Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree sits where the high Mojave and low Colorado deserts meet, a surreal landscape of the spiky, twisting Joshua trees that give it its name and great piles of rounded golden boulders. A magnet for rock climbers, stargazers under some of the darkest skies in Southern California, and anyone drawn to the strange beauty of the desert.

What you actually see

• The Joshua trees - the twisting, spiky yucca trees across the high desert.
• The boulder piles - the giant rounded rock formations, a climbers' playground.
• Keys View - the overlook across the Coachella Valley to the San Andreas Fault.
• The night sky - some of the darkest, most star-filled skies near a big city.

When to go

The cooler months from autumn to spring; spring can bring wildflowers, and summer heat is severe. The dark nights are best for stargazing year-round, but comfortable only outside the heat.

Honest expectations

Summer is dangerously hot, so it is a cool-season destination. There is no water and little shade in the park, so bring plenty. It has grown very popular, so weekends and the entrance can be busy, and it draws a festival crowd from nearby Coachella in season.

Nearby

Palm Springs and its mid-century modern scene are close; the Salton Sea and Mojave lie beyond.