Story and photos by Julie Diebolt Price
Let’s begin this narrative as we exit the US 10 freeway and head east on Highway 62 towards Joshua Tree National Park, the state highway that cuts across the Little San Bernardino Mountains just north of Palm Springs. We’ll progress east and make exciting stops along the way.
Morongo Valley
Big Morongo Canyon Preserve
11055 East Drive
Morongo Valley, CA
www.bigmorongo.org
The first stop is a picturesque stroll on the boardwalk at Big Morongo Canyon Preserve in Morongo Valley. The Preserve contains some of the oldest rocks in California dating back almost two billion years. It’s also a popular place for birders.
Now part of the Sand to Snow National Monument, Big Morongo Canyon Preserve is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. The entry kiosk and an Education Center teach about habitat preservation and is one of California’s largest cottonwood and riparian willow habitats.
Six trails from easy to strenuous are well marked. The Marsh Trail is wheelchair accessible.
Groves Cabin Theatre in Morongo Valley
Groves Cabin Theatre
8758 Desert Willow Trail
Morongo Valley, CA
Live stage performances at Groves Cabin Theatre earn awards and entertain audiences in the tiny 23-seat venue. An intimate and friendly atmosphere make this experience unforgettable.
Yucca Valley
Hawks Landing Golf Course
55100 Martinez Trail, Yucca Valley, CA
www.hawkslandinggolf.com
Design your golf day at Hawks Landing Golf Club. With two 6-hole loops, choose to play a quick six holes, twelve holes, or three loops for a full 18-hole game. The course is challenging and rewarding, with a mix of three par holes and some lengthy par fives. You will likely see wildlife sharing the course, too.
Pioneertown
Visit Pioneertown
Turning north onto Pioneertown Road from Highway 62 in Yucca Valley, you’ll drive about six miles on a curving, hilly road and arrive in Pioneertown in about 10 minutes. The Pioneertown monument sign and parking along the roadside is a perfect place to capture a selfie.
Famous for popular Old West films, these Pioneertown movie sets are still used today for live music performances, making videos, tours, lodging, and dining.
From gunfights to church on Sunday, shopping in the General Mercantile Shop, and more, step into the past, put your boots up, and set a spell. Plan to spend a couple of hours – longer if you eat at Pappy & Harriet’s. You can even stay overnight in the motel.
Flamingo Heights
Moonwind Trading Co.
1141B Old Woman Springs Rd, Yucca Valley, CA
www.moonwindtradingco.com
Retrace your steps to Yucca Valley, head east again on Highway 62 to Highway 247, Old Woman Springs Road, and turn north. In 10 miles, you will reach Moonwind for shopping, Giant Rock Meeting Room for pizza, and La Copine for dining.
Folks are friendly in this town. Always willing to share their stories, business owners are proud of their heritage in the desert. Strike up a conversation and learn how friends help friends succeed and what they bring to their community.
Landers
Gubler Orchids
Continuing north on Highway 247, turn right on Reche Road to Belfield Boulevard and turn left. Gubler Orchid Farm is on the left.
Gubler Orchids
2200 Belfield Blvd, Landers, CA
www.gublers.com
The Gubler family, originally from Switzerland, has grown orchids for four generations. Sales begun out of the back of a station wagon in California increased to being one of the world’s top-quality orchid growers.
In the greenhouse tour, you learn about the family and how they got started growing orchids. More interesting is how they made their way to the desert to develop their world-famous orchids, how the nursery watering system works, and how they grow and distribute them.
Integratron
Integraton
2477 Belfield Blvd., Landers, CA
www.integratron.com
Less than half a mile past Gubler’s is the Integratron – a fusion of art, science, and magic. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service in 2019, this one-of-a-kind 38-foot high, 55-foot diameter, all wood dome was designed to be an electrostatic generator to rejuvenate and provide time travel.
George Van Tassel, an author, inventor, and controversial UFO advocate built the Integratron in 1954. He held “Spacecraft Conventions” at Giant Rock for 25 years and was one of the UFO movement leaders.
On the grounds, you can lay in hammocks to relax before your sound bath inside the Integratron. The sound bath experience consists of quartz bowls being “played,” and the sounds reverberate around the dome. It is soothing and restful.
Giant Rock
Giant Rock
Landers, CA
A visit to the Integratron isn’t complete without an adventurous drive on a sandy road behind the Integratron to Giant Rock. If you are looking for aliens, though, you might be looking for a very long time. You will undoubtedly see wildlife tracks – mountain lion, to be sure. The backdrop qualifies for a selfie.
Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree National Park
74485 National Park Drive, Twentynine Palms, CA
Joshua Tree National Park Visitor Centers, open daily, are located at the three park entrance stations. Black Rock Nature Center is open October through May. All centers have water, flush toilets, bookstores, and picnic areas on site or nearby.
•
The West Entrance is located five miles south of the junction of Highway 62 and Park Boulevard at Joshua Tree Village.
•
The North Entrance is in Twentynine Palms, three miles south of the junction of Highway 62 and Utah Trail.
•
The South Entrance near Cottonwood Spring is an access point along Interstate 10, 25 miles east of Indio. Use this entrance if you are driving from Phoenix.
Camping, hiking, bouldering, and rock climbing are favorite pastimes in this favorite national park. Check the Joshua Tree National Park website for details. Waking at dawn to see the sky over Joshua Tree National Park painted with astonishingly vivid pastels makes camping exceptionally memorable.
Two outstanding organizations with years of experience guide you in rock climbing adventures. They even teach the Marines.
Cliffhanger Guides
www.cliffhangerguides.com
Uprising Adventure Guides
www.joshuatreeuprising.com
Jumbo Rocks is an easily accessible campground with trails to the famous Skull Rock. A perfect setting for multi-generation exploration. The grandkids have no fear of climbing to the top, and the grandparents stay safely at the bottom.
Twentynine Palms
Sky’s the Limit Observatory and Nature Center
9697 Utah Trail, Twentynine Palms, CA
www.skysthelimit29.org
Offering hands-on learning experiences for the entire family, Sky’s the Limit campus is always open. Free public star parties allow visitors to view the night sky through telescopes and celebrate the sky over Joshua Tree National Park.
Annual Night Sky Festivals are one-day events that include a guided tour around the Orrery, a scale model of the solar system, guided walks on a hiking or wilderness trail, and a close-up look at the sun through a solar telescope. Twenty telescopes staffed with astronomers give lectures and help with live viewing the night sky.
29 Palms Oasis of Murals
29 Palms Oasis of Murals
www.visit29.org/explore/oasis-of-murals
Started in 1994 by the Merchants Committee, there are now 26 commissioned outdoor murals in Twentynine Palms. The Oasis of Murals generated a renaissance by attracting artists, creating new art events, and venues. The murals depict the history of Twentynine Palms and represent flora and fauna of the Mojave Desert and Joshua Tree National Park.
The self-guided tour is well worth your time learning about the region. The sites are easily accessible. While you don’t have to get out of your vehicle, there is ample parking on the streets so you can get close to the art.
Desert Hot Springs
Mission Lakes Country Club
8484 Clubhouse Boulevard, Desert Hot Springs, CA
www.missionlakescountryclub.com
Mission Lakes Golf Course is an 18-hole course with some of the most challenging finishing holes in the desert. I found the course enjoyable and user-friendly with lots of amenities. It is especially appealing during the winter, with snow-capped mountains setting the scene for a challenging golf game.
Miracle Springs Resort & Spa
10805 Palm Drive, Desert Hot Springs, CA
www.miraclesprings.com
After camping and adventuring at Joshua Tree National Park, a visit to Miracle Springs will restore and revitalize you.
The Three Dip Method of taking the waters at Miracle Springs Resort & Spa will help you enjoy and benefit from the miraculous mineral springs. Here’s how to do it:
Dip into the hot spa for 5-10 minutes, then out to cool off.
Dip into the hot spa again for 5 minutes, then into the big swimming pool to exercise and cool off.
Dip into the hot spa again for 5 minutes, then dry off, lie down & rest while still warm.
Do this two or three times a day for best results.
Palm Springs and Green Energy in Southern California
Palm Springs Windmill Tours
62950 20th Avenue, Palm Springs, CA
www.windmilltours.com
On your way out of town, make time for a Windmill Tour endorsed by the Desert Wind Energy Association.
The self-driving windmill tour is interactive with a video and audio program. Ten marked stops take you through a solar farm and the old gas plant. At a real generating wind turbine, you can even get up close and take pictures. Another selfie moment!
Conclusion
Outdoor activities abound in Joshua Tree National Park and the towns around the park. Hiking and bouldering are just a couple of challenging pastimes. Multi-generations who love being out in nature together get so much out of sharing these experiences.
What is your favorite outdoor activity? What is your favorite national park?
