The Best Time to visit Joshua Tree National Park is basically the opposite time to visit most of the other National Parks in the USA – where most other parks are best in the summertime, Joshua Tree National Park is best visited in the Fall to Spring, with Fall and Spring slightly beating out Winter for a visit… see below for why this is the best time to visit Joshua Tree.
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Best Time to Visit Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree NP in Spring – My favorite time to visit Joshua Tree is in the spring. The weather is perfect for sightseeing, hiking, and camping, and this is the best time to see wildflowers, including the blooming Chollas and Ocotillo cacti.
Joshua Tree NP in Fall -Fall would be the second best time, also with the best weather for daytime activities and camping.
Joshua Tree NP in Winter – Winter is also a good time to visit, but it can be quite cold for camping. But… if you are lucky, you might get to visit during a rare desert sno storm, which is absolutely beautiful.
Joshua Tree NP in Summer – I don’t recommend visiting in summer, when the weather regularly exceeds 100 degrees F. If you do visit in the summer, make sure you’re prepared for hot weather and bring lots of drinking water.
Must See Spots in Joshua Tree
While Joshua Tree National Park is famous for it’s ancient Joshua Trees, there are a couple other things you must see:
- Rock Formations – the rocks are incredible. My favorite rocks are the arch and the aptly named Skull Rock. If you are into camping, you can camp right in the midst of these strange rocks
- Cholla Cactus Garden – but beware – very sharp bits of these cacti can actually “jump” and stick you if you get too close. It’s an interesting plant defense mechanism.
- Ocotillo cacti – there are some great Ocotillos close to the Cholla Cactus Garden
Best Place to See Sunset in Joshua Tree National Park
If you want to get pictures of the Iconic Joshua Trees, I recommend going to the flat area between Skull Rock and Key’s View. There’s nice flat land to view the sunset and lots of Joshua Trees to get a silhouette of the JT’s.
Other good places to watch the sunset include the Cholla Cactus Garden and Key’s View.
If you’re planning to stay for sunset, it’s wise to book a hotel somewhere near the park. Check out accomodations near Joshua Tree National Park at booking.
Other Places to See Joshua Trees
I mistakingly thought that Joshua Trees only existed in this park, but while spending significant time in southern California of the last years, I discovered several other places with Joshua Trees which include:
- Mojave National Preserve, especially in the northern part of the park
- Death Valley, on the western side of the park off of highway 190
- Along California Highway 138, east of I-5.
Other Places to See Near Joshua Tree National Park
My all time favorite place to spend the winter is near the Salton Sea, about an hour south of JTNP. Check out these things to do at the Salton Sea, Salton Sea Birding, Salton Sea Mud Volcanoes, Bombay Beach, and Salton Sea Sunsets.
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