3 days in Joshua Tree and Palm Springs

A slow first day in the pool town. A canyon with a waterfall in the mountain above it, a museum of art and modernist design, a garden of desert plants, then a stroll down the main street in the cool of the evening.

1. Breakfast

   A date shake

   A thick milkshake blended with local dates, a Coachella Valley specialty, with something small to eat beside it. A sweet start before a canyon walk.

   Local tip Dates grow in the valley, so ask whether they are local.
2. 1
   MorningWorth the time, go early

   Tahquitz Canyon

   A rocky canyon in the mountain behind town, with a seasonal waterfall at the end of the trail. It belongs to the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, and rangers lead the walks. Go early, before it heats up, and check ahead on access.

   Go when First thing in the morning, before the heat.

   Local tip Walk with plenty of water and a hat. The waterfall runs only in some seasons, so check ahead on whether it is flowing and on how access works.

   

   About 20 min walk1.0 mi
3. 2
   MiddayWorth the time

   Palm Springs Art Museum

   A museum of art from the West and of modernist design, in the middle of town. The cool galleries make it a good place to spend the hottest hours.

   Go when Midday, when the heat is at its worst.

   Local tip A cool, quiet stop for the hottest hours. Check ahead on opening and on any special exhibitions.

   

4. Lunch

   A cool lunch in the shade

   A salad or sandwich on a shaded patio, with iced tea. The hottest hours are the time to be indoors or under a tree.

   Local tip Many patios have misters, which make the afternoon bearable.

   About 10 min by car or transit1.7 mi
5. 3
   AfternoonWorth a short stop

   Moorten Botanical Garden

   A small, shady garden of desert plants, cactus and succulents, founded in the 1930s. A calm place to see what grows here without a drop of rain.

   Go when Afternoon, when the shade of the plants and trees is welcome.

   Local tip A small garden, so an hour is plenty. Check ahead on opening, and watch your step among the cacti.

   

   About 10 min by car or transit1.5 mi
6. 4
   EveningAn evening stroll

   Palm Canyon Drive

   The main street of Palm Springs, lined with palms, old shops and mid-century signs. Stroll it as the heat fades and the light turns pink on the mountain.

   Go when Early evening, as the heat fades (about 6:53 PM).

   Local tip Walk the shaded side of the street in the warm months. In the cooler months the street fills on weekends.

   

7. Dinner

   A mid-century supper

   A relaxed dinner in a dining room that looks as it did in the 1960s, with a classic cocktail or a glass of wine.

   Local tip Tables fill early in the cooler months, so book ahead.

The park day. A view over the whole Coachella Valley, a hidden valley of boulders, a small dam that holds a pond in the desert, then a rock that really does look like a skull.

1. Drive from Palm Canyon DriveAbout 46 min by car21.9 mi

   Where Day 1 ended.
2. Breakfast

   A big breakfast in town

   Eggs, potatoes and strong coffee, to fuel a long day in the park. Pack a lunch while you are there.

   Local tip Buy water and snacks here, because there is no food in the park.
3. 1
   MorningWorth the time

   Keys View

   A lookout on the crest of the Little San Bernardino Mountains with a wide view of the Coachella Valley, the Salton Sea and the San Andreas fault. Clear mornings show the farthest. Wear a layer, because it is windy up here.

   Go when Morning, when the air is clearest.

   Local tip Dress for wind. On clear days the view stretches a very long way, but smog and haze can hide it, so don't plan the whole day around it.

   

   About 23 min by car or transit6.1 mi
4. 2
   MiddayWorth the time

   Hidden Valley

   A loop trail through a bowl ringed by tall boulders, said to have been used by cattle rustlers long ago. A short walk among Joshua trees and rock, with plenty of shade from the stone in the morning.

   Go when Morning, while the boulders still throw shade.

   Local tip An easy loop on an uneven path. Bring water, keep to the trail and do not climb where the signs say not to.

   

5. Lunch

   A boulder picnic

   Sandwiches, fruit and nuts eaten in the shade of a big rock. Take everything out with you.

   Local tip Pack more water than you think, and keep food away from ravens.

   About 10 min by car or transit1.8 mi
6. 3
   AfternoonWorth a short walk

   Barker Dam

   A small dam from the cattle days that holds a pond when there has been rain. Easy trail, with rock art nearby, some of it retouched long ago, so look rather than touch.

   Go when Late morning or afternoon, when the light is soft.

   Local tip The pond is often dry. Look at the rock art from the path and do not touch it. Bring more water than you think.

   

   About 20 min by car or transit5.0 mi
7. 4
   EveningWorth the time

   Skull Rock

   A boulder whose eroded hollows look like eye sockets, right beside the road. Park, take a short nature loop through the boulders and watch the light turn gold on the rocks.

   Go when Late afternoon, when the sun lights the boulders (about 6:53 PM).

   Local tip The rock is right by the road, so it is easy to reach. The nature loop through the boulders is short and worth taking.

8. Dinner

   Tacos after the park

   A casual dinner of tacos or a burrito in the town of Joshua Tree, the classic way to end a day of dust and rock.

   Local tip Kitchens close early, so check ahead.

A car day through the high desert. An old movie-set town, a dome built for sound, a field of sculpture made from junk, then the small town that gives the park its name.

1. Drive from Skull RockAbout 52 min by car26.9 mi

   Where Day 2 ended.
2. Breakfast

   Chilaquiles and coffee

   Crisp tortilla chips in salsa with eggs, a Mexican breakfast that suits a day on the road.

   Local tip Eat well, because the next meal may be far off.
3. 1
   MorningWorth the time

   Pioneertown

   A town built in the 1940s as a Western movie set, with wooden storefronts on a dirt street. It is now a small community and a music stop, quiet and photogenic in the morning light.

   Go when Morning, before the heat and the day visitors.

   Local tip A real community, so be respectful of those who live here. Many shops and music stops keep their own hours, so check ahead.

   

   About 33 min by car or transit11.1 mi
4. 2
   MiddayBook ahead

   Integratron

   A white wooden dome in the desert, built by a man from the aircraft industry who said it was a machine for rejuvenation. Today it hosts sound baths in its acoustically unusual dome. Booking ahead is usually needed, so check.

   Go when Midday or afternoon, booked in advance.

   Local tip The sound baths are only by booking, so check ahead. The dome is on private land, so keep to the visitor areas.

   

5. Lunch

   A roadside lunch

   A burger or a sandwich at a small spot on the road. Choices are few in the high desert, so be flexible.

   Local tip Carry snacks, in case your plan is closed.

   About 31 min by car or transit9.5 mi
6. 3
   AfternoonWorth the time

   Noah Purifoy Desert Art Museum

   Ten acres of large sculpture by the artist Noah Purifoy, made from scrap and found things. Walk the open ground with water and a hat, and let the shapes against the sky do their work.

   Go when Late afternoon, when the shadows are long (about 6:53 PM).

   Local tip It is an open-air site on dry ground. Bring water and a hat, and look at the sculptures without climbing on them.

   About 18 min by car or transit4.4 mi
7. 4
   EveningAn evening stop

   Joshua Tree

   The small desert town beside the park, with rock shops, galleries and cafes, and the gate to the park close by. A friendly place for a slow stroll before the stars come out.

   Go when Early evening, before the stars come out.

   Local tip A friendly small town with limited choices late at night, so eat before it closes. Fill the car with petrol before you leave.

   

8. Dinner

   Pizza and a patio

   A pizza and a cold drink on a patio under the stars. A fine way to end the trip.

   Local tip Patios are popular when the weather is mild, so book ahead.