Planning a trip to Joshua Tree National Park?
David and I packed up the car and made our way to Cali! In this post, I’ll tell you how to make the most out of only ONE day in Joshua Tree National Park. Let’s go!
Park Details
Joshua Tree National Park is located in southern California and is known for its twisty trees called Joshua Trees. The park is located between the Colorado Desert and the Mojave Desert and is home to 813 higher plant species, 46 reptile species, 57 mammal species, and over 250 bird species.
*Fun fact: According to legend, the Joshua Tree got its name from the Mormon pioneers, who considered the limbs of the Joshua Trees to resemble the upstretched arms of Joshua, leading them to the promised land.
Reservations aren’t required for the park and its open 24/7, however, you are typically asked to pay an entrance fee. My husband and I purchased an Annual Park Pass for $80 which is good for the year! It was well worth it because we went in and out of the park multiple times per day and planned multiple NP trips this year. Otherwise, entry fees vary per park but I believe it ranges from ~$15-$35. Just check ahead of time!
You will need to bring all your own gear into the park, as there aren’t any gas stations, hotels, restaurants, or grocery stores once you’re inside. You will also need to bring water and any other supplies you may think you’ll need, depending on your itinerary. Here’s what we brought with us for one day at the park:
- Backpack (regular, school-sized)
- 40 oz water bottles for each of us
- Snacks: pretzels, turkey jerky, nuts, Belvita cookies, Liquid IV packs, and PB&J sandwiches
- First Aid Kit
- Chapstick (it’s windy AF)
- Extra jacket for the morning and evening as it gets cooler
- Map (highly recommend because you don’t have service in the park! You can get a map at the entrance)
Per the park’s website, the only trail you can bring your pet on is the paved Oasis of Mara trail. Otherwise, pets are not allowed on trails, although you can walk them on dirt roads or through the campgrounds.
Accommodations
We booked an Airbnb in Twentynine Palms. I wish we could’ve stayed longer to enjoy this beautiful house. It had a gorgeous outdoor rock soaking tub where we could watch the sunset and the space itself was the perfect vibe for a desert getaway. As a bonus, it’s pet-friendly! We brought our pup with us and he LOVED the fenced-in yard.
Day 1
High Desert Climbing Excursion
Instead of taking the traditional route in Joshua Tree, my husband proposed a rock climbing excursion. At first I was like “hell no” – this will be my worst fear coming true: falling to my death from a rope 100 ft in the air [yes…I know I’m dramatic]. But he said the excursion is tailored to the group AND it would be just us and our guide.
The meeting point at Quail Springs Picnic Area was about 40 minutes from our Airbnb – mainly because you’re driving through the park and you have to drive slower – so we left around 7AM to arrive at our 8am start time.
Once there, we met our guide, Matt, who gave us our climbing gear and went over some safety rules and common phrases used in rock climbing.
The listing on Airbnb covers what to bring with you for the trip, but here’s what we brought:
- water bottles
- snacks
- extra jacket in case it got cold
One thing I loved about this experience was that it was tailored specifically to us! I’ve never rock climbed in my life and neither has my husband. Our guide was so knowledgeable and patient and made the experience memorable!
Our excursion was scheduled from 8 am-12 pm, but we cut it a bit short because, honestly, our arms and legs were toast after a while LOL. It was such a cool and unique experience and I would definitely recommend it if you want to do something a little different than the traditional hikes.
For the link to book our exact excursion click here.
AFTERNOON HIKES
After rock climbing, we returned to our Airbnb to eat a quick lunch and let our dog out. Then we went back to the park to get some hikes in before it got dark.
Our rock climbing guide recommended a few so we did those:
Hidden Valley Trail: 1-mile loop
Barker Dam Nature Trail: 1-mile loop
Both trails were easy and took us a little over 30 minutes each to complete. Both trails had beautiful views, but in my opinion, Barker Dam took the cake.
We drove by Skull Rock on the way out of the park. This is one of the more popular destinations in the park and was pretty crowded so we only stayed for about 5 minutes. You can also see skull rock from the road without having to get out of your car. However, if you have kids or want to just go sit on some huge rocks, it would be a great place to hang out for a bit!
Food
The night we arrived we ate at a restaurant downtown called Mara and let me tell you. – it. was. incredible.
I got the pork chops, and David and I split the Tiramisu for dessert. Visit this place! We made a reservation for 7 PM. I’m not sure if you always need a reservation – it was pretty empty when we got there but do it just in case 
There was soft, live music outside and you’re immersed in a relaxing atmosphere.
After our hikes, we drove to downtown Twentynine Palms for some dinner! We ate at Joshua Tree Saloon and Grill. We got there around 4:30 PM and it was already pretty busy so I’d recommend either getting there early or be prepared for a wait. They have a wide selection of menu items so there’s definitely something for everyone. I forgot to get a picture because we got to talking with our table neighbors, but David and I both got burgers and a side salad. I got the JT Cheeseburger and it was delicious!
Checkout day
We were scheduled to check out at 11am but we decided to get in one more short hike before heading out.
We opted for the Split Rock Trail, which was a 2-mile loop. Overall, the trail is pretty easy and mostly flat. There are some areas where you’re climbing over rocks or walking at more moderate inclines but it was a great hike! We got there at 8 AM and were the first on the trail so we were able to enjoy the cool, peaceful morning. It was a great way to end our trip!
Afterward, we picked up our dog at the Airbnb and hit up the Oasis of Mara Trail. This trail is outside of the park and was right down the road from where we stayed. It’s also the only dog-friendly trail
I loved our time at Joshua Tree and would recommend visiting this park! One thing I really liked is that most of the trails are relatively close together so you can get through multiple hikes in a day.
Have you been to Joshua Tree before? What other trails or experiences would you recommend?!
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