National park day · California

Joshua Tree day trip

Joshua Tree Day Trip

A full day across Joshua Tree National Park from Palm Springs: in at the West Entrance, the Hidden Valley loop, the view from Keys View, Skull Rock, and the Cholla Cactus Garden, then out through Cottonwood or Twentynine Palms. There's an option to stay for the stars. It's planned around the park's real constraints: no food, fuel or water inside, almost no phone signal, and desert heat.

Time
9–10 hour day
Driving
About 4–4.5 hours of driving in total
Best time
October–April
Updated
$4 USD

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Silhouetted Joshua trees on a desert flat under a pink and purple sunset sky, with low mountains on the horizon
NPS / Emily Hassell · Public domain (National Park Service). December 2020 photograph of Joshua trees in Queen Valley, near Hidden Valley and Skull Rock; resized and displayed with crop.
Suggested times, not bookings

Your day at a glance

  • 8:00 amJoshua Tree Visitor Center and West Entrance
  • 8:45 amHidden Valley
  • 10:10 amKeys View
  • 11:20 amSkull Rock
  • 1:15 pmCholla Cactus Garden
  • 2:30 pmCottonwood Visitor Center and Cottonwood Spring
  • 3:30 pmReturn to Palm Springs
  • After darkStay for the stars
Highlights

Worth the trip

  • The rock-walled Hidden Valley loop among Joshua trees
  • Keys View over the Coachella Valley to Mount San Jacinto
  • A dense garden of teddybear cholla on the edge of the Pinto Basin

What’s in the guide

Matching HTML and PDF guides, detailed stop guidance, rules, practical pitfalls, a route map, Google Maps, Waze and Apple Maps links, weather alternatives and phone instructions. See an example guide →

Plan for the conditions

Expected seasonal weather

From October to April, days in the park are usually clear and dry, with humidity under 25%. Fall and spring highs typically run 70–85°F with lows around 50°F; winter highs are around 60°F, nights are near or below freezing, and snow occasionally dusts the higher ground. Strong winds can blow up at any season, and storms can cause sudden flash floods on park roads. The sun is strong even in winter. The higher western park (Hidden Valley, Keys View) is cooler than the low Pinto Basin and Cottonwood. Summers are dangerously hot, over 100°F. These are seasonal expectations, not a forecast for your travel date; check the NWS forecast the evening before and the morning of your trip.

Admission and parking are separate. Check current conditions before departure.

A good day, in the bag.

Your guides

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