Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [246]
There are three roads into the park. The most commonly used is the West Entrance Station, on Park Boulevard in the town of Joshua Tree along Calif. 62. The North Entrance Station at the end of Utah Trail in the town of Twentynine Palms, on Calif. 62, 40 miles north of its junction with I-10, is also a popular gateway to the park. On the southern side of the park is the Cottonwood Visitor Center, about 40 miles east of Palm Springs along I-10.
The Nearest Airport. The closest airport is the Palm Springs International Airport, 3400 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way (☎ 760/318-3800). Alaska, American, America West, Continental, Delta/Skywest, and United fly here, and Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, and Hertz rent cars. See the appendix (p. 660) for their toll-free phone numbers.
INFORMATION
Contact Joshua Tree National Park, 74485 National Park Dr., Twentynine Palms, CA 92277 (☎ 760/367-5500; www.nps.gov/jotr). A terrific website with abundant info on the park and surrounding communities is www.desert gold.com.
In addition to the complimentary newspaper-style Joshua Tree Guide, published by the Joshua Tree National Park Association, the following publications might prove helpful: Robert Cates's Joshua Tree National Park: A Visitors Guide (Chatsworth, California: Live Oak Press, 1984), and John Krist's 50 Best Short Hikes in California Deserts (Berkeley: Wilderness Press, 1995). Order them from the Joshua Tree National Park Association, 74485 National Park Dr., Twentynine Palms, CA 92277 (☎ 760/ 367-5525; www.joshuatree.org).
VISITOR CENTERS
Your best source of information in the park is the Park Service's large and well-stocked Oasis Visitor Center, 74485 National Park Dr., Twentynine Palms, CA 92277, on the road to the North Entrance Station. The Cottonwood Visitor Center, at the south end of the park, houses a gift shop and bookstore as well as an interpretive exhibit on the area's wildlife. Both are open daily from 8am to 4pm or 5pm, with extended hours in March and April. The privately run Park Center, 6554 Park Blvd., Joshua Tree, CA 92252, is near the West Entrance Station. In addition to providing official visitor materials and information, this center has a supply and gift shop, a deli, and an art gallery.
FEES
Admission to the park is $10 per car (valid for 7 days). The nine developed campgrounds charge fees of $5 to $10 for individual sites, more for group sites. Backcountry camping is free, but self-registration is required.
SPECIAL REGULATIONS & WARNINGS
In addition to the standard national park regulations designed to protect fragile ecosystems, keep these in mind while enjoying Joshua Tree:
Dehydration is a constant threat in the desert; even in winter, carry plenty of drinking water and drink regularly even if you don't feel thirsty. Recommended minimum supplies are 1 gallon per person per day, or twice that if planning strenuous activity. Water is available at five park locations: Cottonwood Springs, the Black Rock Canyon Campground, the Indian Cove Ranger Station, West Entrance, and the Oasis Visitor Center. Some of the water comes from a coin-operated fountain—bring plenty of quarters.
Sections of the park (identified on the official map) contain abandoned mines and associated structures. Use extreme caution in the vicinity, watching for open shafts and prospect holes. Supervise children closely, and never enter abandoned mines.
Flash flooding is a potential hazard following even brief rain showers, so avoid drainage areas and be especially observant of road conditions at those times.
SEASONS & CLIMATE
Joshua Tree National Park's nearly 800,000 acres straddle two distinct desert climates. The eastern half of the park is hot, dry, Colorado Desert, and most points of interest lie in the higher, slightly cooler and wetter Mojave Desert. The Mojave will occasionally get a dusting of snow in winter, but neither section sees more than 3 to 6 inches of annual rainfall. Winter temperatures are in the comfortable 50s or 60s (lower