Hidden Valley Nature Trail

Joshua Tree National Park, California

We didn’t have enough desert, so we thought – why not one more? Sadly, our time at Joshua Tree was less than 24 hours. Like other National Parks, Joshua Tree is not really dog friendly, and quite small to do more than one day’s worth of scenic driving. We made it a stop because it was on the way to our next destination, and we thought – let’s get a preview of what it has to offer. Trails, trails, trails galore – rock climbing, wildlife viewing, and birding too. Joshua Tree is a unique park as it is where the Mojave Desert and the Colorado Desert converge – two different eco systems with different wildlife and plants.

Joshua Tree NP Entrance
Joshua Tree NP Entrance

 

Where We Stayed

We stayed at the Jumbo Rocks campground inside the national park. The campground is large, but the roads inside are tiny – for RV living, it can be challenging. We were lucky enough to find a site that can accommodate our R-Pod and paid the $15 to camp the night. There were no hookups, and you need to get water at the visitors center before entering the park.

 

What We Did

We arrived in the early afternoon, so once we set up camp we hit the road to check out as much as the park as we could. Our first stop was Keys Point – the highest elevated point (5,185 feet) we could drive to. Sadly, the view was not really that great. The haze was so bad we could barely see nearby Palm Springs. We drove to the Hidden Valley area and were excited to see some fantastic rock formations. We scrambled up a few rocks to get different perspectives and in hope of seeing some wildlife. Steve went out to do the Hidden Valley trail loop while Sparky and I waited. Steve came back to get his bigger camera lens because he just saw a coyote. We excitedly went back to the spot and of course, the coyote was gone.

Keys Point
Keys Point
Desert Cottontail
Desert Cottontail
Hidden Valley Nature Trail
Hidden Valley Nature Trail
Hidden Valley Nature Trail
Hidden Valley Nature Trail
Skull Rock
Skull Rock

The scenic drive was incredible. It is called Joshua Tree National Park for a reason, Joshua Trees everywhere!

Joshua Trees
Joshua Trees

On our way out the next day we we made sure to stop and see the Cholla Cactus’ – so incredible beautiful!

Cholla Cactus
Cholla Cactus

 

What’s Next

Disneyland, California

Andrea

Loves adventures with Steven, family & friends. If not adventuring with loved ones, I am usually running half marathons, reading books, trying new food, cuddling with Sparky, Brady or Tachy, hiking, playing ice hockey, or rooting for a local bay area sports team. “...when we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too.” ― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

One thought to “Joshua Tree National Park, California”

  1. Hidden Valley trail is very pretty. Sparky cracks me up. Always looking at different direction and never the camera.

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