Joshua Tree National Park

You’ll begin to see the distinctive Joshua Trees Dr. Seuss’s inspiration for the truffula trees in The Lorax long before you actually enter the park. As you drive along the single, winding road of the desert, you’ll start to see small rock outcroppings along the sides of the mountains. Eventually, you’ll see the first inselbergs popping up, giant piles of boulders that stand like dry coral reefs amongst the trees.

Joshua Tree is one of the most popular national parks in America, with its convenient location an hour north of Palm Springs making it a perfect day trip. Joshua Tree is a place to be active--its giant, iconic inselbergs are perfect for bouldering and rock climbing, and the wide-open desert, with its sandy washes and curious wildlife, begs to be explored.

Hikes in the area range from short jaunts up to larger 7-10 mile circuits. The Lost Palms Oasis Track is a popular trek, ending in a beautiful oasis of giant palm trees hidden in a crescent moon of an inselberg, while Keys View (reachable by car for those who want the payoff without the exertion) gives panoramic views across the entire valley from the Salton Sea to Greater Los Angeles, with the San Andreas Fault Line fully visible from the altitude.

Camping is possible on one of nine campgrounds (backcountry camping is banned without a permit), and three of them—Black Rock, Indian Cove and Cottonwood—have flushing toilets and running water.