Park Boulevard Is A Back Road You Didn’t Know Existed But Is Perfect For A Scenic Drive In Southern California
Southern California has a wildly diverse landscape. Within a few hours, you can see the ocean, mountains, lakes, forests, slot canyons, waterfalls, and deserts. Speaking of desert, despite the fact that more than half of Southern California is desert, this is possibly the least explored and most underrated area. Get to know the striking rugged beauty of the desert with this scenic backroad in Joshua Tree.
Park Boulevard is a 39-mile backroad that gently winds its way through the northern part of Joshua Tree National Park and can be completed in just a couple of hours.
The road runs in a semi-loop from the North Entrance Station to the West Entrance Station near the town of Joshua Tree. With its relatively short length, it offers plenty of time to stop along the way to enjoy the scenery or even take some of the hiking trails that start along the road and lead to some of the park’s intriguing features.
You can begin this scenic drive at either end, but travelers say that in general, fewer people enter through the North Entrance near Twentynine Palms, so you likely won’t have to wait in a line to get in the park.
Joshua Trees, which give this park its name, are most commonly found in the Mojave Desert and are a distinct feature of this desert landscape. These otherworldly trees live for an average of 150 years.
Among the most incredible and defining features of Joshua Tree National Park are the massive rock formations. There are picnic areas and hiking trails around and through a lot of them.
One of the more interesting rock formations is known as Skull Rock, which is easily accessible from the road. A slight detour on Pinto Basin Road leads to a couple of others, including Heart Rock and Arch Rock.
Be sure to keep your eye out for desert wildlife. With a keen eye and a little slow exploration, you may see coyotes, tortoises, kangaroo rats, or possibly even a fox, bobcat, or mule deer.
If you haven’t explored Southern California’s deserts, the scenic Park Boulevard in Joshua Tree is a wonderful way to start. Have you been to Joshua Tree National Park? What do you think of Southern California’s desert landscapes? We would love to hear about your favorite desert spots in the comments. Also, why not check out a few more of our awesomely beautiful backroads?
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Address: Park Boulevard, Park Blvd, Joshua Tree, CA 92252, USA
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