We Stumbled Into This Arizona Joshua Tree Forest by Accident and Had the Whole Place to Ourselves

My son and I were recently exploring that little thumb of the Mojave Desert in northwestern Arizona formed by the big bend in the Colorado River, where it loops north, then west, through Lake Mead before taking a turn southward just above the Hoover Dam. We'd set up our base camp in Vegas and were spending a few days seeing what we could see in this slice of the Southwest. We'd already visited Death Valley National Park and had toyed with the idea of going to Joshua Tree National Park, but ultimately decided that it was too much of a drive from where we were staying. So, we headed out into the desert to try to find the easternmost reaches of Lake Mead and the mouth of the Grand Canyon.

We turned off U.S. Route 93 at Dolan Springs and made our way northeast toward the southern Grand Wash Cliffs at the edge of the Hualapai Plateau. This massive wall of rock seemed like a pretty good clue regarding where the western end of the Grand Canyon lay. As we left the quirky community of Dolan Springs, I started noticing some of the roadside vegetation and asked Sam, "Are those Joshua trees?" We still had cell service at that point, so he jumped onto the web and pulled up some images. Sure enough: We were seeing Joshua trees.

Although I didn't get to stamp my National Parks Passport, I loved the thought of just seeing random Joshua trees when we weren't looking for them—and without making an eight-hour round trip. It got better.

The farther we drove, the more Joshua trees we saw. Eventually, it felt like we were driving through a veritable forest of these large yucca plants (they're not actually trees). As it happens, we were.

At the intersection of Pierce Ferry Road and Diamond Bar Road, we came to a small parking area with a metal sign that read, "Friends of Arizona Joshua Tree Forest." So, of course, we pulled over to have a look. There, we found a gate opening to a short nature trail (a 0.1-mile loop), and stealing myself against the warning about snakes (not my favorite), we went in.

In terms of a hike, the trail won't close any rings on your exercise app. It is, however, a wonderful way to get up close and personal with the incredible plants of the Mojave Desert ecosystem, including, most obviously, Joshua trees. Seeing this legion of trees marching across Grapevine Mesa to the edge of Hualapai Plateau was awe-inspiring.

After we visited Arizona's Joshua Tree Forest, I did a little more research. Although it's maintained and protected by a nonprofit group, the forest itself is a National Natural Landmark that's also referred to as the Grapevine Mesa Joshua Tree Forest. The National Park Service, which designated the landmark in 1967, calls it "the best existing display of Joshua trees in the United States." And we had it all to ourselves. Moreover, we didn't have to drive to Joshua Tree National Park, braving the crowds and the fees, to see it.

Although we stayed in Las Vegas, if you want to spend more time exploring this part of northwestern Arizona, I recommend staying in Dolan Springs or Meadview. In fact, Dolan Springs is home to one of the Grand Canyon State's quirkiest vacation rentals: Taylor Mountain Cave Inn Retreat. Yes, it's pretty much what it sounds like: You'll be sleeping in a furnished cave on top of a mountain about 6 miles outside of Dolan Springs. This spacious property has two bedrooms and one private bath, but it can sleep up to 10 people on eight beds. Check out the Airbnb listing to see photos of this unique property and to book your stay.

For more information, visit the Friends of Arizona Joshua Tree Forest website. What are some other places in Arizona where you can have a national park-like experience without the crowds and fees? Discover four underrated national parks on this 6.5-hour Arizona road trip.