For spring break this year, I went to California with my roommate, Isabella, and our mutual friend, Dayna. We spent nine beautiful and busy days exploring SoCal, getting a taste of both city and nature. On our second day, we spent the full day in the desert of Joshua Tree National Park.Â
We were staying in the Santa Ana area, which is roughly two hours away from Joshua Tree. We hit the road around 8 a.m., scrambled to get breakfast and gas, and arrived at the park around 10 a.m. Since we were only spending the day in Joshua Tree, we wanted to get a taste of multiple shorter trails throughout the park rather than picking one or two long ones.
The first trail we walked was the one-mile-long Hidden Valley Loop, which took us through a rock-walled valley once rumored to have been used by cattle rustlers. All around us were iconic spiky Joshua trees, various cacti, and vast rock formations. We took great pleasure in trying to spot lizards and other miscellaneous critters tucked away in the terrain. Hidden Valley was a lovely introduction to Joshua Tree, and it only took us about 45 minutes to complete!Â
Next, we headed over to Skull Rock and Jumbo Rocks. In this area, we explored the immense boulder piles, desert washes, and, of course, the namesake Skull Rock. We had a blast taking pictures and wandering around the site. There isn’t necessarily a set trail in this area, so we just took the liberty of exploring whatever looked interesting. What’s most awesome about this area is how big the rock piles are. Of course, you expect that because of the name “Jumbo Rocks,” but it’s easy to underestimate how truly colossal they’re going to be until you’re standing in front of them. It’s a tremendous feat of nature.Â
After Skull Rock, we made our way over to the Arch Rock Trailhead. We made the silly error of not paying attention to the signs and found ourselves wandering in the desert for about 30 minutes in the wrong direction before realizing our mistake. Eventually, we (successfully) arrived at Arch Rock, which is exactly what it sounds like. However uncreative the names of these sites may be, they are truly incredible to get to see and appreciate in person, and Arch Rock was no exception! We took so many photos with Arch Rock and the nearby Heart Rock. Then, Dayna and I wandered off the trail in pursuit of something hidden. With no expectations, we found ourselves repeatedly uncovering more isolated bits of the trail, some of which broke off into the vast, untamed wilderness.Â
After our fruitful meandering, we returned to the parking area to brainstorm our late lunch/dinner plan. We decided to drive out to Pioneertown, an old Western-style community with lovely little shops and restaurants. We ate at Pappy and Harriets, a gorgeous, rustic restaurant that was once a filming location in the 1950s, including for The Cisco Kid, The Range Rider, and The Gene Autry Show.
In our ravenous state, we ordered the family BBQ platter, which included a rack of ribs slathered in sauce, fries, a half chicken, prime rib, coleslaw, mac and cheese, baked beans, and loads of house-made sauce. After clearing our plates in record time (20 minutes, to be exact), we explored the town by window shopping and playing with the animals in the petting zoo.Â
To make the most of our day pass, we wanted to go back into Joshua Tree for sunset and stargazing. Of course, we stopped for ice cream on our way back. Once we chose a satisfactory stargazing spot in the park, we listened to music and waited for the stars to come out. Watching the park get emptier as the sky slowly changed colors was so peaceful. Together we chatted, admired the stars, pointed out shooting stars and constellations, and even saw some wildlife, including a coyote and many little pocket mice.
Before long, the sky was glistening, full of planets and stars far, far away. Stargazing is one of my favorite parts of being in nature since, away from light pollution, you can see millions of them. After a few hours, we felt satisfied and hit the road back to Santa Ana.Â
I can’t recommend visiting Joshua Tree enough! It’s so different from any other national park I’ve been to. Out in the obscure desert, Joshua Tree is so unique that it borders on extraterrestrial.
If you find yourself out West, definitely check it out.Â
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