Joshua Tree National Park is an easy 3 hour drive east of Los Angeles, California.  With its unique trees and beautiful boulder strewn landscape, it provides a stunning desert experience.

The man from Nebraska and I looked at each other. A lone Joshua tree was in bloom in November when normally this never happened until February. We had hastened to the sight and found the tree with two flowers on top – not quite as spectacular as we had expected.

However little in this unusual park disappoints. Joshua Tree National Park is only 140 miles east of Los Angeles but offers a brilliant escape from the hurly burly of the city. At the conjunction of the Mojave and the Colorado deserts, it is famous for its Joshua trees, so called as they reminded Mormon pioneers of Joshua reaching out to heaven with his arms.

Although they can grow to 40 foot, they are not actually a tree at all, but a giant yucca. However their unique silhouettes and bushy profiles are very striking, particularly when outlined against the sky at dawn or dusk. Combine these with giant boulders and great rocky outcrops for a landscape that will take your breath away.

Places to Visit

There are three entrances to the park: at Cottonwood Spring to the south and by the towns of Joshua Tree and Twentynine Palms to the north. Each has a Visitor’s Centre – stop for some background info and a park map.

The main sites are easily accessible within a relatively small area to the north.  The walks to the Barker Dam and Hidden Valley are only about a mile long but offer superb scenery. The dam was built in the 1900’s to provide water for cattle and is an enchanting place nestled amidst the rocks. We were lucky enough to be there at sunset with marvellous autumnal colours reflected in the water but it is a peaceful spot at any time.

Hidden Valley was once used as a cattle rustlers hideout and it is easy to see why. A narrow approach leads to a small valley hemmed in on all sides by jumbled rocky crags. Today it is hard to visualize such land being suited to cattle but a hundred years ago the region enjoyed over twice the rainfall of today and provided good grazing.

In recent years, visitor numbers have shot up and apparently social media is to blame. The iconic site in the park is Skull Rock, conveniently situated about fifty feet off the road so perfect for any selfie.  Nearby the Split Rock two mile circuit offers a more varied stroll through the rocks.

Keys View is a short walk to an expansive viewpoint; on a good day it is possible to see all the way to Signal Mountain in Mexico but unfortunately the views can often be obscured by smog blowing in from Los Angeles.

A Home to Many

As many as four different Indian tribes made use of the area before the cattlemen and miners arrived in the 1870’s.  As one explores the park, it soon becomes apparent just what a busy place it once was. The Lost Horse Mine was one of the most productive gold and silver mines in the region between 1894 and 1931 and can be reached by a two mile undulating hike. Its 10 stamp mill is beautifully preserved though well fenced off.

The Desert Queen Mine followed in 1894 and when that ran out in 1917, it was claimed by the assayer William F. Keyes in lieu of unpaid wages. He bought another 155 acres in the area which became the Desert Queen Ranch.

Bill Keyes was a resourceful chap: not only did he persuade Frances Mae Lawton to marry him and live at the Desert Queen ranch in 1918, when a horse buggy trip to town took two days, but he created a home for them and seven children in the desert.

A house was built and added on to as necessary, often using reclaimed tin from the mines with railway tracks to hold the roof on. Water came from a dam above the house and a well and the hard ground around the house was dynamited to produce earth loose enough to be cultivated. An extensive garden and orchard were created.

Frances bore seven children of whom two died in infancy and one at twelve in an accident with the well mechanism. After Frances died in 1963, Bill lived alone until his death in 1969 at the age of 89, at which point the homestead was fully incorporated into the park.

And so it remains today in a state of ‘arrested decay’, a time capsule from a simpler time. It is well worth a visit: not only is the story of the family a fantastic tale of endurance but Bill was somewhat of a hoarder and today the property is still surrounded by a fascinating assortment of rusty automobile carcasses, heaps of bolts, tin and wood and bits of mining equipment.

The mine and stamping battery are nearby, an easy one mile flat walk. En route, you pass the place where Bill killed his neighbour in a shootout in 1943, serving five years in prison before been pardoned. Wandering close to the rocky escarpment I found another abandoned car and the remains of a pink house from 1939 – maybe this belonged to the unfortunate man.

On the Edges

There are other longer hiking options in the park, including Ryan’s Mountain for great views and the 8 mile Boy Scout Trail which leads through the Wonderland of Rocks. This starts at Indian Cove which is a good place to appreciate the rocky nature of the park. It is a popular spot with rock climbers, along with the Hidden Valley area, who come to test themselves on some of the 8000 climbing routes in the park. My husband went off for an enjoyable day with Vertical Adventures Rock Climbing School who offer a variety of courses.

The only accommodation option in the park is one of the scenic campsites which will really allow you to appreciate the beauty of the desert skies at night in total silence. All are lovely, often nestling under huge boulders, or amidst the Joshua trees, though I prefer the central Hidden Valley or the quiet Belle. There is no water or food available within the park.

Nearby towns are the usual long American sprawl with a wide range of motel accommodation. The Sacred Sands B&B in Joshua Tree offers a more romantic high end treat for couples. For dining out in Joshua Tree, the Crossroads Café is a good option and Edchadas in Twentynine Palms has great Mexican food and margaritas.

NOTES

Park fees are $30, valid for 7 days.  Campsites – $15-20 – can be booked here though Hidden Valley, Belle, White tank and Ryan are turn up only.  The Desert Queen Ranch tour lasts for 90 minutes and must be booked ahead, $10.

Joshua Tree National Park