Joshua Tree National Park Association (JTNPA), the primary nonprofit partner of Joshua Tree National Park since 1962, is encouraging FIFA World Cup visitors to make time for a desert adventure during their stay in Los Angeles. Located less than two hours from the city, Joshua Tree National Park offers an unforgettable contrast to the stadium experience — a vast, otherworldly landscape of massive rock formations, iconic Joshua tree forests, and some of the darkest skies in North America.
As an internationally designated Dark Sky Park, Joshua Tree offers world-class stargazing rarely available to urban visitors. During summer months, the Milky Way core is visible with extraordinary clarity from popular spots including Quail Springs, Hidden Valley, and Pinto Basin Road — an experience especially striking for international travelers seeing a truly dark sky for the first time.
Expert Guidance and Mission-Driven Visitor Services
JTNPA staffs and operates the park’s visitor centers and park stores, where Information Specialists provide customized maps, real-time park conditions, and safety guidance tailored to each visitor’s schedule and interests. The visitor centers also offer interpretive retail experiences featuring park apparel, books, maps, and locally inspired items, with proceeds directly supporting the park’s most critical conservation projects and programs, including habitat protection and wildfire prevention.
Summer Visitors Are Encouraged to Plan Ahead
Joshua Tree National Park is a desert environment that requires preparation. JTNPA recommends the following for a safe visit:
- Tell someone your plans and expected return time (there is no cell service).
- Check the weather forecast and air quality index before arriving.
- Bring plenty of water and snacks — none are available inside the park.
- Wear sun protection and consider leaving pets at home.
- Hike in the cooler morning hours before 9:00 AM or evening after 5:00 PM.
- Choose short, manageable trails such as the Bajada Nature Trail, Barker Dam Nature Trail, Cholla Cactus Garden, Hidden Valley Nature Trail, Keys View, Cap Rock, or the Oasis of Mara.
- Consider scenic paved driving tours with air conditioning when temperatures rise.
- Stay hydrated and watch for flash floods (common July–October).
- Stay on trails to avoid rattlesnakes and bees.
- Follow all fire restrictions.
