Los Angeles to Joshua Tree

The route

Take Interstate 10 east out of Los Angeles, through the Inland Empire and past Banning and Cabazon, to the Highway 62 exit near Whitewater, just before Palm Springs. Highway 62, the Twentynine Palms Highway, climbs north through Morongo Valley and Yucca Valley to the town of Joshua Tree.

In the town of Joshua Tree, turn right onto Park Boulevard. The park's West Entrance is 5 miles south of the highway.

How long it takes

The park puts itself about 140 miles east of Los Angeles. Plan on about 2 hours to Morongo Valley in light traffic, about 15 minutes more to the town of Joshua Tree, and a few more down Park Boulevard to the entrance.

Traffic leaving Los Angeles changes the drive more than anything else, so leave early and check your map before you go. As a day trip it is a long one, so most of the plan below is about using the hours in the park well.

Which entrance to use

The West Entrance is the closest from Los Angeles, and it leads straight into the Joshua tree forests and boulder piles along Park Boulevard.

The North Entrance is farther along Highway 62 in Twentynine Palms, 3 miles south of the highway on Utah Trail. The South Entrance, near Cottonwood Spring, is off Interstate 10 about 25 miles east of Indio, well past the Highway 62 exit, so it only makes sense from Los Angeles if you plan to drive the whole park south to north.

Where to stop on the way

• Whitewater Preserve, a canyon with the year-round Whitewater River running through it, up a canyon road off Interstate 10 near the Highway 62 exit. It is free and run by the Wildlands Conservancy. It closes in bad weather and when flash floods threaten, so check before you turn off.
• Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, in Morongo Valley, with a long boardwalk through the canyon, open daily all year and free. It is an internationally known spot for birding.
• Kaleidoscope Desert, our sanctuary, also in Morongo Valley. More on it below.
• Yucca Valley, the biggest town on the way, for groceries and gas. There is neither inside the park.
• The Joshua Tree Visitor Center, on Park Boulevard in the town of Joshua Tree, for maps, a pass, a ranger's read on conditions and a bottle refill before you head in.

A simple day plan

• Early: leave Los Angeles before the traffic builds, with food and water for the day, and stop at the visitor center in Joshua Tree for a pass and a map.
• Morning: through the West Entrance and on to Hidden Valley, a one mile loop through a valley ringed by boulders.
• Late morning: Keys View, a 20 minute drive off Park Boulevard, where the ridge drops nearly a mile to the Coachella Valley and the San Andreas Fault runs below.
• Midday: a picnic you brought, then east on Park Boulevard past Cap Rock to Skull Rock.
• Afternoon: back out the West Entrance and down Highway 62 to Morongo Valley for a Gamelatron session, on the hour until 7 PM.
• Evening: Interstate 10 west, about 2 hours home from Morongo Valley in light traffic.

Before you go

• You need an entrance pass. Buy it ahead on Recreation.gov and save it to your phone, or pay at the entrance station by card. Check the park's site for the current fee.
• No reservation is needed to enter, and the park is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
• There is no gas, food or drinking water inside the park. Fill the tank before you go in and carry at least a gallon of water per person for the day.
• Cell service in the park is very limited. Download offline maps before you leave town.
• The park is busiest on weekends and holidays from October to May and over spring break. On those days, get to the trailheads early.
• Check the park's current alerts at nps.gov/jotr for roads or trails closed after a storm.