Spend 36 hours in Joshua Tree National Park, California. Photo / Getty Images
Beverly Hills who now? Joshua Tree National Park is a must-do for many travellers visiting California, so watch out LA, writes Lucky Benson.
Joshua Tree National Park, 800,000 acres of Southern California desert populated with the crooked, spiky-leafed trees that give the park its name, is luring more people than ever. Today, the park — 225km east of Los Angeles — attracts twice as many visitors as it did a decade ago.
Demand for short-term rentals in the nearby communities of Yucca Valley, Joshua Tree and Twentynine Palms skyrocketed during the pandemic, raising housing prices and putting pressure on the delicate ecosystem, issues to be mindful of as you seek respite in the desert. Still, creative life continues to flourish amid this influx, and environmental initiatives have taken off: Visitors can support a new sanctuary for displaced mustangs.
This is a vast place to unwind and stargaze, where there is enough dreamlike desert for all who wander with awe and respect.
4pm | Hike to rock carvings
There’s a common misconception that the desert is dry and dead. Hiking the Barker Dam Trail, a mostly flat 1.5km loop in Joshua Tree National Park, dispels this myth as you encounter ground squirrels and fruiting cactuses. Plaques teach you about edible resources, like acorns from the turbinella oak trees, and natural wonders like the cheesebush, which smells like — you guessed it — cheese. Rock carvings, believed to have been created by the Maara’yam or Serrano people centuries ago (although they have since been vandalised), are a reminder of how this area has given life to humans for at least 5000 years.
There isn’t any cellphone reception in the park, so grab a paper map with your park pass (US$30 for seven days). The trailhead has parking and is a 20km drive from the western park entrance, just south of the Joshua Tree community.
7pm | Listen to live music
The high desert attracts all sorts of artists and visionaries. Artist and composer Lou Harrison, known for his mastery of non-Western and experimental music, helped found a performance space and residency for artists in Joshua Tree before he died in 2003. Today, Lou Harrison House hosts ecology programmes in its garden and live music (sliding-scale tickets, from $25) in its vaulted concert hall, whose enchantingly warm acoustics are a result of its unusual construction. Inside the building’s stucco walls are straw bales, a material championed for its sustainability by Harrison and the artists who built the house.
If you’re hungry after an evening of music, head to Snakebite Roadhouse, an eclectic new diner and bar in Yucca Valley decorated with full-size motorcycles inside, for vegan tacos ($13).
11am | Gaze at mountains
When Nikki Hill and Claire Wadsworth converted an old diner into California food mecca La Copine in 2015, they kept the original kitchen’s equipment. The well-seasoned griddle inspired the addition of a Spanish dish called socarrat ($23), which refers to the deliciously crunchy bits at the bottom of paella (here, it’s served with pea shoots and basil oil).
The menu features exceptionally fresh food and changes two or three times a year; currently you might find a sweet potato and miso soup ($12) or a wagyū steak sandwich with horseradish cream ($24). The interior features whimsical murals by Kris Chau, and large windows reveal a panoramic view of glowing blue mountains. La Copine is open only Thursday to Sunday from 11am to 4pm, so plan accordingly.
1pm | Explore art made of junk
Artworks in the Noah Purifoy Outdoor Desert Art Museum of Assemblage Sculpture have their own rules of logic: there’s a gravity-defying arch of toilets, totemic stacks of bowling balls, and suspended bicycles that resemble the scales of justice. Purifoy, an Alabama native who lived mostly in Los Angeles and Joshua Tree before his death in 2004, was known for his large-scale assemblages made from discarded materials. Visitors can wander among more than 100 installations and sculptures at the artist’s former 10-acre residence.
Purifoy’s early works, one of which is here, used charred debris gathered from the 1965 Watts rebellion, a series of uprisings in response to the violent arrest of a black man in Los Angeles. Pieces like Carousel, which looks like a home-made space station made of toasters, skis and computers, make the capacity of Purifoy’s imagination to create such evocative sculptures from junk seem infinite. Entry is free; donations are welcome.
3.30pm | Capture desert scents
In the centre of Joshua Tree, a sensorial heaven awaits in an unassuming shopping mall. Pull up a seat at Grateful Desert Apothecary’s recently remodeled aromatherapy bar, with shelves full of herbs and tinctures in glass bottles, where a staff member will help you create your own natural perfume. Arrive with an idea or purpose to avoid being overwhelmed by the library of more than 80 ingredients. Perhaps you’ll be inspired by local scents, like the smell of creosote bushes, which have an earthy brightness after a light rain.
Once you’ve chosen your blend, name your fragrance and the apothecary will store the recipe in an archive in case you want it again. Pricing varies depending on the ingredients, but is surprisingly affordable - around $15 to $20 for a small roll-on vial.
7pm | Eat gumbo in an oasis
Dining outdoors in the high desert is always romantic, as the absence of light pollution assures you’ll be blanketed under starry skies. Kitchen in the Desert, right off the main highway in Twentynine Palms, has sprawling open-air seating and a staggering amount of cacti, creating the effect of an oasis. The Caribbean-leaning dishes are packed with flavour without being overly complicated. Coconut rice adds a rich layer to a gumbo topped with juicy shrimp and sausage ($23), while the shiitake mushrooms are seasoned with lemon zest and yellow miso ($19), a refreshing mix after a long day in a dry climate.
9pm | Sip mezcal, shoot pool
End your evening with some cosy fun at Out There Bar, an artsy dive with magic hiding in its corners. There’s a photo booth that claims to be a time portal, tinsel around the bar, and games of pool and shuffleboard often played by customers wearing cowboy apparel. The cocktails ($12 to $14), heavy on the tequila and mezcal, are best enjoyed on the patio.
Out There Bar hosts all sorts of events, including dance parties, pizza nights, drag bingo, chef pop-ups and tarot readings. There’s no regular programme, so you’ll have to embrace happenstance or check out the bar’s Instagram stories.
7am | Go back to the Old West
California’s high-desert scenery often feels like the backdrop of an old Western (in Pioneertown, northwest of the park, a set used for many films of the genre still stands). For the non-fiction version of Wild West-like drama, enter the park via the west entrance and hike to the site of a showdown near the Wall Street Mill, once used to process gold mined in the area.
In 1943, two neighbours entered into a fatal duel over a property line disagreement along what’s now the trail. On the path, a sign commemorating the shootout reads, “Here is where Worth Bagley bit the dust at the hand of W.F. Keys.” The sign is a replica of the original one Keys, the mill’s owner, made and installed himself. At the end of the path, you’ll reach the ruins of the mill, flanked by rusted-out antique cars. The relatively easy hour-long round trip feels like travelling back in time.
10am | Hop on a horse
Is there anything quite as majestic as riding a horse through a desert expanse? The United States has an overpopulation crisis of mustangs, and Cascade Trails Mustang Sanctuary, which opened in 2020 in Joshua Tree, is a haven for around 20 displaced horses in need of care, as well as for the humans who love them. Choose from a range of close-up equine experiences: meet the horses ($45, one hour), learn to ride them (from $100, one hour) or take one out on a trail ($180, one hour). The trail ride crosses flat, undeveloped land where you may be lucky enough to see a rare desert tortoise.
Your guide will share riding tips and the often dramatic backstories of the rescue animals on the ranch. There are also glamping-style stays, including in a geodesic dome.
12pm | Relax with a cold brew
Maybe it’s the influence of the billion-year-old rocks in the region, but time feels much slower in the desert, even while caffeinated. The coffee shop Mas o Menos can feel like a temple for relaxation. Grab a cold brew ($4.50) and lounge under a tree in the spacious backyard while being serenaded by the local musicians who sometimes appear. As the name, which translates to “more or less”, implies, the cafe has a go-with-the-flow culture. Take the food menu, for example, which changes with an evolving roster of guest chefs, announced via Instagram along with a calendar of laid-back events.
Accommodations are limited in the Joshua Tree area and often have seasonal pricing. Reserve your lodging at least a few months in advance.
In Joshua Tree, AutoCamp’s cabins and Airstream trailers have the feel of a boutique hotel with minimalist decor. Airstreams start around $269.
For larger groups, the historic 29 Palms Inn offers a range of bungalows, cabins and guesthouses. The inn’s lush landscaping features an oasis-like garden and a pond. Double rooms from $155.
Hicksville Trailer Palace, in Joshua Tree, offers artsy Airstreams and recreational activities like table tennis, archery and poolside dancing. The smallest trailer starts at $100 a night.
For first-come, first-served camping in the park, try Hidden Valley Campground ($15 per site). If it’s full, there are areas outside the park run by the Bureau of Land Management and private campgrounds.
GETTING THERE
Fly from Auckland to Palm Springs International Airport with Air NZ and United Airlines with one stopover. From the airport, Joshua Tree National Park is a one-hour drive.
DETAILS
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Written by: Lucky Benson
Photographs by: Nate Abbott
©2023 THE NEW YORK TIMES
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