Joshua Tree: Family RV Trip

We drove an RV road trip from Las Vegas to the west coast of California over our Christmas vacation. One of the highlights of this journey for me was a visit to Joshua Tree National Park. This park is filled with stunning views, interesting wildlife, and some incredible hiking trails. It was a great way to break up our long drive and explore one of the most beautiful places in the United States! Here’s what we did on our Joshua Tree family RV road trip.

After picking up our rental RV in Las Vegas in the late afternoon, we stocked up on supplies at Target and then drove south through the Mojave Desert. We pulled into the north Joshua Tree BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land where we parked on the hard desert sand and slept for the night, waking briefly to the howls of coyotes.

When the sun rose, we looked outside to see RVs, randomly dotting the desert as far as the eye could see. We left as quietly as possible, trying to be good RV neighbours.

After a short drive to the Joshua Tree Visitor’s Centre at the north end of the park, we picked up our park pass, some Junior Ranger activity books and badges for the kids, and a magnet as a souvenir, just in case we couldn’t find one elsewhere. (Magnet souvenirs are a family tradition.)

I loved the drive into the park – quirky desert homes dotted the rocky landscape. Joshua trees started to appear here and there, and when we entered the park, they were everywhere.

Keys View

Our first destination was Keys View – a drive up to a parking lot with a lookout – but the weather was windy, cold, and cloudy, and we were all feeling a little groggy. After taking a quick picture we went back to the RV and had a snack and a nap.

When we woke up, the sun was shining, the wind had calmed down, and we all felt much better. We walked back up to the lookout and enjoyed a beautiful view.

Skull Rock

Travelling with our two high-energy boys, ages 7 and 5, we were looking for an easy and safe hike with lots of rocks that they could play on. Our favourite hike was the “Skull Rock” trail. The views were so different than anything I had seen before.

The actual “Skull Rock” is very close to the road and there was a lineup of people waiting for a turn to take a picture of it. From some angles, the hollowed out parts of the rock look very skull-like, and from other angles, not so much. We skipped the lineup and walked around the area instead.

As we made our way up, down, and in between boulders, we came across this gorgeous spot with amazing views and a boulder that looked like… well…

It was the highlight of the day for our boys.

We spent an hour or two wandering and exploring.

As we continued driving through the park towards the south entrance, we loved seeing the giant boulders and the cholla cactus garden.

In the late afternoon we made it through the south exit and continued out to Box Canyon Road where we camped on BLM land.

Know Before You Go

Parking is limited, especially at the more popular hikes. Before 10am there were lots of options. By noon, parking lots were full. Some parking lots had RV spots, but they fill up quickly. In most places in the park you’re not allowed to park on the shoulder, but at the most popular trailheads (e.g., Skull Rock) there were cars and RVs lining both sides of the road.

Fill up on gas and water before you drive through the park.

Pets are not allowed on the trails.

Look at the typical weather forecast for the month you plan to visit. Summer temperatures can be extreme.

Check the information displays at the Visitor’s Centre before starting your day. They have all of the most important information posted – closures, forecast, tips, and rules. Their website also has lots of helpful information.

If you’re interested in hearing more about our Southern California RV trip, I’ll be sharing what we did in Las Vegas, Anza Borrego Desert State Park, San Diego, Los Angeles, and Death Valley National Park. I also wrote this post about how I planned the RV road trip. Subscribe by email to follow along!