Joshua Tree in 2 days: West entrance to Cottonwood

Two days in Joshua Tree works best as a line, not a loop: enter at the West entrance, spend day one among the boulders, and spend day two driving across the park to the south entrance at Cottonwood. The Joshua Tree National Park guide explains the three entrances. This page puts the stops in order for a trip inside a wider USA itinerary, usually from Los Angeles or Palm Springs.

The plan assumes you have a car, because there is no public transport inside the park. It also assumes you carry everything you need. The National Park Service says the park has no gas stations, restaurants, grocery stores, hotels or water in its interior, and cell reception is limited.

Day one covers the high Mojave Desert side: boulder walks, a viewpoint and a sunset. Day two drops into the Colorado Desert: a cactus garden at sunrise, a drive through the Pinto Basin and a palm oasis near Cottonwood. You finish near Interstate 10, which suits a drive on to Palm Springs or back to Los Angeles.

If you only have one day, do the first half of day one and the cactus garden on the way out. If you have three, see our list of things to do in Joshua Tree and add a longer hike. The season changes the plan: in summer you start at sunrise and finish by midday, which is why the best time to visit Joshua Tree matters.

Morning

Fill the tank and buy water in the town of Joshua Tree before you enter. Stop at the Joshua Tree Visitor Center for maps and current conditions, then drive in through the West entrance. Start with Hidden Valley, a loop of about a mile around a basin ringed with boulders. It is the best first walk because it is short and shows the landscape at once.

Next drive to Barker Dam, a loop of about a mile and a third to a small reservoir. It often holds water after rain, and it is a good place for birds. Finish the morning with Skull Rock, a short roadside walk to a boulder with two hollows like eye sockets. Parking areas fill on weekends, holidays and in spring, so arrive early.

Afternoon

Eat lunch in town before the midday peak, then use the heat hours for a drive. Take the spur road to Keys View, a lookout above the Coachella Valley with views to Palm Springs, the Salton Sea on clear days and the San Andreas Fault. The road ends in a paved lookout, and it can be windy even on warm days.

If you want a longer walk, Ryan Mountain is a steep climb of about 3 miles round trip. Start it in the morning in warm weather, not at midday. In winter, it is an easy afternoon activity.

Evening

Watch sunset among the rocks, around the Jumbo Rocks area or Cap Rock, and stay for the stars. Joshua Tree is an International Dark Sky Park, and the Milky Way is visible on moonless nights. Bring warm layers, because desert nights are cold, and drive slowly back to your bed.

Morning

Drive in before sunrise from your base in Joshua Tree or Twentynine Palms and take Pinto Basin Road to Cholla Cactus Garden. The loop is short, and the teddy bear cholla looks golden in low light. Stay on the path and do not touch the plants, because pieces detach and stick.

Continue south through the Pinto Basin, where the park road crosses open desert with creosote and ocotillo. This is the Colorado Desert, lower and hotter than the west side, and the change in plants is the best lesson in the park's geography.

Midday

At the south end, stop at the Cottonwood Visitor Center. In the cooler months, walk to a palm oasis: Lost Palms Oasis is a longer hike of about 7 miles round trip, so plan half a day. In warm weather skip it, and take a short walk near Cottonwood Spring instead.

Fill your water bottles at the visitor center if water is available, and check the NPS page for current conditions. Then leave through the south entrance onto Interstate 10.

Evening

Drive on to Greater Palm Springs for dinner and a pool, about an hour away, or continue to Los Angeles. If you came from the north, you can instead loop back through the park and use the late light at Cap Rock.

From October to April, you can start at a normal hour and add the oasis hike. From May to September, start at sunrise and end by midday. Highs in July and August are extreme, and monsoon storms can hit in August. The NPS warns that conditions range from blistering heat to freezing cold and gale-force winds.

Spring is the busiest time, and the NPS says the park can be extremely busy on weekends, holidays and spring break. If you visit then, enter before 8am and leave the popular parking areas for the afternoon.

There is no lodging inside the park, so you sleep in a gateway town. Joshua Tree and Yucca Valley are closest to the West entrance, and Twentynine Palms is closest to the North entrance. Palm Springs is an hour away from the park and has more hotels and pools.

Campgrounds inside the park suit a sunrise start. The NPS lists which sites take reservations and which are first come, first served, and spring weekends fill quickly, so check before you go.

Most visitors drive from Los Angeles, about 2 to 3 hours without traffic, or from Palm Springs, about an hour. San Diego is a similar drive to Los Angeles, and Las Vegas is a long one of roughly 4 to 5 hours. Weekend traffic on the approach roads can add an hour, so leave early.

The park has three entrances. The West entrance is in the town of Joshua Tree, the North entrance is in Twentynine Palms, and the South entrance is at Cottonwood off Interstate 10. The main park roads connect them, which is why this plan can enter at one and leave at another. If you have a round-trip rental, you will need to loop back to your start, so check your car-hire terms before you plan a point-to-point day.

Each entrance has a visitor center with maps and ranger advice, and you should stop at one for current conditions. Do not rely on a phone for directions inside the park, because cell service is limited. Download an offline map before you leave town.

Water is the main item. In warm months, carry about a gallon per person per day, plus a spare in the car. Add food, because there are no restaurants or stores inside the park, a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses and sturdy shoes with grip for the boulders.

Bring layers. The NPS warns that conditions can swing from blistering heat to freezing cold, so a warm jacket matters for sunrise and stargazing even in spring and autumn. A red-light flashlight helps at night without ruining your eyes for the stars, and a paper map is a good backup.

Fill your fuel tank in a gateway town before each day. The park has no gas stations, and the distances between towns are longer than they look. If you plan to hike, tell someone your route and your return time.

Entry is $30 per vehicle for 7 days, or $15 per person for visitors 16 and over on foot or bike. A pass saved on your phone avoids problems where reception is poor. Joshua Tree is not one of the 11 national parks that charge non-US residents an extra $100 per person.

See the official Joshua Tree fees page for current prices and passes. If your trip includes parks that do charge the surcharge, read our guide to the $100 national parks fee.