Joshua Tree Travel Guide: Travel and tourist information, things to do and see in Joshua Tree

Joshua Tree National Park encompasses the arid mountains and high desert plateaus just east of Palm Springs, California. You can access the area through the entrance and visitors center in Cottonwood Springs near Palm Desert, California or through the high-country entrances at the Village of Joshua Tree or near the town of Twenty-Nine Palms.

There are only a few roads that wind through the monument, but there are plenty of wide-open spaces and hiking trails with spectacular scenery. It was named for the strange looking Joshua tree that flourishes in the area. Joshua Tree attracts thousands of rock climbers from around the world but attracts few sightseeing tourists. This is one of those hidden treasures that have not been spoiled by overuse.

The scenery in Joshua tree looks like something from another planet. You expect to see dinosaurs and outer space creatures roaming this desert landscape.

The high plateaus are flat sandy basins filled with a strange collection of desert plants including thousands of bizarre looking Joshua trees. Everywhere you look; you see piles of gigantic boulders strewn across the landscape like some discarded toys of giants. Barren rocky mountain peaks rise all around.

Locality:

Joshua Tree National Park is located in Southern California about 150 miles (250km) east of Los Angeles. It contains over 1200 square miles of high altitude desert with bizarre geological features and a unique ecological environment.

Population: 295.734.100
Languages: English 82%, Spanish 11% (2000)
Currency: US dollar
Currency code: USD
Local Times:
U.S.A. - District of Columbia - Washington DC

U.S.A. - Florida - Orlando

U.S.A. - California - San Francisco

U.S.A. - New York - New York

U.S.A. - Nevada - Las Vegas

Country Dialling Code: +1
Voltage: 120V 60Hz
Electrical plugs:
2 parallel flat prongs

2 Parallel flat prongs with an earth connector

The USA is home to several of the world's most exciting cities, some truly mind-blowing landscapes, a strong sense of regionalism, a trenchant mythology, more history than the country gives itself credit for and, arguably, some of the most approachable natives in the world.

America was 'discovered' by Columbus in 1492 and for 500 years people have travelled here seeking a better life in the 'land of opportunity'. The land was fought over by colonial powers for centuries and finally won its independence from Britain in 1783. Despite the near annihilation of the Native American population, one of the bloodiest civil wars the world had seen, and racism (Native Americans were not granted citizenship until 1924 and racial segregation was the norm until as late as the 1950s), the American people have succeeded in forging one of the worlds most united, democratic and tolerant nations, a fascinating melting-pot of cultures, and the undisputed military and economic heavyweight of the world.

The country is made up of 48 contiguous states of the continental USA, plus the huge state of Alaska, northwest of Canada, and the volcanic islands of Hawaii, 2,000 miles (3,219km) out into the Pacific. There are also the US territories, which include Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Midway Islands and US Virgin Islands. Tourism is focused mainly in the great cities such as New York and Washington, as well as sunshine states such as Florida, California and Hawaii. However the mind-blowing landscapes, found in the wealth of magnificent National Parks like Yosemite, Yellowstone and the Adirondacks, as well as spectacular sights like the Grand Canyon and the Rocky Mountains, are what make the USA so unique. With all this on their doorstep, it's easy to understand why a significant proportion of Americans have never bothered getting a passport.

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