What to Do in Joshua Tree During Festival Season
Every April, the desert wakes up differently.
The crowds come in waves — festival wristbands, dusty boots, car trunks packed with coolers. Indio fills up fast. But somewhere between the lineup announcements and the late-night sets, a lot of people are asking the same question: what else is out here?
The answer is Joshua Tree. And if you haven't made the detour yet, this is the year.
It's Only 45 Minutes Away
From the Empire Polo Club, Joshua Tree is a straight shot up the 62. You pass through the Coachella Valley, watch the landscape shift from palm trees to boulders, and somewhere around Twentynine Palms Highway, the air changes. Cooler. Quieter. Different.
It doesn't feel like a detour. It feels like the real trip.
Stop at JT Trading Post
Before you head into the park, come find us at 61716 Twentynine Palms Hwy. We're open seven days a week — weekdays noon to 5, weekends 9 to 5.
The shop is stocked with everything you didn't know you needed: vintage pieces that photograph beautifully against the rock formations, local jewelry, palo santo and crystals to reset after three days of crowds, and Joshua Tree souvenirs worth actually bringing home. Our outdoor market runs every Saturday and Sunday — local makers, live energy, the smell of the desert in the morning. Come early.
Get Into the Park
Joshua Tree National Park is about 10 minutes from our shop. Day use is $35 per vehicle and covers you for seven days. Short on time? Do the Hidden Valley Trail — an easy one-mile loop through a natural rock enclosure that looks like it was built for a music video. Bring water. Wear layers.
Stay for Sunset
The Coachella sunsets are beautiful. A Joshua Tree sunset is something else. Keys View gives you a panoramic look at the entire Coachella Valley — you can actually see the festival grounds from up there. And if you stay for stargazing, no light pollution, no noise. Just the sky.
The festival ends. The desert stays.
Come find us.
