Joshua Tree and the surrounding areas of the Yucca Valley and Pioneertown are like the quirkier cousins of the manicured Palm Springs. Known for it’s mountain formations, Joshua trees and huge collection of cactuses, it’s also a brilliantly creative and spirited community.
The national park is a wonderful day trip if you’re in the area. There’s the option to camp within the park itself, but apparently this accommodation gets booked up far in advance and so I’d recommend booking into a motel or AirBnb just outside, and then driving into the park for the day. We stayed at the incredible Joshua Tree Acres (which you can read about in my previous post).
Having a morning free before heading to the park, we made a stop off at the quaint, infamous Pioneertown to see what all of the fuss was about. Pioneertown is a quirkly little old Wild West film set that was used for filming cowboy films since the ’40s. It’s now mostly a tourist spot and people also live in the tiny town; you can book a night at the filmic Pioneertown Motel if you really want to feel like a local. The hub is Pappy & Harriet’s – the only spot for a bit of food and nightlife. Paul McCartney even played a secret gig there a couple of years ago! Hipster 20-somethings on their way back from Coachella mix here happily with a gang of motorcyclists who are stopping off for a burger on their way back to Palm Springs and it’s the perfect stop off for a cold beer.
Next up, we changed into sports gear for a hike through the national park. Joshua Tree national park is vast but is very do-able to explore within one day. We headed in mid-morning but would recommend going even earlier so as to avoid not only the crowds, but the searing midday sun – which in the desert can be pretty intense! Make sure you visit the Cholla Cactus Farm and hike around one of the impressive rock formations (Skull Rock or Arch Rock are both good options). There’s not a lot in the park by way of food and drink, so make sure you have plenty of water with you!
After a few hours exploring the park, we drove back through Joshua Tree’s main village – in desperate need of a cold beer and a slice of pizza. In the village itself, you will find locally owned and run restaurants, art galleries, music venues, and vintage shops. It’s small town, authentic and like nowhere I’ve been before. Make sure you stop off in the Saloon for a cold one (we even went back for Karaoke night and it was potentially the most quintessentially ‘american’ experience of my life!). Joshua Tree coffee shop is also worth a stop off, along with a pizza slice from Pie For The People and a snoop around the impressive vintage clothing store The End…
Joshua Tree you were magical.
LMNH x
