Around Joshua Tree

Where are you coming from and do you have preference in what area of the park you wish to visit? You access the park on the north side on Hwy 62 and the south side on I-10.

Your chosen route is good, but all National Parks are closed.

From the Joshua Tree National Park Association Facebook page:

"We've been receiving many inquiries on the JTNPA website about Park access and camping reservations. Park entrances are gated - it is not open for hiking, camping or to drive through."

Will be coming from Barstow in January so am hoping it will be open by then. Don't know about North/South sides since I can't access web site to see whats what where. Any insights on that welcome in addition to routing.

I would suggest entering the park on the north side on Hwy 62 and exit on the south side of the park near the I-10 and then head east to Quartzsite.

Joshua Tree has several campgrounds and all of them are unique due to their surroundings. Having a 40' DP will limit your availability of sites and campgrounds. I highly suggest getting there during the workweek to avoid the crowds that are fairly common during weekends. Another good idea is to pay for the first night only and then use your toad to explore other campgrounds to see if they are more to your liking.

Unfortunately the park is closed. There is a 4th route into the park from Indio that very people know about. Good Jeep road goes up into the park. I say Jeep road but I have driven on the road for years with a pickup. There is a baricade at the park boundry but everybody used to drive around it once it became a park instead of a natl monument. The road goes across the dry lake and comes in close to Jumbo Rocks. In the spring when the flowers bloom it is an awesome road to take. When it was a natl monument you could drive up and see all of the mines but no more since park service took over. Park service paved all the roads. they used to be just graded dirt except for the one down into 29 palms that went through the park down to cotton wood springs.

greg121 wrote:
Thinking about stopping off at Joshua Tree NP (presuming its open) on the way to Quartzite. S&T is giving me fits plotting a route by the place from Barstow. It would really like to send me down through Palm Springs and Indio which I have no desire to do (I don't have Interstates favored THAT much on preferences). I can put in lots of waypoints but got to thinking.

Is there anything I don't know about a 247-62 - AZ95 via Parker (or US95 via Blythe route that would be problematic?

40 foot diesel pusher towing.

Take Barstow RD (Hwy 247)stay on Hwy247 till you reach Hwy62, from there you can easily get to Joshua on the north side, hopefuly the NP's will be open by the time you come on down.