Joshua Tree park in Southern California
 

When is the best time of year to do a bicycle touring trip around the Joshua Tree park in Southern California in Riverside County???

I know the winter 2015/2016 is a El Nino year! and I know it is very hot in Joshua Tree in the Summer and cold at night in the Winter!

Looking to do this trip in 2016/2017 I hope!

Now.

+1

No way would I ride there in the summer (I'm not heat tolerant). I was there in January and it was nice, but nights can be cold, so I'd guess that October/November are best, and now is still OK.

I'm sure there are also good Spring months, but I don't know the timing

Joshua Tree park in Southern California
 

March/April especially when the desert blooms

october/november and march/april

I grew up in the Mojave desert and spring time is what I'd recommend just for observing the bloom and experiencing the moderate temperatures; the fall season for the moderate temperatures alone.

I spent last January there and absolutely loved it. If you can wait for the bloom around Easter time, that would be excellent.

Its a nice place to visit, but not really very bicycle touring friendly. There's a paved loop road running through the place, and a few paved side roads (Keys View Road), but most of the rest is dirt roads that are either loose dirt or sand. Best bet is to car camp and use an MTB or fatbike to do some day tripping on the dirt roads.

FYI: Bicycles are expressly forbidden on the dirt hiking trails. Spring also has lots of stickery/thorny plant material on the ground just waiting to flatten your tires.

FYI#2: I'd advise NOT to go during the Christmas/New Years period due to the heavy crowds. The place will be packed with visitors and plenty of rockclimbers (its a world-class rockclimbing mecca in winter).

Ask them directly .. Joshua Tree National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

From the NPS website:

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=491659

Also, no matter the time of year most places in the park have no water, so you gotta bring it in - and bring more than you really think you ought to.

I have found cool and windy in April (rained on me this past April!). Snow as early as November.

For desert conditions and camping, bring at least one gallon of water per person per day, especially for you outsiders.

Thanks

Having spent some time across the road at 29 Palms, I can tell you that January/February/March can be really nice... Or they can be miserably cold. Joshua Tree got about 6" of snow in the 2nd week of March when I was there in 2006. Several days (always when we were in the field) were cold and very windy. The rest of the time was delightful.

I know that Dec, Jan, and Feb can get very cold at Night time and warm day time