Joshua Tree Art Hikes

Joshua Tree National Park is itself a work of natural art, so it’s no surprise that this gorgeous desert is a magnet for artsy individuals. Here are three hikes in the northern part of the park that are close to surprising art venues where music, movie sets, sculpture, and even crochet (!) are on display.

Week: 03.21.2019
Regions: Southern CA

49 Palms and Counting

A Hike to Joshua Tree's 49 Palms Oasis and a Visit to the Outdoor Desert Art Museum

The hike to 49 Palms Oasis in Joshua Tree has pleasures great and small. Big: a genuine palm oasis and expansive views. Small: the possibility of spotting a desert tortoise or a chuckwalla lizard. It’s all in the course of a 3-mile out-and-back gem that is situated between Indian
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Spring for Yosemite's Waterfalls!

Escape to Yosemite's Tenaya Lodge for Spring Waterfalls

It’s a waterfall time to be in Yosemite! Spring means raging waterfalls without the crowds. Stay at Tenaya Lodge, just two miles from Yosemite’s southern entrance, and experience these waterfall adventures in Yosemite. With a record snowpack, you can expect raging waterfalls this
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Hi, View!

Joshua Tree's Hi-View Nature Trail and a Visit to Pioneertown

Pop quiz: Closest Joshua Tree trail to the LA metro area? It’s Hi-View Nature Trail near Yucca Valley’s Black Rock entrance to the national park. Overlooked, but worth looking over. This 1.3-mile loop doesn’t require an entry fee, gains 325 feet in elevation, and offers a fresh p
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When Disney met the Petroglyph: It's Complicated

Joshua Tree's Barker Dam Hike, Petroglyphs, and World Famous Crochet Museum

An unlikely desert lake is generally the high point of a hike to Barker Dam, but there’s an even more unusual sight at the end of the loop trail that you might have missed even if you’ve hiked it a few times. We’re talking petroglyphs—but there’s more to this story. The flat, 1.2
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. Perles Beach Angel Island San Francisco Bay

    Secret Beach

    A hidden beach and a killer view? Those are hard to come by, but that’s exactly what you’ll get at Perles Beach on Angel Island. Bike or hike to this beautiful pocket cove.

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  2. Cinematic Sonoma

    Longer days. Golden light. Wildflowers in bloom. It’s the perfect moment to plan your spring escape to Sonoma for the Sonoma International Film Festival, March 25–29. No fuss. No sprawl. Just films, friends, fresh air, and that unmistakable Sonoma glow.

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  3. Hike Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve

    Mellow in the Marsh

    Beach, birds, ice plant popping purple flowers: That’s a hiking slam dunk! Hike about 2 miles at Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve using their easy to navigate (well-signed) Sequoia Audubon Trail.

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  4. A man is looking through his binoculars at sunrise at the Bayland Nature Preserve in Palo Alto

    Baylands Bird & Art Loop

    Combine an outdoor art walk and wildlife sightings at the Baylands Nature Preserve in Palo Alto. This 5-mile loop through Byxbee Park and the Emily Renzel Wetlands features striking installations by artists Peter Richards and Michael Oppenheimer—where the landscape itself becomes part of the canvas.

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  1. Tree Town

    Home to an estimated 21,000 trees and 100 acres of parkland, South Pasadena has earned its nickname: the City of Trees. This 2.5-mile neighborhood walk lets you experience its leafy canopy up close, winding through charming streets and three of the city’s beloved parks.

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  2. Fountain to Falls trail Monrovia

    Fountain to the Falls

    There are three ways to reach the lovely Monrovia Canyon Falls, but only one of them is worthy of being named a good challenge, with a lovely old town stroll included.

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  3. A Better Way to Baldwin

    The Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook in Culver City is one of West L.A.’s most popular hiking spots, but most visitors miss the bigger picture. This 3.5-mile out-and-back along a section of the Park to Playa Trail offers a fuller experience of this gorgeous nature park with sweeping urban views and a few artistic surprises along the way.

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  4. Stairstruck in Hollywood

    Beachwood Canyon in Hollywoodland has an action-packed adventure with A-list workouts, big-budget views, and a stair-studded cast. Running time is 1.25 miles with five staircases.

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