If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook you may have noticed that I recently embarked on an outdoor adventure that spanned 9 days and included 2 states (CA and AZ), 2 National Parks (Joshua Tree and Grand Canyon), 1 Peace Park (Sedona, AZ) and endless memories! I have SO many stories, recommendations and reviews to share with you all that I am going to dedicate one blog post to each of the three distinct parts of our trip 1) Joshua Tree, CA 2) Sedona, AZ and 3) Grand Canyon National Park. So here it goes...
Blog post # 1: JOSHUA TREE, CA
Born and raised in the Northeast, I was mesmerized by the flat desert and hot temperatures (80-90 degrees) that Joshua Tree provided in late March/early April. The vegetation (cactus and Joshua trees) was extremely different than what I am used to but I have to say ... I LOVE being able to see miles and miles around me as a result of minimal vegetation and elevation. Not only are you able to see EVERYTHING but it immediately makes me realize how vast our beautiful country is and that we are just a small piece that inhabits it. It's that feeling of being just a small "ant" among the world that draws me to the outdoors. It quickly puts life in perspective and makes me appreciate even more all that surrounds us should we wish to seek and experience it.
Matt and I had just 2.5 days in Joshua Tree so it was essential that we planned ahead to see, eat and hike everything we wanted to. Below is overview of our days in the park and local spots we explored in addition to reviews. I hope you enjoy and happy trails in Joshua Tree surrounded by the "Tree of Life"!
Love, Abby
Day 1: western side of Joshua Tree NP
Parked at Hidden Valley Nature Trail lot and hiked Hidden Valley Nature Trail (.8 miles).
This was a great, light warm up trail with beautiful introductory scenes of the park. Minimal elevation gain/loss so the trail was crowded but well marked. After hiking the initial ~.2 miles from the parking lot, the trail leads you between two massive boulders. Once through this point and on the other side of the boulders, the landscape opens up for miles and you witness the vast Hidden Valley where animals used to be kept and protected from intruders.
Walked from Hidden Valley Nature Trail parking lot to Barker Dam Trail head
This walk was further than we thought (~1.5 miles) but if you have the time I recommend doing it. On the way, we saw Intersection Rock and watched climbers accent the face. Also, we were able to scope out Hidden Valley Campground, view the amenities and peruse the sites it offered for our next trip! :)
Hiked Barker Dam Trail (1.2 miles roundtrip) immediately followed by Wall Street Mill (2.6 roundtrip with all stops)
These hikes start right next to each other which makes access easy. Both hikes are flat and short which made for lots of crowds but are well worth it and unique in their own way. Barker Dam trail is a loop and half way through there is a dam with water that has formed a small lake. Being in the desert I did NOT expect this and it was stunning. We sat on the rocks near the dam, had a snack, enjoyed the ducks that floated in the water and took in the views before finishing the trail. On our way back to the trailhead we stopped to view the Indian petroglyphs which were just .1 miles off the trail. This is well marked and extremely easy to access and view.
Wall Street Mill trail was an out and back hike full of mine history and relics. At the main mine site, the structure is gated off but I recommend walking around the entire perimeter to take it in. I was amazed by the structures and it was hard to fathom how people not only got the equipment there but also worked in the desert conditions. While at this site we got lucky and saw 3 big horned sheep in the distance relaxing on boulders.
Took the free park shuttle from this lot back to Hidden Valley and drove our car down Keys View Road to Lost Horse Mine Road where we parked to access the trail (we even picked up hitch hikers on the way who hiked some of this trail with us!). It is important to note that we chose to drive and park at the trailhead which reduced the overall mileage of this hike. We made a conscious effort to do this as we didn't want to burn out on Day 1 of our trip. Two things to note about this parking lot: 1) it is only accessible by a dirt road and its recommended you have 4 wheel drive (we rented a Nissan Rogue) and 2) there is very limited parking at this site so keep that in mind should you want to explore this area on the weekends and or peak times.
Hiked Lost Horse Loop Trail (5 miles roundtrip from parking lot)
If you hike this loop clockwise, the views and trail after the mine are breathtaking. This was our favorite hike at Joshua Tree due to the remoteness, views and moderate to difficult terrain. The terrain on this hike was very different than that of the previous trails we hiked in the morning. Lots of rock, more elevation and wildlife were present in this area.
Drove from Lost Horse Loop Trail to Keys View for Sunset
Everything we read said that this sunset view was a must do and I couldn't agree more! Beautiful panoramic views from the top of Keys View made for an epic sunset. It was extremely crowded but I would recommend going at least once to witness it. Pro Tip: Don't forget to pack a tasty beverage so you can enjoy it during sunset (this is a must pack for us as we tend to be very active during the day and enjoy a refreshing beer at the end of the day!)
Day 2: eastern side of Joshua Tree NP
During our time at JT we rented an Airbnb just outside of the park's West Entrance off of Quail Springs Road. Our Airbnb was absolutely perfect and one of the benefits was its close proximity to the park (~4 miles) and downtown (~2). On Day 2 we drove from the West Entrance all the way to Cottonwood. This drive took ~1.5 hours and was very scenic. I was amazed at the different types of vegetation and landscape we drove through - everything from Joshua Trees to cholla cactus to ocotillo trees (my favorite!). We did not stop anywhere along the way as we wanted to get in a long hike that day and scope out the stops for the way back that afternoon/evening.
Once at Cottonwood we parked at the end of Cottonwood Oasis Road where the trailhead for Lost Palms Oasis (4.4 miles one way) was located.
The first .7 miles of this hike are crowded as there are a few palm trees at the beginning and most people just hike to this point to witness them. After passing this point, the trail is extremely exposed and much less crowded. The trail is very well maintained, mostly flat (until you reach the lost palms canyon ~4 miles in) and very remote. There are some sections where you feel like your walking on beach sand and then you reach the hard packed desert soil which is a relief! Beach sand is tough to hike in! :) Once you arrive at Lost Palms Canyon its like your in a different world from the previous 4 miles. In this desert canyon stand HUGE palm trees that tower over everything. It looks as though they don't belong there but it was such a gorgeous scene so we found a rock, had lunch and enjoyed the views before setting back on the one-way trail.
Because this trail is so exposed to the weather and heat I recommend hiking it either in the early morning or late afternoon. Bring lots of water and food as there are no services on the trail.
As we made our way back to the car, we decided to extend the hike by taking Mastodon Peak Loop (1.4 miles) which intersects with Lost Palms Oasis. On the loop we summited Mastodon Peak - to access the peak we had to scramble up rocks to the top. Once at the top you had 360 degree views of the area. I highly recommend making this scramble if your comfortable on this terrain. The remainder of the loop was flat and easy all the way back to the car.
Once at the car, we replaced our hiking shoes for flip flops (best feeling ever when you do this!) as we knew that was our last extensive hike of the day. We stopped at Cottonwood, filled up our water bottles, CamelBak and set off to Cholla Cactus Garden. The garden was very crowded since it's easily accessible off the main road (Pinto Basin Road) and has a well maintained, short path through the garden (~.2 miles). It was a nice, low key stop but I would not go again - once was enough with the crowds and there are cholla's all over the national park.
After the garden we set back on the road, arrived at our Airbnb, showered and headed out for dinner and live music at Pappy + Harriet's. We had read online that this was a very popular spot so we arrived around 7:30pm, put our name in and finally got a table just before 9pm when they stop serving food. The atmosphere (indie, rustic, eclectic), food (local and fresh), drinks, people and music were great - I would recommend this place but do note that it gets very crowded and if your hungry the wait can be long but worth it!
Day 3: ryan mountain, Joshua Tree NP
Unfortunately "all good things must come to an end" and on Day 3 we were leaving Joshua Tree and heading to Sedona, AZ. We knew this was going to be a long ride so we wanted to get in one last hike before hitting the road so we got up early (on the road at 7:30am) and drove to Ryan Mountain Trailhead which is ~30 minutes from the West Entrance off of Park Boulevard.
Ryan Mountain was a 3.4 mile out and back trail that quickly gains elevation immediately from the parking lot. The trail is well maintained since it is highly trafficked but being on it early had its advantages included a summit all to ourselves! This trail was moderately difficult due to the steepness but the summit views are worth it. The summit is just over 5,400 feet and provides gorgeous 360 degree views which was a perfect way to end our time in Joshua Tree. On the way back down to the parking lot, we passed a lot of people heading up so I would recommend tackling this hike on "off hours" to avoid the crowds.
After this hike we drove back to our Airbnb, showered, packed up and went to The Natural Sister's Cafe in downtown Joshua Tree for an early lunch. This Cafe is very small, offers outdoor seating and fresh, delicious food and smoothies. Matt and I each had a Vegetarian Burger (we aren't Vegetarian but they looked amazing!) and they were delicious. I really enjoyed this spot but it does get extremely crowded so I would avoid peak times if possible.
After lunch, we walked the local farmers market and then got back in our rental car and headed to Sedona, AZ (~ 5 hours). Sedona is where blog #2 begins!
If we had more time in joshua tree what would we have done?
Geology Tour Road: You must have a 4 wheel drive vehicle for this Road but it gives you access to the backcountry and there is a lot of mining history to be found along the way.
Integraton: This is an acoustically built structure that offers Sound Bath experiences. You must reserve a spot for the classes offered here weeks/months in advance. Unfortunately we did not learn about this until we arrived so we were unable to attend but I would go back to Joshua Tree just for this. In fact, we met 2 people at Pappy & Harriet's that drove from LA just to attend a class here.