Joshua Tree NP chockful of great day trails

Among Joshua Tree National Park's many highlights are desert oases, like
Fortynine Palms Oasis.

Imagine a place where granite monoliths rise out of the ground forming fantastical shapes...where otherworldly Joshua trees grow in dense forests...where secluded palm oases beckon weary desert travelers...where the ruins of old ranches and gold mines stand as monuments to men’s Herculean efforts and shattered dreams...where bare rugged mountains loom over vast sand dunes...where the Milky Way glitters at night like no man-made light show ever could. The place is real: It’s called Joshua Tree National Park.

Located in Southern California, Joshua Tree is an increasingly popular destination for day trippers and tourists alike. But with the park’s incredible size of 1,235 square miles, how can you ensure you see its main sights when driving through or vacationing?

Here are some of the park’s top sights and the day trails to see them:
• Skull Rock Trail (granite monoliths)
• Fortynine Palms Trail (desert oases)
• Boy Scout Trail, southern segment (Joshua tree forests)
• Barker Dam Trail (ranch ruins)
• Lost Horse Mine Trail (mining ruins and rugged mountains)
• Pinto Basin Sand Dunes Trail (sand dunes)
• Porcupine Wash-Ruby Lee Mill Site Trail (stargazing)