Blauert on Outdoors: These Joshua Tree destinations are required viewing

Just as my Joshua Tree column went to print last week, a story about the closure of historic sites in the park made headlines.

The theft of historic artifacts from those sites prompted the closures, but the closures won’t affect most visitors. The closed sites are obscure and were, until recently, infrequently visited. Neither site was on the list of recommended destinations I promised at the end of last week’s column. Those favorite spots and activities within the park are:

Visitor centers – The park has four visitor centers, each with exhibits. The largest is Oasis, located at the Oasis of Mara. The indoor displays are a great way to learn about the park’s history and ecosystems, and the outside garden contains a sampling of the park’s plants, each labeled for easy identification. You’ll enjoy your visit more if you acquaint yourself with these unique desert plants at the start.

A half-mile walk behind the visitor center leads to the Oasis of Mara. Although it no longer has a natural water flow, it’s still home to many kinds of wildlife. We walked the trail just before sunset and saw several common desert birds and rodents: American kestrel, cactus wren, Gambel’s quail, Costa’s hummingbird and desert cottontail rabbit.

If you enjoy this walk, the hike to the more pristine Fortynine Palms Oasis probably will appeal to you as well.

Driving routes – The most popular route through the park is Park Boulevard. It stretches from one park entrance in the town of Joshua Tree to another in the town of Twentynine Palms. From entrance to entrance, it takes less than 2 hours to drive, but most people stop along the way because it passes through many of the park’s most picturesque granite rock piles and is lined by some of the most mature and healthy Joshua trees.

Pack a lunch, since there is no food available in the park. There are several picnic areas with tables and restrooms along the way. At the end of the day, find a scenic spot to sit and watch the sun set.

If you have more time, it’s also worth taking Pinto Basin Road to the park’s southern entrance. This road descends from the Mojave Desert region of the park into the lower and drier Sonoran Desert region.

Hikes – The park has an abundance of short trails most people can hike, plus several more challenging ones. Here are three of my favorites:

Hidden Valley: This easy 1-mile round-trip hike leads into a valley among rock formations, supposedly used by cattle rustlers when the park was still part of the frontier. Today, it’s an easy walk with outstanding views. It starts at the Hidden Valley picnic area, a great place to eat lunch and watch rock climbers. Additional parking and popular climbing faces are located across Park Boulevard at the foot of Intersection Rock.

Ryan Mountain: This is a more challenging hike to one of the best views in the park. It climbs 1,000 feet, and the round trip is 3 miles. Ryan Mountain and Hidden Valley are located along Park Boulevard.

Fortynine Palms Oasis: This 3-mile round trip is more moderate in difficulty and requires a sustained uphill walk to get to the spring and again on the return. There is no shade along the route, so it’s best done in the morning. The reward at the end is a natural palm oasis that many species of wildlife (including bighorn sheep) rely on to survive in the desert.

Drive to these views – The 5,185-foot Keys View is accessed by a paved road and provides views down to the sea-level Coachella Valley. The valley was formed by the San Andreas Fault, and on the far side, the San Jacinto Mountains rise steeply. To the northwest, you can also see San Gorgonio Mountain – the highest point in Southern California (11,502 feet). Unfortunately, air pollution often restricts views, so this point is best after a storm has passed through and cleared the air. Also, be aware that sunset is a popular time, especially on weekends, and parking is limited. If you have high clearance and four-wheel drive, the road to Eureka Peak can provide even better views with fewer people.

Tours and interpretive events – The schedule of interpretive events can be found on the website. The best-known is the Keys Ranch tour – a desert homestead that was occupied from 1917 to 1969. The park maintains it in a state of arrested decay and opens it to visitors only on informative guided tours. We enjoyed our knowledgeable ranger’s explanation of how the Keys family supported itself in this dry landscape for more than 50 years. Reservations are required for tours.

Avoiding crowds – Given its proximity to the metropolitan Los Angeles area, the park can be popular on weekends, though nowhere near as crowded as Yosemite in the summer. If you plan to visit the most popular sites early in the day, you’re less likely to encounter crowds. The park is a long drive from Merced. You need at least four days to not feel rushed. For information about the park, go to www.nps.gov/jotr or call 760-367-5500. The website has maps, hike descriptions, campground information and more.

This story was originally published February 23, 2016 at 4:25 PM with the headline "Blauert on Outdoors: These Joshua Tree destinations are required viewing."