Day One

Leave LA by 8 AM and grab lunch at Grnd Sqrl

• Diners love their burgers, wraps, and salads
• Located at 73471 Twentynine Palms Highway in Yucca Valley
• Open everyday · 11 AM to 9 PM; Sundays they close at 6 PM
• Last pit stop · 76 - 61920 Twentynine Palms Highway in Joshua Tree
• Nearest grocery store · Vons - 57590 Twentynine Palms Highway in Yucca Valley

Check in and settle in at Indian Cove Campground

• Set up camp, wander around the campground, and relax

Scramble up Rattlesnake Canyon

• The canyon is a five minute drive or 1.5 mile hike from camp
• This is a 1.5 mile long choose your own adventure. There isn't a trail or signs so explore the rocks for as long as you'd like.
• Check out Weekend Sherpa's rundown of the canyon.
• Head down before it gets dark!

Cook up dinner and s'mores

• Prep dinner, s'mores, and enjoy an evening of drinking and stargazing around the campfire

JTNP was originally declared a national monument in 1936, and only became a national park in 1994, thanks to the California Desert Protection Act.

Day Two

Catch the sunrise on Ryan Mountain

• It's a 40-minute drive to the trailhead
• This is a 3 mile round-trip hike with 1,069 feet of elevation gain
• Bring at least 1L of water, a jacket, beanie, and headlamp. The desert is nippy in the morning!

Return to camp for brekkie

Day hike at Fortynine Palms Oasis Trail

• The trailhead is a 15-minute drive from camp
• This is a 3 mile round-trip hike with 636 feet of elevation gain
• Bring at least 1L of water, sunhat, sunscreen, and snacks!

Return to camp for a late lunch‍

Sunset hike to Willow Hole

• The Boy Scout Trail trailhead is a 35-minute drive from camp
• This is a 7.2 mile round-trip hike with 242 feet of elevation gain
• Bring at least 1L of water (and have some extra water in the car), sunhat, sunscreen, headlamp, jacket and snacks!
• The first 2.5 miles features stunning views of the desert and distant mountains. The second half ventures into the Wonderland of Rocks, a labyrinth of cliffs, and has some light canyoneering.
• Watch the sunset from a canyon perch and use your headlamp for the hike back to the car

Cook up dinner and s'mores

• Stargaze and enjoy your last night at Joshua Tree National Park

For thousands of years, the Chemehuevi, Serrano, and Cahuilla tribes regularly lived the high desert, canyons, and caves.

Day Three

‍

Sunrise summit on Inspiration Peak

• The trailhead is a 45-minute drive to camp
• It's a 1.9 mile round-trip hike with 669 feet of elevation gain
• Bring at least 1L of water, a jacket, beanie, and headlamp. The desert is chilly in the morning!

Pack up and check out before noon

• Cook up brekkie, clean up around camp, and throw away any random pieces of litter

Swing by Noah Purifoy Outdoor Desert Art Museum

‍Grab lunch at Yucca Valley Outpost

Head home!

Joshua trees are technically stemless succulents, not trees! The tallest Joshua Tree in the park is about 43 feet high in Queen Valley forest and is estimated to be around 960 years old.