Joshua Tree NP driving route
 

First off, thanks to all who have been helping with the Palm Springs portion of my trip. Now it's off to planning some of the details as to what to do in the area.

Joshua Tree NP is on the list, but we will only have a day to drive through. Is there a best route to take? I know there are three entrances to the park. We'll be entering through the southern entrance at Cotton Springs. Of particular concern is that you have to pick either the northern or western entrace to go through (I'm not sure we'll have time to do a loop and do both). If you had to pick one, which would it be to exit the park?

Also, any can't miss stops along the way? Thanks! :)

We had time for breakfast at Sherman's, then went up to the Yucca Valley entrance and exited from the Cottonwood Springs entrance several hours later. We had time to visit the NP visitor center, to do a lot of driving and stopping for pictures, for a hike, and still made it to Indio in time for a date milkshake. IMO the part closer to the Yucca Valley entrance was <i>far</i> more beautiful and interesting than the low desert area closer to Cottonwood Springs.

Hi Gardyloo, I think the entrance by Yucca Valley is what they call the west entrance. Is that the one next to the Joshua Tree visitor center? I think the other entrance by 29 Palms if the north entrance. Did you guys check out the Oasis Visitor Center in 29 Palms?

I think you will want to leave thru the west exit. Be sure to go up to Keys View which is wheelchair accessible.

mlgb, yep, you're right. I just called the NP and the guide said the same thing. In fact, she said if we went out through 29 Palms, we'd miss most of what JTNP is all about!

Good to know about Keys View. So we could push a wheelchair through some of the trail areas?

Yes, did you check the website? Depending on when you go, right near the Cottonwood entrance there may be a nice wildflower bloom right by the side of the road. You can stop at the ranger station just after Cottonwood and get detailed information, according to the website there is a "lookout" at Keys View that is accessible.

We actually did a day trip last week up to Joshua Tree from Palm Springs. We stopped a diner for breakfast, on the way in--it was packed and I think in the town of Joshua Tree. We stopped there because there were a lot of cars in the parking lot. There is no food in the park. We actually had a good sandwich and soup though, at the little restaurant at the Joshua Tree Visitors Center.

We love the 49Palms Oasis Hike so we started there. A ranger was at the oasis and we enjoyed talking with her about Joshua Tree. This hike takes a couple hours. Then we headed to the Oasis Visitors Center, watched the movie and then entered the Park. We made stops at Skull Rock, Keys View, Hidden Valley and Barker Dam (short interpretive hike here)--along with photo stops. We exited through Joshua Tree just doing the upper loop. We didn't make it down to Cottonwood.

Here is a good website for wildflower reports. Because of the cold weather the bloom may be delayed. There is a small bloom at the south end of JT.

http://www.desertusa.com/wildflo/ca_jtnp.html

If you don't see all that you want to see in JT, consider going up 247 to Barstow and go east on I-40 to exit 78 then north through the Mojave National Preserve. See Mitchell Caverns, the sand dunes, cinder cones and the Visitor Center. You will come out at Baker on I-15. Baker is famous for having the world's tallest thermometer and not much else.
make sure you don't head into these areas with less than half a tank of gas, gallons of water, hats and sunscreen.