Get your fix of nature and beauty in California’s Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park is a landscape rich with beauty and plenty of adventure. For those looking to fall off the map or get a little lost, whether in thought or in destination, Joshua Tree is the perfect rush of fantasy and reality.

Set in parts of both the Mojave Desert and the Colorado Desert in Southern California, Joshua Tree is nestled on nearly 800,000 acres of preserved land in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

It’s home to the famous Joshua tree, which grows in the otherwise barren high desert terrain. The plant’s name is said to have come from a group of Mormons who were traversing the desert in the mid-19th century. The shape of the tree reminded them of the biblical tale of Joshua, as the branches seem to mimic his motion of reaching his arms to the sky in prayer.

You may also recognize Joshua trees from the cartoon versions in books by Dr. Seuss, as the park and trees were inspiration for the children’s book author. While my travels to Joshua Tree were short, with only a day to spend there, it was still worth the 2.5hour drive from where I was staying in Los Angeles. If I ever return, the park is definitely somewhere I plan to spend a few days camping to fully experience all that it offers. Here are some highlights.

KEYS VIEW

One of the highest points in the park, Keys View allows you to look out over Coachella Valley as well as spot the San Andreas Fault line. It’s also the best spot to catch the sunset.

There are many campgrounds in Joshua Tree, including Black Rock, Cottonwood, Sheep Pass and Hidden Valley. I recommend taking a look at the site, JustAhead.com, for in-depth descriptions of each location so that you can pick the right one for yourself and your itinerary. While there are designated camping sites, it’s also not uncommon to see RVs pulled over and tents pitched in random locations.

“EXHIBITS” AND CLIMBING

Even if you only have time to stick to the main road through the park (called Park Boulevard on the west side of the park before turning into Pinto Basin Road), there is plenty of ground to cover. Generally, the most popular “exhibits,” or geological formations, are located along the main road or just a