“It is the Joshua tree’s struggle that gives it its beauty,” Jeannette Walls wrote in her 2005 memoir. Glass Castle. She also asserts that such struggle leads to growth and resilience. We motorcyclists know all about the struggle, especially in the middle of winter. We struggle to find ways to soothe the overwhelming desire to ride when the snow covers the roads and the cold winds cut like knives. For us, the Joshua tree can also symbolize escape and liberation.
My wife and I sat in the morning sunshine on the patio of the beautiful Dive Palm Springs, a boutique hotel in the heart of California’s vibrant desert city (see sidebar below). Over croissants and fresh fruit, we discussed our January treat: driving our BMW G 650 XCountry through Joshua Tree National Park.
Scan the QR code above or click here to see the route on REVER
The drive out of Palm Springs was easy. The city has embraced and preserved its mid-century heritage and charm. The buildings, landscaping, and signage recall the city’s heyday as a mecca for LA’s rich and famous. We drove along expansive golf courses and tennis courts. Once out of town, we continued east on Interstate 10 through the stark shades of the Mojave Desert.
Joshua Tree National Park has three entrances, and our route took us to the southernmost entrance near I-10. There was no wait at this less-used entrance, and our National Park Annual Pass allowed us in.
Our drive north into the park began with a beautifully paved drive through sparse desert landscape on Pinto Basin Road. Mountains rose on the horizon, but no Joshua trees. A canopy of cacti, including chollas and ocotillos, shaped our initial impression of the national park. Long curves and smooth straights marked the climb in elevation. The road became more winding, and the park’s namesake trees began to appear here and there, foreshadowing what was to come.
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Pinto Basin Road ends at Park Boulevard. A right would take us north to Twentynine Palms, the town immortalized in Robert Plant’s great song of the same name. Instead, we turn left into the heart of the park and the center of the Joshua Tree universe.
Almost immediately, the Joshua trees grew thicker, the trees larger. The Joshua trees were at once fantastical, whimsical, and majestic. It was as if each tree had its own personality. Some were simple and unassuming, but many were over the top in their stylized poses. Arms stretched out in all directions and at angles that were almost comical, like attention-seeking teenagers with limbs akimbo and wild hairdos.
Our first hike was to the stunning, erosion-sculpted Skull Rock. My tiny companion could easily fit into one of the skull sockets in the impressive monolith, one of many sculpture-like granite outcrops in this part of the park.
A few miles into our northwest route through the park, we tried one of the established dirt roads that wind through Joshua Trees. Vehicles must stay on approved trails, and there are a few dirt roads that offer off-road access for off-road-minded horses. Our mid-sized BMW proved perfect for a little sand exploration.
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Back on the tarmac, we drove past climbers scaling sheer walls of stunning rock formations. We also passed a section of the park that had some of the most spectacular Joshua trees, casting long shadows in the late afternoon light, lending an ethereal quality to the drive.
After leaving the park, we headed back to Palm Springs on the Twentynine Palms Highway (State Route 62). We drove west and then south through Desert Hot Springs and past another forest – one with towering wind turbines. Back in Palm Springs, we washed up from our day trip and headed downtown to enjoy the Palm Springs Village Festival, an event held every Thursday with art, food, music and lots of smiling people.
We felt much better after the treatment. This trip would be very hot in the summer, but is the perfect escape in the fall, winter and spring months.
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SIDEBAR: Diving in Palm Springs
Diving in Palm Springs is a beautiful, quaint 11-room boutique hotel located on the edge of downtown Palm Springs. This European-style cottage is meticulously maintained, with a restored historic pool as the centerpiece. A glass of rosé welcomes new guests and a custom-made organic breakfast is delivered to your room or poolside each morning. This hidden gem is the perfect place to relax in luxury after a long journey.
Motorcycle Riding Resources in Joshua Tree National Park
With 50 years of motorcycling and 30 years of teaching English, Tim Kessel has combined those two passions into one job as a motorcycle journalist. Maybe that’s why there’s always a permanent, satisfied smile under his helmet.
