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AutoCamp Joshua Tree
4-star hotel classJoshua Tree · Joshua Tree · $$$
Best for: Couples, park trips, design lovers
Day tripJoshua Tree National Park, boulders, dark skies, high desert.
Joshua Tree, California
National park day trip an hour north
Joshua Tree is the high-desert town at the north entrance to Joshua Tree National Park, about an hour from Palm Springs and 2,000 feet higher. It is cooler, stranger and considerably more rustic than the Coachella Valley - a landscape of granite boulders, twisted yuccas, homesteader cabins and a small main street of galleries, thrift stores and one very good saloon.
Visiting Joshua Tree?
Enter your dates and we'll help plan the trip — hotels, events during your stay and what to do nearby.
The park
Joshua Tree National Park covers nearly 800,000 acres across the meeting point of the Mojave and Colorado deserts. The west entrance sits at the town's edge, five minutes from Highway 62. Hidden Valley, Barker Dam, Skull Rock and Keys View are all within the first forty minutes of driving; Cholla Cactus Garden and the Colorado Desert lowlands sit further south toward the Cottonwood entrance. There is no gas, food or reliable cell service inside the park.
The town
Downtown Joshua Tree is a few blocks: the Joshua Tree Saloon, the Natural Sisters cafe, a handful of galleries and rock shops, and the outfitters that rent climbing gear and run guided routes. Pioneertown and Pappy and Harriet's are twenty minutes west up a winding road, and are worth the drive for live music.
Where to stay
Motels and small inns on Highway 62, a growing set of design-forward camps and cabins, and hundreds of homesteader-cabin rentals scattered across the surrounding acreage. Rentals dominate; book weekends far ahead, especially October through April and on full-moon nights.
Climate and timing
Because of the elevation, Joshua Tree runs 10 to 15 degrees cooler than Palm Springs year-round and can freeze in winter. Spring wildflowers and autumn are ideal; summer days are still very hot but nights are tolerable.
Where to stay
Joshua Tree hotels
Food & drink
Where to eat in Joshua Tree
Joshua Tree Saloon
American · Joshua Tree · $$
Burgers, cold beer and live music a mile from the park entrance. Joshua Tree Saloon is an American spot in Joshua Tree. Prices sit in the mid range. Served here: breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner. There is a patio. Kids are comfortable here. Best for post-hike burger and beer.
PatioBrunch
Natural Sisters Cafe
Vegetarian · Joshua Tree · $
Vegetarian cafe for breakfast burritos, smoothies and trail-ready sandwiches. Natural Sisters Cafe is a Vegetarian spot in Joshua Tree. Prices sit in the budget range — easy for a quick, cheap meal. Served here: breakfast, brunch, lunch. There is a patio. Kids are comfortable here. Best for breakfast before the park.
PatioBrunch
Joshua Tree Coffee Company
Cafe · Joshua Tree · $
Small-batch roaster and walk-up coffee bar on the way to the park. Joshua Tree Coffee Company is a Cafe spot in Joshua Tree. Prices sit in the budget range — easy for a quick, cheap meal. Worth knowing: coffee, roaster, patio. Served here: breakfast. Hours: Daily 7am-4pm. There is a patio. Kids are comfortable here. Dogs are welcome on the patio. Best for coffee before the park.
PatioDog friendly
Crossroads Cafe
American · Joshua Tree · $$
The climbers' canteen: big breakfasts, veggie-heavy plates and a permanent queue on weekends. Crossroads Cafe is an American spot in Joshua Tree. Prices sit in the mid range. Served here: breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner. There is a patio. Kids are comfortable here. Best for breakfast before the park.
PatioBrunch
La Copine
Californian · Flamingo Heights · $$$
A cult high-desert restaurant in a converted roadside building, with a short seasonal menu. La Copine is a Californian spot in Flamingo Heights, Joshua Tree. Prices sit in the upper-mid range. Served here: brunch, lunch, dinner. There is a patio. Best for destination lunch, date night.
PatioBrunch
Things to do
Sights and activities in Joshua Tree
Attractions
Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree · $30 per vehicle, 7 days
Arts
The Integratron
Joshua Tree · Sound baths from around $45
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Hiking
Ryan Mountain Trail
Joshua Tree · Joshua Tree National Park entrance fee
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Hiking
Fortynine Palms Oasis Trail
Joshua Tree · Joshua Tree National Park entrance fee
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Hiking
Barker Dam Trail
Joshua Tree · Joshua Tree National Park entrance fee
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Hiking
Lost Palms Oasis Trail
Joshua Tree · Joshua Tree National Park entrance fee
Neighborhoods
Where to base yourself in Joshua Tree
- Joshua Tree Village
- The compact commercial hub near Joshua Tree National Park’s west entrance, with cafes, shops and outfitters.
Guides
Joshua Tree guides
Where to Stay for Joshua Tree Stargazing: Hotels vs. Desert Lodging
Choose your base for a night-sky trip without confusing an outside-the-park hotel with an approved stargazing spot.
Where to Stay in Joshua Tree
Airstreams, a 1950s motel and the inn with the Gram Parsons room
Joshua Tree Day Trip From Palm Springs
How to do the park in a day without wasting it
Where to Eat in Joshua Tree
A roadhouse, a coffee roaster and one very good restaurant in the middle of nowhere
Events email
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