Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
descend the steep canyon walls to drink, and hosts of birds visit on their spring and fall
migrations.
2.
Twentynine Palms
Some 30 miles east of Morongo Valley, the town of Twentynine Palms makes an inviting
stop. First inhabited by Chemehuevi and Serrano Indians, the oasis here later served as a
jumping-off point for prospectors and cattlemen on their way into the desert. Today the
town is home to the park's main visitor center, where displays and a well-marked nature
trail inform visitors about the region's history and wildlife. A few Joshua trees can be seen
at the center, but most are located at the park's higher elevations (between 3,500 and 6,000
feet), where they thrive on cool temperatures and the occasional hard winter freeze. Here
and elsewhere in the park, look for the hammocklike nest of the rare Scott's oriole slung
between the Joshua trees' branches.
3.
Fortynine Palms Oasis
After a steep, 1 1/2-mile hike up a ridge where barrel cacti grow, the sight of this jewel of
an oasis stirs and refreshes the soul: From the overlook, craggy canyon walls descend 300
feet to a serene pool surrounded by tall fan palms. As at Morongo Valley, bighorn sheep
often visit here (look for them at dawn and dusk), and ancient Indian petroglyphs can be
seen on the canyon walls above the oasis.
4.
Hidden Valley
At the town of Joshua Tree, the drive leaves Twentynine Palms Highway and heads south
by way of Park Boulevard, a 17-mile paved road that takes you to the heart of the high
desert. Hidden Valley, named by cattle and horse rustlers who used it to graze their stolen
livestock,isnosecrettotherockclimberswhoflocktoitsshapelygranitedomes.Theycan
beseeninchingtheirwayupthesemassiverocks,whosenames(TrojanHead,OldWoman,
the Blob) bespeak their intriguing shapes.
5.
Keys View
From this overlook atop the Little San Bernardino Mountains, the panoramic view of the
CoachellaValleyandthemountainsbeyondcantakeyourbreathaway.Letyourgazetravel
south to the Salton Sea, then west to the snowcapped heights of San Jacinto Peak (look for
Palm Springs at the base) and San Gorgonio Mountain, the highest point in southern Cali-
fornia.
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