{"id":1356,"date":"2025-10-05T21:44:34","date_gmt":"2025-10-05T21:44:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/journeyswithjohn.com\/wordpress\/?p=1356"},"modified":"2025-10-05T21:44:35","modified_gmt":"2025-10-05T21:44:35","slug":"top-things-to-do-in-joshua-tree-national-park","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/journeyswithjohn.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/2025\/10\/05\/top-things-to-do-in-joshua-tree-national-park\/","title":{"rendered":"Top things to do in Joshua Tree National Park"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Joshua Tree National Park is a remote park in California that preserves and protects the unique Joshua Trees found in the region. If you are heading to this park, these are my recommendations for things you should do and see while there. Most of these are shorter hikes and accessible to most hiking skill levels. <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Hike Barker Dam Trail and photograph the trees that give Joshua Tree National Park its name<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Joshua Tree is a member of the agave family and grows within the Mojave Desert. These neat spiky trees grow in a number of different unique ways and are what the national park is named after. Since the heat within the park during summer months can be oppressive, the Barker Dam Trail provides a short 1.1-mile hike that goes past numerous Joshua Trees, past a historic dam, and past a rock art site. This is an easy trail that is accessible to almost anyone. On an especially hot day in the park, the shortness of this hike might be much more desirable than longer hikes in the park. It is especially amazing that you can take in views of the Joshua Trees and see ancient rock art all within a short hike of the parking lot. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n