Camping in Joshua Tree: Best Hikes and Stargazing

Joshua Tree National Park, California

It wasn’t until recently that Joshua Tree was actually a location to me and not just the name of a well worn U2 album. The Rufus du Sol Live video featuring the amazing landscape and varied desert flora called to me. It’s no surprise that many climbers also make use of the surrounding geography, pitching their tents feet away from their next ascents.

Plan your visit with a few things in mind; the high density of visitors during tourist season, the extreme desert temperatures, and the spring bloom of desert cacti. According to the National Park’s website, the busy season is half the year, running from October through May. The cooler temperatures make being in this unforgiving environment more bearable, especially since shade is hard to come by. Over 2.8 million visitors come through the park each year, so for a better visit, plan around the crowds. Hit the visitor center on the way in at the Twenty-Nine Palms entrance and grab information on hikes and routes to guide you through the park and help plan your visit. Be sure to stop at the Hidden Valley Campground while you’re here to watch the climbers or partake in some bouldering yourself with the help of a guide.

Looking for a quick and easy hike? Then the Barker Dam Trail at the end of Barker Dam Road checks lots of boxes. This relatively flat 1.1 mile loop has you leave the parking lot and wind through bouldery passages on your way to standing freshwater hidden within the valley. You will happen upon a variety of plant species dotting the Mojave Desert, including Pancake Cactus, Clematis, and light pink pom-poms of Mule-fat. Be sure to lather up with sunscreen, don a hat, and take plenty of fluids with you.

If you are willing to brave the swell of desert dwellers, shoot for a spring encounter when the prickly desert gives way to soft bright blooms attracting pollinators, both day and night. When the sun drops beneath the desert floor, it’s time to take in the night sky, one of the things that puts Joshua Tree on the radar of many astronomy enthusiasts. Looking for a star party? Check out the website for the Sky’s the Limit Observatory to find the best opportunities, and remember to be considerate when entering the site, as bright headlights and other lit objects take away from the overall experience of everyone who has gathered there.

Consider investing in a red light headlamp or flashlight, or download a red flashlight app for your phone before heading out. We were lucky enough to have a clear night to see the Orion Nebula through the telescope, and learn a lot about our solar system by walking through the orrery. Don’t know what an orrery is? Neither did I. It’s a scaled model of the solar system, showing you the relative size of the planets, the distances between them, and the angle of their orbits.

Heading out of the park and back into Palm Springs, you will find The Rib Co., where they barbecue ribs and chicken over an open flame on the front patio and serve them up with an incredibly smokey, tangy sauce so addictive that I asked for some extra to go so that I could try to replicate it at home. Good people, great service, and healthy portions definitely have them living up to their claim of being “the best little rib house in the desert”.

Where to eat: Stop in at The Rib Co. for some of the tastiest bbq smothered in their house made smoky sauce. Afterwards, cross the street to CVS to take the time to pick out your ice cream at their full size Thrifty counter. Double Chocolate Malted Crunch? Yes, indeed.

Where to stay: There are not many hotels in the area, so you may want to look into renting a private property near the park. We stayed in Palm Desert, but it made for a long drive to and from Joshua Tree.