Cactus gardens, a skull-shaped rock, and those iconic trees

Now that temperatures are regularly dipping below the 100-degree mark, it will soon be safe to venture back into the Mojave Desert.  If your travels take you anywhere near Los Angeles, consider squeezing a day trip to family friendly Joshua Tree National Park into your itinerary.  It’s just 140 miles away, but a world apart.

While camping is always an option, we chose to stay in Palm Springs which is equidistant from two of the park’s three entrances.  We opted to drive 45 minutes to the Joshua Tree Visitor Center, wind our way through the park on Park Boulevard and Pinot Bason Road, and then pop out on the other side at the Cottonwood Visitor Center.  You could do the reverse too.

If you have just one day to spend in this desert oasis with your kids, here’s what you should do and see.

Grab your passports

Yes, your passports.  If your kids don’t already have National Park Passports, pick some up at the visitor center on your way in.    Then they can collect passport-style cancellation stamps and colorful commemorative stickers at every U.S. national park they visit for the rest of their lives.  I can’t think of a better souvenir.

Pack a lunch

There are no services in the park, so stop at a grocery store in Palm Springs, Morongo Valley, or Yucca Valley on your way to grab lunch, drinks, and—depending on the time of year—plenty of ice.  We recommend candy bars too, which can work wonders with reluctant little hikers.

Bring a lot more than you think you need, because the distances are long.  You could easily wind up having dinner (or at least appetizers) in the car too.

Hike to Barker Dam

As you drive to your first stop, you’ll begin to see hundreds of the wonderful trees for which the park is named—they’re even better up close.  Also, this is a mecca for rock climbers, so keep your eyes open for crazy people dangling from ropes.

If you don’t have a lot of time, we recommend the 1.5-mile loop trail at Barker Dam for your hike.  It’s flat with lots of Joshua Trees to ogle and boulders to scramble on.  You might even get lucky and spot some Desert Bighorn Sheep and Mule Deer who often come down to the water to drink.  Keep an eye open for Native American petroglyphs on the west end of the loop.  It can get a little crowded here at midday, but with good reason.

Picnic at Skull Rock

The boulders around this uncanny rock formation located near the White Tank Campground on the main road are as good a place as any for lunch.  Even though Skull Rock is one of the headliners in the park, we looked for it for a long time before finally finding it.

If you’re having a hard time, follow the crowds and look for something tall and pointy and much bigger than you’re expecting (see photo at right).  This is easier said than done in this landscape of serpentine trails and massive boulders, but it’s well worth the effort.

Once you finally find Skull Rock and take some photos of your kids standing in its nostrils, spend some time scrambling over the boulders and admiring the wildflowers here—it’s one of the prettiest areas of the park.

Motor through the Cholla Cactus Garden

If your kids are anything like mine (which is to say, ungrateful brats), by this time they’re probably going to be pretty sick of rocks and gorgeous desert scenery.

That’s just fine because the Cholla Cactus Garden and the wonderful Ocotillo Patch that’s right beside it is right next to the road and can be viewed from the comfort of your car.

Signs everywhere warn you not to stop and they may actually have a point.  I’m sure a lot of people get rear-ended every year as drivers pay more attention to the otherworldly flora than the road.

September 2nd, 2010 | by Jamie Pearson 3 comments