If you have visitors in town and are looking for alternatives to visiting the National Park on the busiest days – there are some easy to access spots around the morongo basin that will scratch that desert itch without waiting in lines.
The Nancy Karl trail in Joshua Tree and the multiple trailheads in Black Rock Campground in Yucca Valley are both immediately adjacent to the National Park, and both are less crowded despite being free and incredibly close to the busy Joshua Tree west entrance.
Located down the grade on the edge of Morongo Valley – the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve has miles of trails, with many of them on a raised boardwalk making the preserve accessible to those who have a harder time on dirt paths. The preserve is right next door to Covington Park where you can enjoy lunch or have some downtime where the kids can play on the playground and skatepark.
For those who want to see native plants without heading too far out of town, you can see a variety of beautiful landscaping at free gardens like the Desert Discovery Garden at MDLT or the Water Wise Demonstration garden at Joshua Basin Water District.
And art lovers have their choice of indoor and outdoor art. There are art galleries in every part of the hi-desert. The Noah Purifoy museum is a popular outdoor destination, along with spots in some of the Morongo Basin’s unincorporated areas that will deliver those unique desert vibes that makes the Mojave so appealing.
