Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree is where two deserts meet, and the result is one of the most distinctive landscapes in America. Named for the shaggy, upstretched Joshua trees that dot the higher, cooler Mojave Desert, the park also drops into the lower, hotter Colorado Desert, giving it a strange split personality within a single boundary.

Boulders, spiky trees and enormous skies

The scenery is unforgettable: colossal piles of rounded granite boulders, some the size of houses, rise from the desert floor, drawing rock climbers and scramblers from around the world. Between them stand the twisted, Dr-Seuss-like Joshua trees, at their densest in the park's western reaches. Keys View looks out over the Coachella Valley and, on clear days, all the way to the San Andreas Fault. After dark, the park becomes one of southern California's premier dark-sky destinations, with staggering star fields.

For a UK family, it's an easy and endlessly photogenic desert adventure: teens can clamber over boulders for hours, everyone can watch a desert sunset, and the whole place feels like another planet, all within a short drive of Palm Springs.

You come to Joshua Tree to let a landscape do something British scenery never could, look genuinely alien. The boulder piles alone justify the trip: they're a natural adventure playground, and teens who groan at 'another nice view' will happily scramble over granite for a whole afternoon. Add the surreal Joshua trees, the vast desert light, and sunsets that turn the rocks gold, and it's relentlessly photogenic. But the real magic comes after dark. With little light pollution, the night sky here is astonishing, the kind of star field that stops a family in its tracks and makes the whole trip. It's also refreshingly accessible: no permits for a day visit, a short drive from Palm Springs, and manageable for all ages. Joshua Tree gives a UK family the classic American desert, otherworldly, spacious and a little bit magical, without demanding a hardcore expedition.

You explore Joshua Tree by car, there are no shuttles, so a hire vehicle is essential. The main park road links the West Entrance near Joshua Tree town, the North Entrance at Twentynine Palms, and continues south to the Colorado Desert and the I-10, connecting the major viewpoints, trailheads and boulder areas along the way. Distances are moderate: crossing the park takes well over an hour with stops, and the drive itself, from dense Joshua tree forests down into the lower desert, is a highlight. There are no petrol stations or reliable services inside the park, so fuel up and stock water beforehand. Roads are paved and easy on the main routes, though some backcountry roads need higher clearance. The park rarely closes for weather, but summer heat is the real hazard, plan drives and walks for cooler hours.

There is no public transport into or within Joshua Tree National Park, and no park shuttle system, so a hire car is essential. The gateway towns of Joshua Tree and Twentynine Palms have very limited local services, none of which usefully connect to the park's interior or its scattered viewpoints and trailheads. For a UK family, the plan is simple: hire a car at Palm Springs, Ontario or LAX and drive in. Guided day tours from Palm Springs exist and can suit those who'd rather not drive the desert roads themselves, but they can't match the freedom of your own vehicle, particularly for staying out after dark to enjoy the park's celebrated night skies.

• Stay for the stars, this is a world-class dark-sky park, and the night sky is arguably the highlight; bring a torch and warm layers.
• Visit Keys View at sunset for the panorama over the Coachella Valley and San Andreas Fault.
• The Hidden Valley loop is the classic short walk among giant boulders, perfect for kids and teens to scramble.
• Carry far more water than you think you need, and don't rely on finding any inside the park; services are minimal.
• Avoid midsummer if you can, high summer heat is genuinely dangerous; spring and autumn are far kinder.
• There's little to no phone signal inside the park, download maps and plan before you enter.

Joshua Tree is a desert, so temperature swings are dramatic and dictate when to visit. Summers are brutally hot, regularly exceeding 38 to 40 degrees Celsius, and can be genuinely dangerous for hiking, avoid strenuous activity and carry abundant water if you go then. Spring and autumn are the sweet spots: warm, sunny days and cool, sometimes cold, nights. Winter days are mild and pleasant but nights can drop near or below freezing, and higher areas may see occasional snow. Whatever the season, pack for a big daily temperature swing: sun hat, sun cream and light clothing for the day, plus warm layers for chilly desert evenings, especially if you stay out to stargaze. Sturdy shoes help on the boulders and rocky trails.

The closest and easiest gateway is Palm Springs International (PSP), about 45 minutes from the park's south-western entrances, a compact, low-stress airport that suits families. Ontario (ONT) and Los Angeles (LAX) are larger options roughly one and a half to three hours away, and LAX is where most UK travellers land, since it takes direct flights from London and other UK cities. A common approach is to fly into LAX, spend a day or two in the Palm Springs area, then explore Joshua Tree, often folding it into a wider Southern California road trip taking in the coast, deserts and national parks. However you arrive, a hire car is essential; there's no other sensible way to reach or move around the park. The drive from Palm Springs is short and straightforward, easily managed by any UK family used to motorway driving.