Joshua Tree National Park Twentynine Palms, California

Joshua Tree occupies a strange and singular place in the American landscape — literally and figuratively. The park sits at the intersection of two desert ecosystems, the Mojave and the Colorado, and the result is a collision of alien-looking Joshua trees, enormous granite boulder piles, and open desert stretching to the horizon in every direction. It's surreal in the best way, and it draws an eclectic crowd: hikers, rock climbers, stargazers, photographers, and people who just want to sit on a boulder and watch the light change. It's also big — 1,235 square miles — and the park is open 24 hours, which matters here because the night sky is one of the main attractions.

Cost $35 per vehicle, valid for 7 days. America the Beautiful Pass accepted. No timed entry required.

Best Times to Visit October through April is the sweet spot — mild temperatures, occasional wildflowers in spring, and comfortable hiking. Summer is genuinely dangerous; temperatures regularly exceed 110°F and hiking in the middle of the day can be life-threatening. If you visit in summer, be out on trails by sunrise and back in your car before 10 AM. The park is crowded on weekends year-round given its proximity to LA and Palm Springs.

Entrances — A Useful Tip The main Joshua Tree entrance on Highway 62 routinely has lines stretching over a mile on busy weekends. Use the 29 Palms north entrance instead — typically no wait, and you'll enter deeper into the park immediately.

Cell Service Essentially nonexistent throughout the vast majority of the park. Free Wi-Fi is available at the visitor centers. Download offline maps before you enter and grab a paper map at the entrance — the park is bigger than Rhode Island and you don't want to get disoriented without navigation.

Gas & Food Nothing inside the park — no gas, no restaurants, no grocery stores. Fill up and stock up in Joshua Tree town, Yucca Valley (has a Vons and Walmart), or Twentynine Palms (has a Stater Brothers) before entering. Bring at minimum one gallon of water per person per day, more in warmer months.

Lodging No lodging inside the park. The towns of Joshua Tree, Yucca Valley, and Twentynine Palms all have hotels, motels, and a large supply of vacation rentals. Book well in advance for spring wildflower season and holiday weekends — it fills up fast.

Don't Miss Skull Rock is the quintessential Joshua Tree photo stop — an enormous boulder eroded into a face, with a 1.7-mile nature trail alongside it. Hidden Valley is a beautiful easy loop through a boulder-enclosed valley that feels like a secret room. The rock climbing here is world-class and draws serious climbers from everywhere. And the stargazing — given the complete absence of services and therefore light inside the park, the entire 1,235 square miles functions as a dark sky sanctuary. Stay out after sunset if you possibly can.