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| Among the best times to visit Joshua Tree National Park is at sunset when the colorful skies and cooler temperatures make for one of Mother Nature's best shows. |
Fall through spring mark the safest seasons. Summer usually is dangerously hot with an average temperature of 100 degrees from June through September.
December can be surprisingly chilly, as winter settles over the High Desert; it’s much colder than the neighboring Palm Springs and Coachella Valley or the Los Angeles basin. At least a sweatshirt and jacket probably will be needed from November through January.
Once you’ve selected the season, consider the time of day for your visit.
Daytime hikes are fine October through April. During winter, however, nights will get cold with temperatures dropping by up to 40 degrees between day and night.
Summer hikes – May through September – are possible, but you’ll need to hike either early in the morning before the sun rises too high or at night from when the sun is close to setting through the early evening hours. The desert is gorgeous at sunrise and twilight.
Nighttime hikes are possible on flat, well-marked trails but usually are not recommended elsewhere, as wildlife (especially snakes) come out at night and rocky ground can cause you to fall. If the full moon is out, however, you should have enough natural light to see where you’re stepping.
Of course, the best thing to look at during the nighttime is the brilliant night sky, so there’s no need to hike at all.
Some great trails to see at Joshua Tree National Park include:
• Boy Scout Trail, southern segment (Joshua tree groves)
• Skull Rock Trail (granite monoliths)
• 49 Palms Oasis Trail (desert oasis)
• Barker Dam Nature Trail (ranching history)
• Lost Horse Mine Trail (mining history)
