Desert Dawn: A Visit to Joshua Tree National Park

I shut off my phone alarm at 5:15 am on a Sunday morning and drag my sleep-laden body out of bed. It’s one of those mornings when it feels like I only shut my eyes for an hour, so I get ready on autopilot—wanting to be asleep but excited enough to let the promise of adventure motivate me. 

Dressed and somewhat more alert, I follow the strong scent of coffee into the kitchen, and fill a mug with the still-hot brew, topping it with a splash of oat milk. I’m not a regular coffee drinker—I usually prefer matcha for a slower caffeine fix—but some scenarios demand the immediacy of coffee, and waking up after too little sleep is one of them. 

Our destination this morning is Joshua Tree National Park, home to a surreal desert landscape filled with centuries-old trees of the same name. There aren’t many people around at this hour, so we enjoy the golden sunrise in relative quiet and take turns dancing in the middle of an open road, carried away by the soundtrack of our own laughter. 

The day announces itself fully around 7am, painting the sky in brilliant blues, as we head back to our minivan to set off on a sightseeing adventure around the park. We visit a family of prickly cacti at the Cholla Garden, where I keep my distance because I’m just clumsy enough to get pricked—and I have a terribly low tolerance for pain.

From the Cholla Garden, we continue deeper into the park until we come to the Arch Rock Trail. Here, sand-colored boulders in various shapes fill the foreground, creating a picture of a rock-filled landscape that seems deliberate—as if each boulder were intentionally placed to look just so. The arch stands proudly along the trail, sculpted over time by water relentlessly eroding the rock’s surface. This trail is short, so we leave almost as quickly as we arrive, just in time to get out of the way of a group of wild coyotes that my friend keenly spots.

Our next stop is my favorite: Hidden Valley Trail. Here, we loop through a rocky valley where giant stones in even more shapes and sizes sit stacked toward the sky at precarious-looking angles. Standing beneath them feels almost like a dream; I have to convince myself that the views I see are real. 

I continue to be in awe of California and its natural landscape, where deserts meet mountains meet beaches. All of it takes my breath away and reminds me that some things are worth losing sleep for.

Good to Know 

You’ll need an entrance pass to access Joshua Tree National Park. You can get that here: https://www.nps.gov/jotr/planyourvisit/fees.htm

If you drive, I recommend renting a car, as it is a convenient way to get around the park. 

Starting our day early allowed us to avoid people traffic, since the park is a popular destination (especially on weekends). We left the park at 10am and there was already a long lane of traffic at the entrance. 

We stayed at an Airbnb in Joshua Tree. You can book the same one here: https://www.airbnb.com/l/3GnbABnQ

We flew into Palm Springs and drove to Joshua Tree [1hr drive]. Ubers will make the trip, but I still recommend getting a car.

We didn’t eat out a lot because we bought groceries, and this area doesn’t seem to be abundant in the restaurant department. However, we had a good meal at Kitchen in the Desert. It’s outside but their heaters work better than any I’ve seen, and they give blankets. 

If you are visiting Los Angeles, you can add Joshua Tree to your itinerary for an overnight stay.

As always, 

thank you for reading!

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Same Footprints, Different Sands