Weird and wonderful Joshua Tree
Even before U2 named an album after it, the plant known as the Joshua tree has captured the imagination of nature lovers, mystical souls, and misfits seeking refuge in the vastness of the California desert. Standing in front of a Joshua tree (also known as a yucca brevifolia) is a breathtaking experience: the gnarled knotted trees are so unlike anything else on the North American landscape, they look like they could just as easily be growing on the moon.
But they’re closer to civilization than you’d think — start driving into the high desert just north of Palm Springs and you’ll start seeing Joshua trees within about a half hour or so. While the flora and landscape of Joshua Tree National Park is a draw in and of itself, the surrounding area is just as full of trees, along with the weird and wonderful footprint of the people who have been drawn to the desert over the years. Both naturally and culturally, the land of the Joshua trees is a delightfully eccentric slice of Americana.
THE PARK
For those seeking a pure Joshua tree experience, the ultimate stop is Joshua Tree National
Park itself. For the most impactful visit, take the time to drive to the southeastern gates of the park, where you’ll find a visitor’s centre. As you ease into the park there are spots to stop to admire chollas and other cacti and before long, you’ll find Joshua trees as far as the eye can see.
The park can be enjoyed by people at all levels of ability — one can drive through and see the sights without straying too far from the car, but there are also 300 miles of trails available for hikers and paths for cyclists. While the park serves as a day trip for Palm Springs tourists, there’s also plenty of camping available for nature lovers who want to sleep beneath the desert stars.
PIONEERTOWN
To both visitors and locals, “Joshua Tree” isn’t just about the national park nor the (quite small) town of Joshua Tree, but it also encompasses the town of Yucca Valley and the surrounding area. One spot that’s become very popular over the years (too popular, some regulars will tell you) is Pioneertown, located just northwest of Joshua Tree National Park. Founded in the 1940s as a tourist attraction/ western movie set, the property includes a street full of shops (which may or may not be open — it’s important to remember that desert time isn’t the same as city time), a motel, and, most famously, Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace.
Pappy and Harriet’s is a desert oasis for rock ‘n’ rollers, beer drinkers, and BBQ lovers (if you happen to fall into all three categories, it’s an absolute paradise). The bar regularly hosts live music, featuring much bigger names than you’d typically see in a small club (most famously, Paul McCartney made a surprise appearance a few years ago). During the day, it’s full of day-trippers from Palm Springs looking for a hearty lunch.
DESERT ODDITIES
Many people move out to the desert to escape the confines of Los Angeles and let their freak flags fly, which means the Joshua Tree area is laden with quirky art pieces, interesting shops, and real deal desert oddities.
The town of Joshua Tree is full of friendly characters, a few restaurants, and a handful of shops. Music historians may want to swing by the Joshua Tree Inn to pay tribute to late country-rock musician Gram Parsons, who died within the hotel (a memorial stands outside of his room). On the other side of town, look for the World Famous Crochet Museum, a closet-sized display of crocheted animals and other items.
Driving out of town will get you to the real goods, however. The Giant Rock is located near Landers — it’s essentially just a really big boulder (many claim it to be the largest free standing rock in the world), but it’s considered sacred by local Indigenous groups and is also a gathering point for UFO enthusiasts. One of those enthusiasts built another nearby attraction, the Integratron, in 1960. The Integratron is a larger, acoustically perfect white domed building, originally purported to be capable of time travel. These days it’s used for soothing “sound baths.” Customers can book an appointment (it’s important to reserve well in advance) and sit back as a therapist makes sounds with quartz bowls, with the sounds bouncing throughout the dome. It’s a little New Age-y, but legitimately relaxing.
Finally, works of outsider art are scattered around the desert, but few are as significant as Noah Purifoy’s Outdoor Art Museum. The “museum” is a desert field full of found object sculptures, created by late artist Noah Purifoy. Strange, beautiful, and a little disturbing, Purifoy’s work perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the desert.