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I was searching for things to do in Joshua Tree and this came up. Good place for information about this town and your day if you are planning to visit the national park. We didn't visit the park because it was extremely hot, but would like to go next time on a much cooler day. Park rangers were so nice when entering the facility willing to assist if you had questions. There is a small gift shop with a great selection of merchandise. Restrooms are also available before you head out into the national park. If you are planning a day for the park, make a stop here for further helpful suggestions.
Drove from Las Vegas to Joshua Tree and I recommend it. It's a 3 hour drive and scenic. You drive through the Mohave Desert and see landscape, and vegetation, existing only in that area. This should always be your first stop. You'll be able to speak to a Park Ranger, pick up a park map, see examples of wildlife that you might encounter, and even pick up food at their small eatery called, Roadrunner grab & go.
Small visitor center to introduce you to Joshua Tree. Can you believe there used to be sloths over 10 feet tall?? I also saw a display about how our ancestors made arrowheads out of sharpened rock. We sure came a long way and have it easier. Inside the visitor center is peaceful ambience. Good checkpoint before heading out to the JT trails.
Cute displays and history of Joshua tree. Def have nothing to complain about. There's a lot of good foliage in the area.
There are 2 "North" Visitor Centers - but it looks like this one is for the "West" entrance of the North side of Joshua Tree. It's a quick visit - parking was a bit hard to find. The rest room is all the way inside the building, so you have to pass by all the info area before you can reach the gift shop and the restroom. I came here TWICE thus far, because I drove to Joshua Tree National Park twice in the visit. The first time, I drove from the nearby hotel (as well as the California visit center) - so I was in awe of the art and info teachings by the National Park Rangers and Scientists. The second time, I was in the rush to the restroom - so I noticed how bad the set up was. The National Park Rangers and Scientists make the personality of the visitor center. They represent the face of the park. I'm so glad to get some time to talk to them and learn how to navigate the park for the day. Thank you for your services, Rangers and Scientists!!
We came as a family (party of 11) to visit the park. We had a few 1st time visitors so stopping here was GREAT. They have a restroom a few Souvenir items and a mini museum. We got a Junior Ranger Booklet along with a map of the park. The staff there was friendly and you can tell they love their job. Make sure to keep that map of the park with you at all times because once you enter there is no service this highlighted map was a life saver.
Great place to get the rundown on the trails and other sites in Joshua tree. Theres a little museum with information and a gift shop that sells cute little Knick knacks. Parking is in the back, bathrooms are outside. Chris was nice with the information he provided us.
I brought my son to Joshua tree for the first time. Stopped by the visitor center to pick up a junior Ranger badge! I highly recommend doing this if you have kiddos between the ages of four and 12.
If you're close to Palm Springs, CA do yourself a huge favor and seek out this National Park! Always wanted to come here and the opportunity presented itself this last California trip! We planned for a dusk entrance so we ate at the Joshua Tree Saloon before we drove to Geology Tour Rd. We checked prior at the visitor center what's the place to see the stars from best? The Ranger said Geological Tour Road so that's what we mapped and drove too. In October it was cool in the evening, so bring a sweatshirt or light jacket. Highly recommend the star gazing! I hear many go for the sunsets! We did dusk it was excellent on our clear night 10/14/2023! Make your own memories and iPhones will capture amazing pictures on a 3 second aperture setting capturing the star light. Just keep your phone steady. Great time!
The Joshua Tree Visitor Center (west) is the place to be especially during a beautiful time of year like Spring. The crowd was in non stop flow when we stopped in. You get a museum like exhibit display of what to expect and can receive some great information, pamphlets and pay entrance fees as well as explore their bookstore/gift shop, partake in the cafe and use the restroom if needed. Some of the other visitor center also have water/water refill stations and picnic tables. The east visitor center in Twentynine Palms has EV charging, but both have relatively spacious lots for parking. I know there's a south center as well (Cottonwood Visitors Center), but it doesn't have an exact address (you can find it off Pinto Rd in Twentynine Palms off the I-10). The service at this center is pretty personable, but the gift shop is very limited if you're hoping to bring something back for someone. I did buy some magnets and postcards I'll give out throughout the year. Love that you can purchase a pass for the year or even lifetime if you're a veteran, senior or in the military. Students under a certain age (4th grade level) can receive a free pass for the year and teens and children 15 or younger get in for free. There are various tiers and perks that do make it worth the fees plus EIGHTY percent goes to helping persevere the beauty of Joshua Tree National Park.
Sooo busy!!! Try to avoid peak hours at this visitor center. It also has a small-ish parking lot but you can park on the street. It has a nice area of exhibits and a small gift shop. I don't know why but all the gift shops here for Joshua Tree are real limited on items. Lost of other NP gift shops have lots of items for their park but JT is very neglected. Kinda disappointed but I came mostly to get my passbook stamped and participate in the Junior Ranger program. (If you're an adult and don't have kids, I still recommend participating. It's really fun!)
Pros: * Good amount of parking * Good variety of souvenirs and knickknacks * Bathrooms in cultural center * Friendly and helpful staff Cons: *N/A Extra: * You can buy your annual pass here * They have stamps available for your passport
5 stars Upon entering the visitor's center, I was greeted by a little museum that NPS is so well-known for. It details the rock formations and the wildlife that can be expected while hiking. Within the visitor's center is a gift shop with gorgeous Joshua Tree Nat'l Park-inspired clothing and products. I recommend purchasing merch here since a portion of proceeds go back to the parks. The souvenirs are also much more affordable than privately-owned gift shops nearby. I bought a pin ($7) and a Travel Stamp sticker ($3.99). The office staff are also very knowledgeable about the area. The young man I spoke to highlighted the areas I asked about - see photo for highlighted map. I wanted short 1-mile hikes along with Heart Rock & Arch Rock. 5/5 stars for service! The restrooms inside are clean and there are also portapotties in the parking lot with outdoor sinks available. Their parking lot is small, but there's plenty of street parking. The entrance to the national park is really close by as well. read more
One of four visitor centers for Joshua Tree National Park, each having a slightly different name, this location is in downtown Joshua Tree, surrounded by other city buildings. It is the one fronting the West entrance to the Park, which is the more popular of the two. It is located before having to pay the park entrance fee. It was manned by two friendly, quite busy volunteer rangers, answering any questions about your visit. We didn't have time to visit the park itself, so took the opportunity to learn a bit more about the park from displays and presentations. As I learned, it is crowded inside (shoulder to shoulder). There is a dedicated parking lot, along with street parking, and a small gift shop. My wife's mom ended up buying a tote bag (or two) to take back home. We didn't get to go inside the park this time, but was able to see plenty of Joshua trees real close, which are only endemic to this area. read more
The center is very well organized and it has many good informative exhibits. They have many cute souvenirs. We really like the plushes and the home decors. The staff are very nice and helpful in guiding us routes and good stops on the map. We did not have time for a complete tour so we will come back again soon :) read more
I was searching for things to do in Joshua Tree and this came up. Good place for information about this town and your day if you are planning to visit the national park. We didn't visit the park because it was extremely hot, but would like to go next time on a much cooler day. Park rangers were so nice when entering the facility willing to assist if you had questions. There is a small gift shop with a great selection of merchandise. Restrooms are also available before you head out into the national park. If you are planning a day for the park, make a stop here for further helpful suggestions. read more
9 days ago
Drove from Las Vegas to Joshua Tree and I recommend it. It's a 3 hour drive and scenic. You drive through the Mohave Desert and see landscape, and vegetation, existing only in that area. This should always be your first stop. You'll be able to speak to a Park Ranger, pick up a park map, see examples of wildlife that you might encounter, and even pick up food at their small eatery called, Roadrunner grab & go. read more
Small visitor center to introduce you to Joshua Tree. Can you believe there used to be sloths over 10 feet tall?? I also saw a display about how our ancestors made arrowheads out of sharpened rock. We sure came a long way and have it easier. Inside the visitor center is peaceful ambience. Good checkpoint before heading out to the JT trails. read more
There are 2 "North" Visitor Centers - but it looks like this one is for the "West" entrance of the North side of Joshua Tree. It's a quick visit - parking was a bit hard to find. The rest room is all the way inside the building, so you have to pass by all the info area before you can reach the gift shop and the restroom. I came here TWICE thus far, because I drove to Joshua Tree National Park twice in the visit. The first time, I drove from the nearby hotel (as well as the California visit center) - so I was in awe of the art and info teachings by the National Park Rangers and Scientists. The second time, I was in the rush to the restroom - so I noticed how bad the set up was. The National Park Rangers and Scientists make the personality of the visitor center. They represent the face of the park. I'm so glad to get some time to talk to them and learn how to navigate the park for the day. Thank you for your services, Rangers and Scientists!! read more
1 year ago
We came as a family (party of 11) to visit the park. We had a few 1st time visitors so stopping here was GREAT. They have a restroom a few Souvenir items and a mini museum. We got a Junior Ranger Booklet along with a map of the park. The staff there was friendly and you can tell they love their job. Make sure to keep that map of the park with you at all times because once you enter there is no service this highlighted map was a life saver. read more
1 year ago
Great place to get the rundown on the trails and other sites in Joshua tree. Theres a little museum with information and a gift shop that sells cute little Knick knacks. Parking is in the back, bathrooms are outside. Chris was nice with the information he provided us. read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
1 year ago
I brought my son to Joshua tree for the first time. Stopped by the visitor center to pick up a junior Ranger badge! I highly recommend doing this if you have kiddos between the ages of four and 12. read more
3 years ago
If you're close to Palm Springs, CA do yourself a huge favor and seek out this National Park! Always wanted to come here and the opportunity presented itself this last California trip! We planned for a dusk entrance so we ate at the Joshua Tree Saloon before we drove to Geology Tour Rd. We checked prior at the visitor center what's the place to see the stars from best? The Ranger said Geological Tour Road so that's what we mapped and drove too. In October it was cool in the evening, so bring a sweatshirt or light jacket. Highly recommend the star gazing! I hear many go for the sunsets! We did dusk it was excellent on our clear night 10/14/2023! Make your own memories and iPhones will capture amazing pictures on a 3 second aperture setting capturing the star light. Just keep your phone steady. Great time! read more
4 years ago
The Joshua Tree Visitor Center (west) is the place to be especially during a beautiful time of year like Spring. The crowd was in non stop flow when we stopped in. You get a museum like exhibit display of what to expect and can receive some great information, pamphlets and pay entrance fees as well as explore their bookstore/gift shop, partake in the cafe and use the restroom if needed. Some of the other visitor center also have water/water refill stations and picnic tables. The east visitor center in Twentynine Palms has EV charging, but both have relatively spacious lots for parking. I know there's a south center as well (Cottonwood Visitors Center), but it doesn't have an exact address (you can find it off Pinto Rd in Twentynine Palms off the I-10). The service at this center is pretty personable, but the gift shop is very limited if you're hoping to bring something back for someone. I did buy some magnets and postcards I'll give out throughout the year. Love that you can purchase a pass for the year or even lifetime if you're a veteran, senior or in the military. Students under a certain age (4th grade level) can receive a free pass for the year and teens and children 15 or younger get in for free. There are various tiers and perks that do make it worth the fees plus EIGHTY percent goes to helping persevere the beauty of Joshua Tree National Park. read more
11 months ago
4 years ago
Sooo busy!!! Try to avoid peak hours at this visitor center. It also has a small-ish parking lot but you can park on the street. It has a nice area of exhibits and a small gift shop. I don't know why but all the gift shops here for Joshua Tree are real limited on items. Lost of other NP gift shops have lots of items for their park but JT is very neglected. Kinda disappointed but I came mostly to get my passbook stamped and participate in the Junior Ranger program. (If you're an adult and don't have kids, I still recommend participating. It's really fun!) read more
4 years ago
Pros: * Good amount of parking * Good variety of souvenirs and knickknacks * Bathrooms in cultural center * Friendly and helpful staff Cons: *N/A Extra: * You can buy your annual pass here * They have stamps available for your passport read more
3 years ago
Another wonderful National Park. Beautiful drive through the park and excellent visitor centers. Got our Park Passport stamped! read more
3 years ago
5 years ago
A sign on the door instructed visitors to use one of four port a potties outside. They had not been inspected since 11-28-21. They had no toilet paper. I called the 888 # to report the deficiencies. Then my family and I went inside to purchase souvenirs. The cashier apologized, and said we could have used the restrooms inside. I told her we follow directions & had already used the ones outside. This was a nice little visitor center - aside from the "restroom debacle" we encountered. Rangers answered questions for visitors and junior rangers. Displays and maps were readily available. Souvenirs were nice (got my pin, ornament, and postcards). Tee shirts were pricey ($30-$50 for the ones we liked and did not buy). Next door we purchased sandwiches & a salad & a canned drink. They were good and moderately priced. Cashiers inside this snack bar were as sweet and efficient as those in the Visitors' Center. read more
Potent Portables One of three Visitor's Centers (VC) for the massive Joshua Tree National Park and the one you'll most likely be accessing if you're coming in thru Joshua Tree. This has to be the least impressive VC we've ever visited, as it's small, cramped and is housed in what appears to be a portable of some sort?? Def wasn't a good first impression of Joshua Tree National Park. The Good: *A few informational displays about the park. *Pay your entrance fee to the park or purchase an annual pass here. *Restrooms *Small gift shop *Wi-Fi *National Park Passport stamp *Several places to eat, get gas and a large non-NPS run gift shop located just a short walk/drive surrounding it. The Meh: *Def one of the smallest VCs we've visited at a National Park. *Not actually located in the Park, but a few miles outside the park. The Ugly: *The Restroom situation is sorta strange... They have a sign saying "No Restrooms due to Covid" on the door which leads you to the port-o-potties in the parking lot, but when you go inside there's actual bathrooms that are open and operational. So not sure if they're purposely misleading or just too lazy to take down the signage?? TLDR: Cramped and very not impressive VC. Go to the Oasis VC just a few miles east in Twentynine Palms instead. read more
1 year ago
Before you head down the road to the West Entrance of Joshua Tree National Park, make a quick stop at this visitor center. It's on the way and offers a lot of information about the park itself. There are rangers on hand to answer any questions you may have and paper maps for you to grab. There is also a gift shop if you want any keepsakes to take home. The visitor center is open every day and serves as a main gateway into the park. read more
6 years ago
As far as National Park Visitor's Centers go, this one is actually worth checking out. Some of the friendliest park rangers I've ever met work here and are jumping at the chance to give you a free map, answer questions, and give you their excellent recommendations on things to see at Joshua Tree (and the best places to park). I also liked the gigantic billboard of hiking trails with descriptions they had right out front the building. It's also worth noting that the merchandise for sale to benefit the park is surprisingly a step above the norm. I also liked how the Visitor Center is actually outside the park itself, which made visiting a breeze. read more
Its clean, organized, with some tour and tables that explain history, activities, and provide info to tourists interested into checking out Joshua Tree National Park. The shop is quite nice with lots of variety of items for sale. It also has a great coffee shop for drinks and snacks. Outside the Visitor Center there are maps and info on hiking trails + length + time for hiking. I'd say its a pretty awesome visitor center : ) read more
The visitor center is full of great information! Rangers are super friendly and very informative. They give you the whole run down and the best hiking tails to visit. Joshua tree is a must see! Such beautiful scenery and amazing photo opportunities. My fam and I love coming here! read more
3 years ago
The Visitor Center is a must stop before you start your visit through Joshua Tree Park! You can pay the $30 fee here, get that map, you'll need it! Also, get the latest updates before you start exploring. There are some souvenirs you can grab now or upon exiting. Small visitor center, but it leads your way to the great desert paradise that Joshua Tree Park is, so enjoy your visit! read more
For a National Park like Joshua Tree, it's visitor center is very lacking compared to others within the jurisdiction of the National Park Service (NPS). It's as if no effort was put in to enhance the visitor experience. It's small with limited exhibits, a tiny ranger station, and a gift shop. There is no introductory film, which I feel is essential to a National Parks visit experience...even more obscure historic sites and national monuments within NPS jurisdiction have films and/or a more robust variety of exhibits. I visited Casa Grande Ruins National Monument in Arizona a few days later and despite being virtually unheard of as an attraction, it had a film and better exhibits/signage, and seemed more ready to accommodate visitors. I also stopped by the Twentynine Palms Visitor Center about 10 miles down the road, which was more modern, larger, and history-oriented, but didn't really introduce you to the national park, and also lacked a film despite being more spacious than the visitor center in the town of Joshua Tree. I'm glad other reviewers have pointed out the shortcomings of the visitor center experience, as they are generally the first impression that tourists and visitors get to NPS sites. While my review is in no reflection of Joshua Tree National Park itself, the visitor center experience definitely ranks near the bottom of the many I've been to. As a side note, if you don't have the time to venture into the national park, you can view plenty of trees within the town of Joshua Tree itself. read more
5 years ago
My friends and I came here to buy the annual pass for US National Parks for $80, but they were sold out of them here. However, we were still able to get them at the entrance. The staff was super friendly. We got a free map of the park, which was invaluable, as there's absolutely no signal within the park. We also got some cute magnets and postcards as souvenirs. They also sold cute desert themed stuff animals and t-shirts. Prices were fair - a magnet was $4.50 and a postcard was $0.50-$3.00. This is a nice pit stop before entering the park. They have a quick grab-and-go cafe next door to refill your stomach. They also have a no-brand gas station across the street to refill your gas. Regardless, just come here for a free map! read more
This visitor center is a great first stop if you're visiting Joshua Tree National Park for the very first time. The rangers are super informative and will help you map out your hikes and/or explorations by the amount of time that you have to spend. I had a little over 5 hours to spend that day, and the ranger who assisted me organized the perfect spots to visit from first to last. Most of the stops that she suggested were ones that I had already researched ahead of time and was already planning on visiting once I got to the park. I was able to stop at Hidden Valley, Keys View, Skull Rock, Arch Rock, the Cholla Cactus Gardens, and Ryan Mountain all within the allotted time. The ranger actually suggested a few more stops if I had time, but I think I covered a good amount of ground during the short time that I was there. I really wanted to hike Ryan Mountain but the ranger suggested against it. It's a short hike but is considered strenuous and not recommended in the high heat. She said that if I had started at 6:30 am that it would have been better. It was a little past 8 am and I thought that I'd still take my chances. However, after perusing the park for a few hours, it got really hot and I knew that I wouldn't have the time or the will do complete the hike. But hey, there's always next time...?! I'm really grateful for the information that I received from the ranger that I spoke with. I can't remember her name, but she was so cheery at 8 am in the morning and seemed even more excited than I was to explore the park. How about them apples? I finally purchased an American the Beautiful Pass here (not sure why it took me so long?) and I used it to enter into the park. The standard vehicle entrance fee is $30 and can be paid right at the visitor's center. The fee is good for 7 days in the park. The center is also stocked with tons of souvenirs, professional maps, and reading material about the park. They'll give you a map when you go inside. The restrooms were nice and clean and parking was aplenty at that time of the morning. I feel like if I hadn't stopped here first, I probably wouldn't have been able to hit all of the spots that I wanted to. This is an excellent visitor's center and I'd definitely recommend that you visit before entering the park to map out your plans, especially if it's your first time visiting. read more
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