Hiking in Joshua Tree
By John Grimes

If you are looking for a tremendous spot to hike in California, it is hard to go with any choice other than Joshua Tree National Park.

Hiking in Joshua Tree

As you are well away, the United States has an amazing national park system that far to few people get out and enjoy. The parks are all stunning areas, but each is unique when compared to each of the others. In the case of this article, we are talking about Joshua Tree National Park in California.

When one thinks of national parks, the emphasis tends to be on images of forests. Joshua Tree is definitely not a park of this type. Instead, it is an area of arid, desert land. While that may not sound particularly exciting at first, the park is rife with unique geographic characteristics that make it a haven for hikers, rock climbers and campers.

Joshua Tree is situated in the higher elevations of the Mojave Desert. It abuts the low Colorado desert. This makes for some interesting characteristics. The park is noted for rugged mountains, wide open arid plains and, of course, the odd Joshua Tree from which it gets its name.

Hiking in the park is excellent. You can choose different hikes based on the amount of effort you want to put in. For those seeking a simple stroll, the Lucky Boy Vista hike is 2.5 miles and pretty easy. A more challenging, but still moderate hike, is the 7.4 mile Lost Palms Oasis hike that takes you through a growth of palms. Surprise, surprise! For those looking to do some serious calorie burning while huffing and puffing, the best bet is the Eureka Peak hike that covers over 10 miles. As its name suggests, Eureka Peak is a good spot to take in summit views where you can look out over much of the park.

Joshua Tree National Park is open year around. It can be scorching in the summer, so fall, spring and winter are the best times to go. The best place to enter the park is in 29 Palms, outside of Palm Springs. Los Angeles is the closest major city and it takes a little over 2 hours to drive to the park depending on what type of a driver you are.