Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [247]
SEASONAL EVENTS
Best between February and May, the springtime wildflower viewing is dependent on rainfall, sunshine, and temperatures, but you can depend on seeing brilliant blooms somewhere in the park each year. Rangers lead interpretive walks to the best displays, and 24-hour recorded information on prime viewing sites (updated at least weekly during the Mar–May wildflower season) is available from the park at ☎ 760/367-5500. Information is also available online at www.nps/gov/jotr.
If You Have Only 1 Day
An excellent first stop is the main Oasis Visitor Center, located alongside the Oasis of Mara, also known as the Twentynine Palms Oasis. For many generations, the native Serrano and Chemehuevi tribes lived at this "place of little springs and much grass." Get maps, books, and the latest in road, trail, and weather conditions before beginning your tour, and stroll the short, paved nature trail through the oasis behind the center—it provides an introduction to the park's flora, wildlife, and geology.
From the Oasis Center, drive south to Jumbo Rocks, which captures the essence of the park: a vast array of rock formations, a Joshua tree forest, and the yucca-dotted desert, open and wide. Check out the many boulders that appear to resemble humans, dinosaurs, monsters, cathedrals, and castles; if you're visiting with kids, it's a great way to put their imaginations to work. Stroll among the giant rock piles and observe the rock climbers who travel from around the world to practice their craft here—the rocks are one of the park's most distinctive features.
At Cap Rock Junction, the main park road swings north toward the Wonderland of Rocks, 12 square miles of massive jumbled granite. This curious maze of stone hides groves of Joshua trees, trackless washes, and several small pools of water. To the south is the road that dead-ends at mile-high Keys View. You get a panoramic view of the park from this wind-whipped overlook; several informative plaques explain the topography you're seeing and provide some insight into the delicate desert ecosystems found in the park.
Don't miss the contrasting Colorado Desert terrain along Pinto Basin Road— to conserve time, simply plan to exit the park on this route, which ends up at I-10. You'll pass both the Cholla Cactus Garden and spindly Ocotillo Patch on your way to vast Pinto Basin, a barren lowland surrounded by austere mountains and punctuated by trackless sand dunes. Then continue to Cottonwood Springs, which has a cool, palm-shaded oasis and groves of mature cottonwood trees.
Try to participate in a ranger-led tour or hike (see below). You'll learn to appreciate the park in a short time, for the rangers here are as exuberant about their patch of wilderness as they are well informed.
Exploring the Park by Car
There are two main roads through the park, and by driving them both you'll be able to see virtually every feature that distinguishes Joshua Tree; there are even a couple of easy opportunities to stop and stretch your legs.
Park Boulevard loops through the high northern section between the North Entrance Station in Twentynine Palms and the West Entrance Station in Joshua Tree. Along the drive, which takes about 45 minutes one-way, you'll get an eyeful of the spectacular rock formations and oddly shaped Joshua trees. Stop at one of the well-marked interpretive trails along the way (see "Hikes," below), but don't miss the detour to Keys View, one of the most popular spots in the park. A paved road leads to this mile-high mountain crest, where a series of plaques describe the land below and a panoramic view encompasses both the highest (Mount San Gorgonio) and