Exploring Joshua Tree National Park

Ask a dozen different people what they love most about Joshua Tree National Park, and you’ll get a dozen different answers. For some, it’s all about the iconic trees. For others, capturing the beauty of the Milky Way tops the list. For me, it is the Chasm of Doom, a collection of piled-up boulders wedged within a tunnel-like slot canyon.

‘This is the most epic place for climbing rocks,’ says park ranger Christian Delich.

Hidden Adventures Await

What makes it so special? For starters, its entrance along the Hidden Valley Nature Trail is well concealed. I only found it because I was tagging along with a seasoned pro. Furthermore, it’s the exact opposite of what you might expect to find in the High Desert. Forget tumbleweeds, sunshine, and wide-open spaces: The Chasm of Doom is a series of dark boulder tunnels with extremely tight squeezes that often turn adults into giddy children.

The narrow entryway, in fact, involves hoisting yourself up a staircase of boulders that range from small to SUV-sized. You must squeeze through cracks, jump off boulders, and employ climbing maneuvers reminiscent of chimney climbing. Not to mention, there’s a section affectionately known as the Birthing Canal or The Coffin. The best way to navigate this area is to plop down on the dusty desert floor, then slide your legs beneath a massive boulder wedged between others and several feet above you while inchworming along on your back.

A Diverse Ecosystem

As we make our way through the maze of monzogranite, it hits me: Joshua Tree National Park is vastly more than meets the eye. Sure, I expected to be scrambling; this park is known as a rock climber’s paradise, after all. However, I didn’t expect to be exploring such an amazing cave-like structure.

Moreover, I’m also amazed by the variety of life that exists here. Thanks to the diverse elevations, nearly 800 species of plants thrive in the park. On the hike to the Chasm, we spot everything from prickly pear cacti to pinyon pines, along with desert willows, junipers, and my favorite, the teddy bear cholla, which can reach heights greater than humans.

The wildlife is just as captivating, with about 57 mammal species, roughly 46 different reptiles, and 250 types of birds. If you only visit during the day, you’ll miss experiencing most of the park’s wildlife. Sure, you’ll see bunnies, birds, lizards, and a chipmunk or two, but at dawn and dusk, the scene changes dramatically, with bighorn sheep, coyotes, and black-tailed jack rabbits making appearances.

In other words, a quick drive through the park doesn’t do it justice. To really get to know Joshua Tree, you must dig a little deeper and perhaps consider going with a guide.

The Fascinating Joshua Trees

The Joshua trees have been around since the Pleistocene epoch when giant sloths and woolly mammoths roamed this area. With their furry-looking trunks and haphazardly angled limbs, they are certainly a unique sight.

‘They live about 150 years on average depending on their growth location,’ says Delich. ‘In areas with more reliable precipitation, they typically grow faster. For instance, in the northwestern part of the park where it’s the wettest, the trees thrive much better.’

‘Why do some of them reach toward the ground like that?’ I inquire.

‘No one can definitively explain why they look so strange,’ he chuckles.

To see the thickest forest of Joshua trees, we venture out to Keys View. From the lookout, we can spot the Little San Bernardino Mountains, Coachella Valley, and the San Andreas Fault. On particularly clear days, it’s even possible to see Signal Mountain in Mexico. As we climb back into the car, we reflect on the future of the beloved Joshua trees.

‘Our emissions are currently just over 400 parts per million for CO2,’ he shares. ‘If we continue as usual until 2100, that number will skyrocket, which doesn’t bode well for Joshua trees. If temperatures rise, they’d likely need to retreat north.’

‘They may not be found here in a hundred years,’ he concludes. ‘But it’s likely that there will be far fewer of them in the national park; that’s what the models indicate.’

Indeed, it’s an unfortunate thought. However, just because they might struggle in Joshua Tree National Park in the future doesn’t mean they can’t thrive in other areas.

‘Many people believe they only grow here,’ he adds. ‘But that’s not the case; they also flourish in Arizona, Nevada, and Utah.’

Historical Significance of the Land

Before Joshua Tree was declared a national park, many individuals called this area home. Approximately 8,000 years ago, it is believed to have been inhabited by Paleo-Indians. The Mojave, Serrano, Chemehuevi, and Cahuilla people all utilized areas within and around the park for generations; many still reside nearby. Visitors can observe native art through rock pictographs and petroglyphs found throughout the park.

‘The Oasis of Mara at headquarters in Twentynine Palms is of significant importance to them (Native Americans),’ says Delich. ‘Their ancestors have lived there for thousands of years, and we consult them for any management decisions in that area.’

As the 1800s approached, miners flocked to the area in search of gold.

While walking along the Barker Dam Loop, it’s easy to step back in time and imagine miners and cowboys passing through.

In 1994, the Desert Conservation Act expanded the park and granted it national park status, significantly increasing visitation, with nearly 3 million people visiting each year.

A Wonderland of Rocks

Sitting in the shade of a giant rock formation, I begin to contemplate activities for my next trip to the park—a night sky photography workshop, camping with friends, and a day scrambling through the Wonderland of Rocks. Delich reminds me that navigating this area is best done with a guide, as it’s intended for expert hikers with excellent map and compass skills.

One of his all-time favorite experiences in the park was the first time he scrambled to the Astrodomes, steep rocks that provide breathtaking views of the Wonderland’s expansive 12 square miles of rocks.

‘You could call this entire park the Wonderland of Rocks,’ he states. ‘And that would be a very fitting name.’

I completely concur. Joshua Tree is a place of wonder and adventure, truly worthy of attention.