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| Indian Cove Campground in Joshua Tree National Park |
Joshua Tree National Park is one of the best places for a
fall camping trip in Southern California. The weather is mild and breezy, the
night sky is cloudless and perfect for stargazing, the crowds are relatively thin
and the chance of rain is basically zero. Joshua Tree is a short 2 hour drive from the beach in Orange
County. If you absolutely hate camping,
you always have the option of staying in nearby Palm Springs about 50 minutes
outside the park. If you’re headed to Joshua Tree from San Diego, you might
even consider a stop in Temecula to visit a winery.
I've stayed inside the main part of the park on past trips,
but this time we opted to stay in the Indian Cove
Campground located in the northern part of Joshua Tree, just outside of the town of TwentyNine Palms. The
Indian Cove Campground is less cramped than many of the campground located in
the main part of the park. Most of the campsites in Indian Cove are situated in
between giant rock formations that offer a fair amount of seclusion from
neighboring campsites. The tent sites
are extremely reasonable for only $15 a night. You can even avoid paying the 15$
entrance fee into the main part of Joshua Tree by hiking the trails located
within the Indian Cove Camping area.
The best trail in the Indian Cove section of Joshua Tree has
to be the Rattlesnake
Canyon Trail. The word “trail” is a bit misleading, as Rattlesnake Canyon
is really a maze of giant boulders you’ll have to hop, squeeze through and
climb until you've had your fill. There are countless small caves and crevices to explore among the boulders. We even found a few small arches. This is also a popular spot for rock-climbing.
We saw several groups of people climbing
in this area of the park. We spent 3
hours in the canyon navigating through the boulders up the mountainside. We
took a break at the top of a large pinnacle of rocks. We came back down limping like wounded birds
and covered in scrapes and got ourselves into a little trouble while exploring a pool in a slot canyon when I accidentally disturbed a wasps nest. They chased me up the side of an eight foot granite wall, but I avoided getting stung. I didn't notice
how tired I was until we reached the car. This not a hike for beginners or small children. If you plan on hiking to the top of the boulders, do not be mislead by other sites claiming this is a moderate hike. Rattlesnake Canyon will kick your butt. With that said, this was one of my all-time favorite desert hikes.
A few words of warning: The sun can be intense in Joshua Tree and
you can end up severely sunburned, even when the temperatures are cool. Sun tan lotion and plenty of water are the
two most important things you can have in Rattlesnake Canyon. I also recommend bringing
a pair of leather gloves because the granite in Rattlesnake Canyon is rough and
will tear your hands up.
Rattlesnake Canyon was closed for
5 months this year due to graffiti
in the canyon. If you see someone vandalizing the park in any way, please
report them immediately by calling park headquarters at
760-367-5502.
760-367-5502.
Indian Cove Campground
can be booked in advance by visiting http://www.recreation.gov/
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| Rattlesnake Canyon in Joshua Tree National Park |
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| Indian Cove Road |
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| Rattlesnake Canyon Trailhead |
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| Joshua Tree National Park Rattlesnake Trail |
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| Joshua Tree National Park |
