As you head from the California coast to Joshua Tree, there’s a clear shift in the air. Upon entering Coachella Valley, travelers strangely and surely feel a sense of calm, quiet and culture come across the vast desert-scape. Whether you’re venturing to Joshua Tree National Park to explore backcountry California or unplugging at one of the many epic Airbnbs around town (I see you: Desert Airstreams, UFO Futuro Home, Stargazer Cabin) Joshua Tree is a quirky desert destination that will fill you with wonder.
From fascinating public art installations to old-timey historic saloons, Joshua Tree is full of curious places that feed the soul and quiet the mind. Ready to get exploring? Here are the coolest things to do around Joshua Tree:
ART INSTALLATIONS AROUND JOSHUA TREE
Noah Purifoy is self-classified as an 'Outdoor Desert Museum of Assemblage Sculpture' so your guess would have been as good as mine was going into it. This Joshua Tree cultural experience is a free (donations accepted) self-guided art installation smack dab in the California desert. Here you can navigate and wander throughout ten acres of the late Noah Purifoy's outdoor art studio, scattered with dozens of statement pieces, seemingly made out of garbage. From massive structures made of...toilets... to other debris, Purifoy began constructing these sculptures from as far back as 1965.
These creations attract visitors globally and each speaks to different social commentary and concerns from the artist. Many aren't clear, as the map is legitimately just a list of the sculpture titles, leaving it up for imagination and childlike wonder.
Another peculiar cultural experience in Joshua Tree is grabbing a sound bath at The Integratron. This fascinating, historical structure was built in 1954 “to be an electrostatic generator for the purpose of rejuvenation and time travel.” Talk about a trip. The circular structure uses a sound reverberation to soothe the mind and body. Reservations are required and include a 60-minute sonic healing session, starting at $40 per person.
BEST, LOW TRAFFIC HIKING TRAILS IN JOSHUA TREE
The best, desolate hiking in Joshua Tree National Park was an unmarked trail on the park map itself. It was only until we made our way nearly to the north entrance of the park that we located the Contact Mine trail on the left of the road. This was a challenging-enough, yet do-able four-mile down and back hike up to some abandoned mine shafts.
The hike itself was quite unique a desolate desert terrain of the Colorado Desert which drastically varies compared to the western portion of the park and the Mojave Desert. It was wild. We went to the park during the holidays so this was a much-needed refuge from the crowds and we only passed one person throughout our hour-ish hike.
Fortynine Palms Oasis is outside of the hustle and bustle of the main portion of the park and is ranked as a moderately strenuous 3-mile, roundtrip trail that leads through shaded canopies of a cooling oasis in the desert. You access the trail be turning down Canyon Road off of Twentynine Palms Highway.
Lost Horse Mine trail, while a bit better known around the park is a four-mile roundtrip trail that takes you to an abandoned old mine (shocking! I know!) This trail, however, is much longer in the winter months as the parking area is only open further out from the trailhead.
BADASS WESTERN BARS NEAR JOSHUA TREE
When it comes to local watering holes, this small town has a couple of hotspots where the coolness continues into the night - or apparently the morning too. Driving through downtown Joshua Tree, you’ll easily find The Joshua Tree Saloon, close to the intersection of the national park welcome center.
At 11 am, there were already tens of motorcycles lined up - presumably for one of their top-notch burgers and a beer. The outside of the saloon is as western as it gets, built up by tin siding and a swing door. Inside you’ll find the divey-ness continue with the dimly lit pool table and a long rustic bar. If it’s lunchtime, grab a seat wherever you can find one and make sure to get a big boy beer to wash down your grub. On the weekends, you can catch live music too.
Which brings us to Pappy + Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, thirty minutes from Joshua Tree. If you’re looking for a real show, get a reservation for dinner at this western-themed restaurant and bar. Make sure you head to town before the sun goes down to wander around the town itself, which you may imagine, is well old Hollywood western. You can also stop in if you aren’t eating and take a spot on the dance floor in front of the band.
TAKE A DAY TRIP TO EXPLORE SOME TRIPPY DESERT TOWNS
What do you get when you put an abandoned beachfront resort town, outdoor art exhibit built by trash and a drifter’s desert safe haven along the same strip of highway in eastern California? Quite possibly, the most rad road trip in America.
Bombay Beach will be first up. This 1950’s resort town has been since abandoned and turned into an eery, yet extraordinary travel destination packed with artistic touches around town. This is the perfect intro for what’s up next. A little further down the strip, you’ll come to Slab City and East Jesus. This land is currently inhabited by a bunch of (friendly) squatters and packed with fascinating experiences ranging from a huge dirt hill turned into a colorful religious shrine to an art park where all of the exhibits are created from trash.
