Top Rated Attracties in Joshua Tree National Park

A short drive from the northwest entrance of the Joshua Tree National Park will lead you to one of the most spectacular sunrise and sunset spots in the area. Keys View, a coveted vantage point, rests high above the Little San Bernardino Mountains, and offers vast, uninterrupted views of Coachella Valley and beyond. On a clear day, one may also be able to sight the San Andreas Fault along the valley's contours. Its easy access and rewarding vistas make it a very popular destination.

Visitors can expect a delightful excursion at the Cholla Cactus Garden, a unique ecological gem spread across 12 miles (20 kilometres) of desert landscape. The sprawling garden is home to a fascinating array of cholla cacti, often believed to be one of the prettiest of its kind. It also goes by the moniker of the 'teddy bear cactus'. Some of the other cacti and flora that can be found here include the Hedgehog Cactus that is visible between the months of May and June, the Desert Lavender, and the Beavertail Cactus. Due to the spike-ridden anatomy of the cacti, visitors are advised to remain on the trail.

A fascinating stop on a fairly doable trail that can be traversed even by families, it is easy to see why the Skull Rock is so popular. The Skull Rock looms in the far distance in Joshua Tree's desert landscape, peering through its empty hollow 'eyes'. The rock, indeed a geological oddity, bears an uncanny resemblance to an actual skull, replete with a round head and hollow sockets for eyes. Don't forget to stop here and get a quick photo to remember your Joshua Tree National Park adventure.

Located in Joshua Tree National Park, the Oasis of Mara is one of the most visited sites in the park, and also one of its most significant. Historically, the area was settled by the Serrano, Chemehuevi and Cahuilla natives. According to legend, the Serrano named this oasis 'Mara', which translates roughly into 'a place of little springs and much grass'. Much of the flora and vegetation that one sees today can be traced back to the effort of the natives, who planted nearly 29 palm trees in this oasis. They serve today as an important habitat for a range of desert fauna.

Tucked into the confines of the Joshua Tree National Park, the Cottonwood Spring oasis is one of the park's hidden gems. The first thing that strikes you about the oasis is its compelling composition of hues; an array of dull-green palm fronds that perforate the dust-colored landscape, even as the blue skies watch from above. These native fan palms, the first crop of which started appearing in the early 20th Century, form its most treasured fauna, as do the cottonwood trees. The trees sprout from the water-rich soil, a result of earthquake activity that caused hundreds of gallons of water to reach its surface. As such, this landscape is deemed as one of the five places in the park that are conducive to the growth of the palms. Visitors to this oasis will also delight in the many vestiges of history left behind by the Cahuilla Indians that can be seen even today.

Often operating as a watering hole and a place of gathering for desert fauna such as the bighorn sheep, the Barker Dam makes for an interesting stop within the Joshua Tree National Park. The dam, surrounded by boulders, was originally built by cattlemen in the 19th Century, and is wedged between the Wonderland of Rocks and Queen Valley. It can be easily accessed by visitors via a well-marked trail.