Palm Springs to Joshua Tree: Day Trip, Sunset Stay and What to See

Palm Springs to Joshua Tree National Park is roughly an hour's drive to the West Entrance, which makes it an easy day trip: leave after breakfast, spend five or six hours in the park, and be back for dinner. Build it into your Palm Springs weekend getaway as the one big outing, then let the pool at The Muse handle the recovery. Here's how to plan the drive, the stops and the question of whether to stay for the stars.

How do you get from Palm Springs to Joshua Tree?

Take I-10 west out of the valley, then Highway 62 north up through Morongo Valley and Yucca Valley to the town of Joshua Tree. The West Entrance is five miles south of Highway 62 on Park Boulevard. That's the natural door from Palm Springs.

The North Entrance is in Twentynine Palms, three miles south of Highway 62 on Utah Trail. The South Entrance, near Cottonwood Spring, is off I-10 about 25 miles east of Indio. A good loop for a first visit: in through the West Entrance, out through the North, home on Highway 62.

One important tip from the park itself: don't rely on GPS inside Joshua Tree. Download offline maps before you leave the hotel. The free NPS App has them.

What does it cost to get in?

A private vehicle pass is $30 and covers everyone in the car for seven days. If you'll be back within the year, the Joshua Tree Annual Pass is $55, and the America the Beautiful pass is $80 for US residents and covers national parks across the country. One car, five friends, one fee. The math is lovely.

What should you see in Joshua Tree on a day trip?

Pick four or five stops and enjoy them, rather than racing to see everything. The park is where the Mojave and Colorado deserts meet, with about 300 miles of trails, so you won't run out of things to do.

• Skull Rock. The famous boulder that looks exactly like its name. Expect company and take the photo anyway.

• Keys View. A drive-up viewpoint with a huge look over the Coachella Valley. Go on a clear day.

• Split Rock Loop. A 2.5-mile loop with only about 150 feet of elevation change. Give it 1.5 to 2.5 hours.

• Jumbo Rocks. Boulder country at its most dramatic, and a good place to scramble a little.

• Cholla Cactus Garden. Fuzzy-looking cactus that is not, under any circumstances, fuzzy. Look with your eyes.

Climbers know the park as a bucket-list destination, with about 8,000 established routes. If your group has climbers, a guided session is the move. Want more ideas nearby? See our day trips from Palm Springs.

What is there to do near Joshua Tree?

The towns along Highway 62 are part of the fun.

• Noah Purifoy Outdoor Museum. Large assemblage sculptures built from found objects, out in the desert near the town of Joshua Tree. It's free, open daily from dawn to dusk, and donations are welcome.

• Pioneertown. An old Western movie-set town a short drive from Yucca Valley. Pappy & Harriet's there is a restaurant and live music venue with a real touring calendar, so check who's playing.

• Twentynine Palms. The gateway town by the North Entrance, good for lunch and gas before the drive home.

Music fans should also check our Joshua Tree Music Festival guide.

When is the best time to visit Joshua Tree?

The park says October through May is the best season. Summer days often go over 100 degrees, and winter brings cool days and freezing nights, with occasional snow up high. If you go in summer, start your hikes before 9AM and spend the hot part of the day in the car with the air on.

Bring more water than you think, sunscreen, a hat and real shoes. And leave the dog with a sitter, because pets aren't allowed on park trails except one short paved trail in Twentynine Palms. Our Palm Springs weather guide has month-by-month temperatures for the valley.

Day trip or overnight?

For most groups, the day trip wins. You get the park in daylight, then dinner in Palm Springs, a soak in the six-person hot tub and a real bed. Book a full hotel buyout and the courtyard is yours. Nine suites. Nine bathrooms. One pool. And nobody else invited.

The one reason to stay late is the sky. Joshua Tree is known for dark night skies, and the park says half of it happens after dark. Stay through sunset, find a pullout, look up, then drive back an hour on Highway 62. For more stargazing spots, see our stargazing guide.

PLAN THE WEEKEND

Palm Springs to Joshua Tree FAQ

How far is Joshua Tree from Palm Springs?

Roughly an hour's drive to the West Entrance, via I-10 and Highway 62 through Yucca Valley to the town of Joshua Tree.

Can you do Joshua Tree as a day trip from Palm Springs?

Yes. Leave in the morning, spend five or six hours in the park and be back in Palm Springs for dinner.

How much does it cost to enter Joshua Tree National Park?

A private vehicle pass is $30 and is valid for seven days. A Joshua Tree Annual Pass is $55.

What is there to do near Joshua Tree?

Visit the free Noah Purifoy Outdoor Museum, have dinner and live music at Pappy & Harriet's in Pioneertown, or grab lunch in Twentynine Palms by the North Entrance.

When is the best time to visit Joshua Tree?

October through May. Summer days often top 100 degrees, so summer hikes should start before 9AM.