows of The END and Desert Omen, and would gladly plan a return trip to visit them too. Pretty much everything on the Joshua Tree side was closed, including the breweries I’d hoped to explore. So be sure to do a little google recon before you head that way.

I spent the day exploring favorite spots and discovering new ones. I took the uHaul down a very long bumpy dirt road to get to Barker Dam only to find that it didn’t have any water in it, and that the exit road was fully paved. So you should absolutely approach Barker Dam coming from the Hidden Valley trail and not from the Joshua Tree entrance like me. I’m pretty sure I rattled a few extra screws loose in my brain, but I laughed at the absurdity the entire time. With that said, even if there isn’t any water in the dam and you miss the iconic reflective shots, you should still do the mile loop walk. It’s totally worth the excursion. The light on the mountains, eagles in the valley, flowers in bloom, and varied vistas were worth it. I saw the moon AND the sun between the arms of the Joshua Trees and it made my heart swell about 10K times its normal size.

There are several reservation campgrounds and a couple of first come first served campgrounds, and somehow I missed them all. I had a spot at the start of the park but needed to be closer to the other exit for my conference call the next day, but by the time I got there it was all full. It was also surprisingly cold last week, so huddling in a box truck I couldn’t lock or secure the door to in subfreezing temps just didn’t sound all that appealing when there was a perfectly comfortable bed waiting for me 45 minutes away. I definitely suggest making a reservation if you can, otherwise come in from the Pioneertown entrance and head straight to the Hidden Valley camp ground and grab a reservation slip from the pay station at the campground entrance. I hung out in the Hidden Valley Recreational center to watch the sunset over the giant rocks and old growth trees. It had the best blend of the unique attributes of the park. I can’t believe night mode allowed me to capture a couple of photos of the valley in the moonlight with stars blazing overhead, but nothing compares to seeing it with your own two eyes. Vincent Van Gogh’s quote, “I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream,” has always moved me. These stars struck me with the same force as the quote. The tagline “Half the park is after dark” isn’t just good marketing. You can take stargazing tours, and if you aren’t as close to a full moon as I was, you can see the Milky Way. I’m thinking about going back this summer after my sit in Denver just to try to see it during the prime viewing window.

I am not outdoorsy, there is a lot of stuff that can kill you in a park this big, and I’m pretty prone to accident/injury. But like every other part of this adventure, it’s all about evaluating the risk and doing things that scare me. This one is totally worth it. Through this crazy journey of mine, I’ve learned that I’m capable of so much more than I’ve ever given myself credit for. That doing the scary things pays off in dividends that ripple through your life. I’m testing my boundaries, learning new skills, and spreading my wings. It feels so much better than the years I spent feeling stuck. I do my best thinking, dreaming, and living in beautiful places, and this one is pretty spectacular and special. Joshua Tree means the world to me, and I hope you find your way there sooner rather than later. Fair warning, one visit won’t ever be enough.