Girl’s Road Trip to Joshua Tree!
Some places are just meant for road trips ~ like pretty much the entire state of California, including the focus of this post: Joshua Tree National Park. Though I’d lived in Palm Springs for years, somehow…I’d never visited the park! So my photographer friend, Chelsey & I decided to remedy the situation: just for fun, we took a bunch of her photo gear out to Pioneertown, eventually landing in the lonely outpost of Joshua Tree ~ gateway to the National Park. Join us here on this epic “Girl’s Road Trip to Joshua Tree!”
Join us on this girl’s road from Palm Springs to Pioneer Town….to Joshua Tree National Park!
Map of Joshua Tree
Joshua Tree National Park
Palm Springs Windmills
Pioneertown
Joshua Tree Main Entrance
Road Trip Itinerary
- 5:30AM = Leave La Quinta to catch sunrise shots at the Palm Springs windmills, right off Highway 10.
- 7:30AM = Leave for Pioneertown, just outside of Yucca Valley, & en route to Joshua Tree National Park via Highway 62. Enjoy Pioneertown’s frontier, Old West vibe ~ minus the crowds.
- 9AM = Stop for coffee & breakfast at the super cute Frontier Cafe in Yucca Valley, on the corner of Pioneertown Road & 29 Palms Highway. Delicious.
- 10:30AM = Enter Joshua Tree National Park, via the main entrance in the town of Joshua Tree. Drive through the park, before spending several hours shooting at the Jumbo Rocks Campground area.
- 3PM = Leave the park & check into our hotel, the Best Western Joshua Tree, for an afternoon siesta & photo editing. This is the HOTTEST time of the day ~ better to be inside!
- 5:30PM = Head back into the park via the 29 Palms Entrance & head to Skull Rock & Keys View for sunset shooting. Our best shots come from just pulling over on the side of the road, into a dirt lot. Grab dinner at the fabulous Crossroads Cafe in Joshua Tree.
Girl’s Road Trip to Joshua Tree ~ Video!
This “Girl’s Road Trip to Joshua Tree” video is set to one of my favorite U2 songs ever: “Where the Streets Have No Name.” You can’t visit the park without having that album readily available…
Video Length = 2:49
Song = “Where the Streets Have No Name,” by U2
Photos of the Journey to Joshua Tree
5:30AM = We meet in La Quinta for the start of our adventure. It’s June ~ the days are long, & it’s H-O-T. Getting on the road early is essential for two reasons: 1) To beat the heat, & 2) For epic sunrise shots at the iconic Palm Springs windmills, just before our turn-off for Joshua Tree.
We caught this photo first thing in the morning, at the windmills just outside of Palm Springs.
7:30AM = Head to Pioneertown, home of the famous bar & live music venue, Pappy & Harriet’s. Pioneertown looks like a Western movie set. We set up Chelsey’s lighting gear & start shooting ~ & basically have the place to ourselves.
Pioneertown is one of the cutest little frontier towns I’ve ever seen…& it’s super close to Joshua Tree National Park.
9:30AM = Drive 15 minutes to Frontier Cafe, a super cute coffee shop on the corner of Highway 62 & Pioneertown Road (55844 29 Palms Highway), in Yucca Valley, a great spot to work, meet friends, & grab some good grub & coffee.
Girl’s Road Trip to Joshua Tree!
11AM = Enter Joshua Tree National Park ~ via the town of Joshua Tree. Our first stop is the Jumbo Rocks Campground, where we end up taking some of the best shots of the day. We spend several hours here, exploring all around the campground.
On some of the “jumbo rocks,” at Jumbo Rocks Campground, inside the park.
Strike a pose.
Make sure to explore ALL sides of the Jumbo Rocks Campground…it’s gorgeous in every direction.
Girl’s Road Trip to Joshua Tree ~ Video!
5:30PM = Head out for sunset shots via the Twentynine Palms entrance to Joshua Tree National Park on Utah Trail Road. Not gonna lie: this entrance felt a little sketchy & desolate ~ we saw NO ONE out for at least 20 minutes! But we wanted to visit Skull Rock, which is on this side of the park. Because of its isolated location & extreme heat conditions ~ Joshua Tree is not my pick for a solo trip…better to go with a friend.
My shadow, as seen on Skull Rock.
6:30PM = Chasing the sunset once more, we head to the uppermost vista point in Joshua Tree for sunset: Keys View. The drive takes about 30 minutes, & the landscape gets more gorgeous as the sun nears setting. On a clear day, you can see the Salton Sea all the way to Palm Springs.
Chelsey & I at the top of Keys View vista point, the classic sunset spot in Joshua Tree National Park.
7:30PM = We head down from Keys View, & pull over once the sun is exactly on the horizon, to capture some of our favorite shots of the trip.
The sun looked like a ball of fire, sitting just on top of the horizon.
Shot by @chlc_rose
Girls Road Trip to Joshua Tree ~ Video!
Thanks for joining our “Girl’s Road Trip to Joshua Tree National Park!” This is such a unique part of the world, & it really gives you the feel of wide open space & solitude ~ which can be hard to find these days. When you visit, bring a TON of water & ice…especially if visiting during the summer. There are very few services in the park, & no water or food ~ so you really must come prepared & bring everything you need!
And don’t solo venture here….enjoy the journey with friends!
xoxo Noelia
Read Next: Best Retro Chic Hotels in Palm Springs!
Great video & shots! That yellow dress against the Palm Springs windmills is fantastic. Makes me want to visit the desert!
Come out, Allison! Haha : ) xoxo
We’re planning a road trip to Joshua Tree & i’m loving your posts on Joshua Tree! Gives us a great overview of where to go in the area. Pioneertown looks super cool – never heard of it before! Jurgen
Pioneertown is SO quaint & cool! It’s like a saloon town out of the 1850’s or something…so fun & very photogenic!