Palm Springs to Joshua Tree NP
 

Hey all!

I'm planning a trip to Joshua Tree NP for the end of February. My plan is to bike from Palm Springs to JTNP. Map My Ride directed me to take Annadale Ave out of Palm Springs which turns into Little Morongo Canyon Road and through Joshua Tree to the western park entrance. I read a post from 2010 about what to bike in the park, but haven't seen anything about riding TO the park.

Is this a good idea? Are there better routes? Is the southern route up through the park a better idea even though it's longer?

Any info is much appreciated!

Cheers!

I would think you would want to take Indian Canyon all the way out and then hit up some of the roads on this link from there.
http://www.strava.com/activities/44714993

on a road bike, you can ride from palm springs area to jtnp via hwy 62 to the western and northern park entrances or from the east end of coachella valley,
ride up through the southern entrance. you would need to be very comfortable riding in high speed and volume traffic (along with likely gusting wind at the
start/finish since it is one of the windiest areas in california) for miles and miles along hwy 62. to ride up through the southern entrance nixes the high volume
traffic and the wind but is really, really desolate and services are nearly non-existent once underway from the town of mecca.


jtnp is great for a mtb and there are various but hard and desolate ways to/from the park.


if you have access to a car, i would park at either the western (joshua tree) or northern entrance (29 palms) and ride to the other and back while mixing in the
keys view road climb midway on the road bike. about 75 miles rt. the most scenic part of the park by far is the hidden valley area which is close to the western entrance.
once inside the park, there are no services so plan accordingly. the approaches to the park are pretty damn boring and/or dangerous and it's worth it (to me) to drive the
hour from palm springs so i can just ride the national park. best if you have a road bike and a mtb! cruise the flats of hidden valley there and back for about 30 miles on
the road bike, return to the car to swap for the mtb and go in whatever direction strikes you on the mtb.

ooga-Booga, you make the JTDC sound dangerous, but I guess with all doubles you are bound to hit a high traffic some time or another. I am riding that this year instead of the Solvang DC.

Lesper4...i'm not worried about anyone that can ride a double. but riding from palm springs to jtnp involves either the high winds (that can easily blow you off the road heading north or blow you into traffic heading south
on that hwy 62 stretch) or really long stretches without supplies. i've found the traffic worst from desert hot springs to yucca valley. the rest isn't too bad but everyone has different levels of comfort with freeway speed traffic a few feet away. just don't want anyone surprised.

I have not ridden it, but have hiked it. It's not dangerous, but not something I would do solo.

Thanks for the info everyone!

I think I'm going to go with 2 plans and sort it out when I get there. Either hop the bus up there and ride or take the southern route thru the park. I'll be out there for 7 days, so I'm planning on biking and camping around a bit. Car volume/speed doesn't bother me, but I am definitely not a fan of high winds. Every ride is a new adventure, right?