Joshua Tree National Park
USA Holiday Destinations
The Joshua Tree National Park is an enormous area of protected wilderness which contains a breathtaking variety of environmental conditions all within the one park. While some believe deserts are indestructible, the opposite is true. The desert eco-system is extremely delicate and fragile, where one species relies on a range of others for its survival. RV rentals are an ideal way to visit this region and will provide you with an unforgettable experience.
The park unites two larger ecosystems, one of them at a high elevation is a temperate region, and the other at a lower elevation is a typical desert region. The Colorado Desert, on the park's eastern side, sits below 3,000 feet (910m) and is dominated by creosote bush and a few varieties of cactus. The Mojave Desert, on the higher, cooler and wetter western side of the park is home to the Joshua tree.
Visitors to the park will also find an interesting third ecosystem on display. Five fan palm trees can be found throughout the park in isolated pockets which indicate the areas where ground water is available near the earth's surface.
Exploring the area in a RV rental is the best way to view this rugged landscape from the climate controlled comfort of your vehicle. The park contains a number of excellent campgrounds which welcome campervan hire travelers.
PLAN YOUR TRIP
The first thing visitors to the Joshua Tree National Park should do is drop in to one of the visitor centers. The main visitor centre can be found in the town of Twentynine Palms which is a few miles to the north of the park itself. The park also contains another visitor center which can be reached by following the 50 mile stretch of road that crosses the park to the Cottonwood Spring oasis which is near the south entrance to the park.
The visitor center can provide you with all the information you will need for a successful and trouble free visit to the park. The park contains many excellent campgrounds; the ones located at a higher elevation provide much cooler temperatures at night in contrast to the desert below. All campgrounds welcome RV rentals however there are no hookups. Black Rock and Cottonwood have dump stations.
WESTERN AREAS
The western side of the park encompasses the Mojave Desert. This area has a relatively high elevation of approximately 4,000 feet. The area receives enough rainfall to support a variety of plant life including the famous Joshua trees. While these trees are quite dense in this western portion of the park they become sparser the further east you go.
Following the road east in the climate controlled comfort of your campervan rental vehicle the road descends into the Pinto Basin and the environmental conditions change and various types of cacti dominate the landscape. The most common variety found here is the Cholla cactus. The Cholla Cactus Garden is a short nature trail that contains a series of educational plaques designed to help visitors gain an appreciation of the landscape.
This point on the road is the approximate boundary with the Sonoran Desert which is much hotter and drier than the Mojave. Generally speaking the vegetation becomes increasingly sparse from this point onwards towards the south entrance. About one third of the park lies further to the east, encompassing the flat Pinto Basin and the isolated Coxcomb Mountains - this area is designated a Wilderness Area. If you are visiting in summer you will appreciate the comfort and convenience of having a fully equipped RV rental vehicle at your disposal.
EASTERN AREAS
Travelling further east, Pinto Basin road continues its descent towards Cottonwood Spring which is just seven miles from the south entrance. As the name suggests the area is home to a natural underground spring which is the result of earthquake activity in the area. The area also contains another visitor center, ranger station, picnic areas and a nature trail. However the standout attraction of this area is the 4mile trail to the Lost Palms Oasis. This is a thriving group of over 100 California fan palm trees that is a popular destination for hikers.
HIKING TRAILS
While the park itself is enormous there are only 6 main hiking trails that are representative of all the different environments. These are in addition to the dozen or so nature paths dotted throughout the park. There are many more challenging hiking trails however these trails are not maintained.
Many of the maintained tracks are located close to the main roads and at some, parking is even provided. You will be cheering when you return from a strenuous hike to realize that your RV rental vehicle has all the comforts of home.
