Oasis Visitor's Center and other Joshua Tree National Park, CA Things to Do Tips

When you enter Joshua Tree from the northern side of the park, your first stop will be the Oasis Visitors Center.

The center is open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. This is the perfect place to spend some time looking at exhibits about Joshua Tree, browsing the gift shop and looking at maps of the park.

There is also a trail behind the visitors center. It loops around the small oasis and offers a lovely view of the mountains. Don't spend too much time here, though. The exciting stuff is still to come!

Before you leave the visitors center, make sure you're stocked up on water and snacks and have visited the restroom. Once you proceed into the park, there is no place to buy food or drinks and only a few restrooms.

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Directions: You can reach the Oasis Visitor's Center from the 62 freeway, past Twentynine Palms.

The campground at "Jumbo Rocks" is one of the first places you'll want to stop once you enter the National Park. Follow your map to the parking area. You'll see the giant rocks from a distance, but as you get closer, they don't look quite so intimidating. In fact, several of them are easy to climb. Scramble up to the top for a fantastic view of the desert and the Joshua Trees.

If you'd like to camp at Joshua Tree, this is one of the campground areas where you can stay.

--Photos to come--

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Directions: Take Park Blvd. into the park and follow your map to Jumbo Rocks.

Head toward the eastern section of Joshua Tree National Park and you'll find the Cholla Cactus Garden. These cacti are quite common in the eastern Colorado Desert portion of the park and tend to grow in big clumps. The Cholla Cactus Garden is just one such gathering of cacti.

From a distance, these impressive cacti look almost fuzzy. Up close, their long spines are definitely not touchable. Their impressive size and lovely green & brown colors make for great photos, though. At the Cactus Garden, you can stoll along a marked path and admire all the cacti.

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Directions: Off of Pinto Basin Road. Follow your map from either the Oasis Visitors Center or the Cottonwood Visitors Center.

Skull Rock is just what it sounds like: a rock that looks like a skull. You'll find it right alongside the road on Park Blvd. This is a popular stop for tourists in Joshua Tree National Park. The rocks here are very easy to climb, and you'll often see lots of children jumping from rock to rock.

You'll want to stop for a little while, climb around on the rocks and take some photos.

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Hidden Valley is my favorite area of Joshua Tree National Park. You can rockclimb, hike and camp here. It's a lovely section of the park.

There is a large parking lot at Hidden Valley, as well as restrooms. If you'd like to camp while visiting Joshua Tree, this is a very attractive place to do it. There are a large number of camping areas.

When you drive into Hidden Valley, you'll probably see rockclimbers working their way up the impressive rocks at the entrance. These aren't rocks you can climb without ropes, so you'll probably want to stay on the ground and watch the experienced climbers edge upwards.

Past the first set of rocks, you'll see the campground and several hiking trails leading off into the desert. This is a great place to stop and do some hiking. It's very quiet and beautiful once you get out on the trails. You'll be surrounded by Joshua Trees and all of the natural splendor of the park.

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Directions: Follow your map and proceed down Park Blvd.

Key's View is an excellent place to end your day at Joshua Tree National Park. It's one of the tallest peaks in the park (over 5,000 feet) and offers spectacular views of the valley and surrounding mountains.

Drive up to Key's View to watch the sun set. It's a popular area, so don't expect to be all alone. Once the sun begins to set, you'll have a spectacular view. Even on overcast days, it's a gorgeous sight!

It gets very cold up here around sunset, so you'll want to bundle up in a coat or blanket. Don't forget your camera-- this is a wonderful photo spot.

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Directions: Follow Park Blvd. all the way out to Key's View.