Getting There
Joshua Tree National Park is located in Southern southern California, a few hours drive from Los Angles, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and San Diego. Palm Springs is the closest airport. The park is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You’ll need a Joshua Tree visitors pass ($30 per car) ($30 per car for 7 days) or a National Parks pass to enter the park. You can purchase either from the visitors center or toll stations when entering the park or online.
The park has 6 access points, 3 are connected by the main park road while 3 are single-access points for hiking trails or campgrounds on the edge of the park.
We drove in through the Cottonwoods entrance on the south side of the park from I10 and out through the west entrance in Joshua Tree. The cottonwoods entrance is convenient any time of day because you do not have to go through an entrance station. After a few days in the park, we visited Indian Cove to camp and FortyNine Palms entrance to hike.
Pro-tip, arrive early (before 8) if you’re planning on using the Joshua Tree entrance to the northwest, it was backed up at the fee station because they only have one lane of traffic going through the gate.
Facilities
Water & Restrooms - Like many desert parks water is scarce. There are no drinking water points in the middle of the park. The majority of toilets are pit toilets and there are no shower facilities. The desert sun is hot though so pick up a solar shower (link) before you go and you’ll be squeaky clean!
Gas - The park is quite big (800,000 acres!) and there are no gas stations within the park borders. The largest gateway community to the northwest has full facilities including gas. From the south we recommend you go in with a full tank so you don’t miss out on any adventures.
Food - There are no restaurants or concessions in the park so stock up in the surrounding cities before entering. Make sure you take out what garbage you can as well, they do recycle glass and aluminum within the park.
Where to Sleep
There are multiple campgrounds in the park, we got lucky and found last-minute spots at Jumbo Rocks and Indian Cove campground using the recreation.gov app. All the campgrounds we saw looked really cool, in the upper elevations of the park, many of the campsites were nestled up against rock formations close to beautiful scenery. The lower cottonwood campground is a little less scenic but does have a dump station with running water.
Backcountry camping is unique in Joshua Tree. The process is extremely easy but takes some route planning and an adventurous spirit. The park has designated backcountry starting point locations. You just need to fill out a (free) permit at your chosen starting point. We did this the one night we couldn’t get a campground from the Pine City lot and it was an easy hike to find a beautiful spot. It was however very cold (36 degrees🥶) and windy so be prepared.
If you’d like to stay outside the park there are multiple free BLM campgrounds nearby or paid campgrounds in nearby Joshua Tree and Palm Springs. There is also a great selection of unique Airbnbs nearby if you’re looking for some more luxurious accommodations.
What we did
We hiked some small trails - Cholla Cactus Garden, Skull Rock, Discovery Trail, FortyNine Palms Oasis - we took our gravel bikes on the Geology Tour loop and backcountry camped for one night off the Lucky Boy loop trail. We spent 3 days in the park and felt we got a good feel for it but could easily have stayed another 3 days and not even come close to running out of things to do.
What we’d do next time
More backpacking! This park is huge and has so many areas to explore. We’d love to return when it’s a bit warmer overnight and try some longer backpacking routes.
What to do if you only have a day
We'd recommend entering through the west or north entrance station and drive along Park Blvd. This is where the majority of Joshua Trees and unique rock formations are. Most of the pull-outs and parking lots are trailheads for hikes of varying difficulty and length. Check the hikes page here and choose one that suits your time and energy levels!
Croatia is full of stunning national parks unlike anywhere else. Plitvice retains a beauty that has been preserved over time and the country has invested well into their park system. As Croatia enters the schengen region of Europe they have become extremely tourist friendly with affordable Airbnb’s and plenty of local transport.
Plitvice is the National park gem of Croatia. Its beauty is unique safeguarded from overuse and pollution. The park's operations are also extremely sophisticated and the infrastructure is perfect for groups and travelers from any background. My favorite part of Plitvice was the most obvious, the extraordinary waterfalls! Croatian waterfalls are called "slap", and they certainly slapped me in the face the first time I witnessed them. I was mouth to the boardwalk when I walked around a bend and witnessed 4 cascading waterfalls into an endless emerald pool, I didn't want to leave, but as I kept going the waterfalls continually impressed me with there hidden qualities and secretive nature. The waterfalls here are unlike anywhere I have been, instead of following an obvious path, they leak through the woods and overflow their banks. The emerald waters are also mesmerizing. In some places, they were extremely deep and the boardwalk makes you feel like you are practically walking on water.
We recommend starting from the top and working your way down to the bottoms. Other options include walking around the large lake, or working your way up the falls for a little more of a challenge. The H sequence for Plitvice starts at the top of the park (from entrance 2) and works its way down to the base of the river (boat ride included). The pre-drawn routes the park provides are useful and get any tourist to the best spots. The entirety of Plitvice's waterfalls can easily be walked in just a day. Overall the park is fairly concentrated in a few beautiful waterfall zones and the boardwalks are the most enticing sections along the river. If you want to witness more wildlife, check out some of the other hikes that get away from the crowds and up into the hills. By the end of a long day, you'll feel extremely satisfied with what you've seen. When we visited in mid-November the water volume was at it's peak volume which made for stunning views. Also, visiting outside the summer season means that the housing is cheaper and there is less crowding. We'd love to return a bit earlier to see more greenery or possible some dazzling flowers in the water. There is no swimming aloud so don't go if it's scorching hot, the water would be to much of a tease for any tourist to ignore.
The Coffee Situation - Plitvice has a small food shop at the B entrance that opens at 8:30. Coffee is served, but is a bit expensive for the area. They do offer it mixed with Baileys and other spirits for those that need an extra pick-me-up. We recommend making some big year coffee at home and taking it with you so you can make the first tram into the park.
]]>There is no better view of the Rockies than in the Grand Teton's. From the valley floor looking east there are many great pull offs for your car, camper, or van to stop, open the back hatch, and enjoy some coffee. One of my favorites is the Schwabacher road pull off which goes down along the Snake River. Afterwards head up Jackson Lake and Colter Bay to enjoy beautiful views and enjoy a hike. Teton is full of many great views and places to enjoy a morning cup of coffee.
The travel birder is my outlet for writing about sustainability, nature, and most importantly birdwatching. I update it regularly with my photo and create almost all the content for the website. If you'd like to be featured in the blog as a guest writer please contact me - avesofficial@gmail.com. Here is an excerpt from the website:
Of course you wouldn't want to forget some Big Year pour-over coffee for your road trip. All you need is hot water, your favorite big year blend, and a cup. Sunbird blend is a deliciously smooth mix, grown in Indonesia and Brazil, while our Cotinga blend is exclusively South American with notes of delicious chocolate, hazelnut, and a rich, full-bodied experience.