Why choose this tour ?
Purchase one tour per car, not per person. Everyone listens together! Explore the rugged, mystical beauty of Joshua Tree National Park with this narrated driving tour. Discover a desert full of amazing hikes and cartoonishly strange trees, and hear all about the area’s fascinating history, from the greed of the gold rush to the McHaney Gang’s reign of terror. Enjoy all this in any season from the comfort of your own car! • Tour Joshua Tree National Park from the comfort of your own car • As a bonus, this package also includes a tour through Hidden Valley Nature Trail! After booking, check your email to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action, enter your unique password, and access your tour. These steps require good internet/Wi-Fi access. From there, follow the audio instructions and the route. Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.
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What makes Joshua Tree National Park Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour a unique experience ?
Your tour of Joshua Tree begins at the Joshua Tree Visitor Center. From here, you'll drive through this weird, one-of-a-kind park where two deserts meet. Along the way, get ready to marvel at the bizarre Joshua trees for which the park is named, embark on awe-inspiring hikes, and catch a sunset you'll never forget. Note: This 68+mile-long tour covers the essentials of Joshua Tree in 3-4 hours. Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.
Before you enter the park, you'll pass through the town of Joshua Tree. It's full of quaint little shops and restaurants and is the perfect place to pick up a snack or a souvenir before or after your trip through the park.
This peculiar landmark can be accessed via a moderate, 3.3-mile trail. Almost 100 years ago, an enigmatic man named John Samuelson etched various musings and declarations onto these rocks. They remain to this day as a strange, almost mystical sight.
A 7-mile trail leads straight to Willow Hole, a seemingly miraculous oasis in the middle of the desert. The oasis is surrounded by willow trees and just has to be seen to be believed. Many visitors at first think it's a mirage!
The Hemingway Buttress is one of the most popular climbing spots in the park. It juts up dramatically from the earth, seeming to dare visitors to scale it. The buttress features a huge pile of boulders which are lots of fun to scramble up, and climbers of all skill levels can find something to enjoy here.
Ever wanted to see the hideout of a Wild West gang? You'll find it on this trail, as well as some seriously stunning desert scenery to boot. The Hidden Valley Nature Trail is an easy trek and only goes for about a mile, making it one of Joshua Tree's must-see hikes. As a bonus, this package also includes a tour through Hidden Valley Nature Trail!
Intersection Rock is considered to be a sort of hub within Joshua Tree. Thanks to its towering size, it can be seen from a great distance and casts a striking silhouette against the blazing desert sky. It's also a hugely popular climbing spot, featuring numerous different climbing routes with names like Knuckle Cracker, Ignorant Photons from Pluto, and Sympathy to the Devil.
Cap Rock is a strange sight, featuring a small boulder almost impossibly perched atop a larger rock formation. Here, you'll find a quick quarter-mile trail chock full of information about the local flora.
Lost Horse Valley is a sweeping desert valley that gets its name from some of the McHaney Gang's misdeeds back in the days of the Wild West. You'll hear all about that as you drive through this valley, including what one overconfident miner did to try to get his stolen horses back!
The Lost Horse Mine Loop Trail leads to a truly unique spot: the remains of one of the most successful gold mines in the region. In addition to these ruins, this four-mile trail also features some magnificent desert flora and more than a few excellent vistas. If you're visiting in the summer, be prepared for a lack of shade on this trail.
Another abandoned mine waits in Queen Valley. The gold found in this mine was the motive behind at least one murder and a whole lot else.
This iconic desert granite formation looks uncannily like a human skull. It's easily accessible from the roadside, and is also the trailhead for an easy 2-mile trail that's among the most popular hiking trails in the whole park.
Sky's The Limit Observatory and Nature Center is a phenomenal spot to learn not just about the flora and fauna of Joshua Tree, but also about the stars above. As a dark sky area, Joshua Tree makes for some seriously impressive stargazing, so try to stick around after dark if you can!
The Oasis Visitor Center is the last stop along the main tour route. It sits in the town of Twenty-Nine Palms, not far from where you began your tour. If you'd prefer to continue journeying through Joshua Tree, you can also follow the detour route, which proceeds south through the rest of the park and exits out the southern gate.
Tour Description & Additional Info:
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- How to access: Once you book a tour, you’ll get a confirmation email and text with instructions: • Download the separate tour app by Action • Enter the password • Download the tour MUST DO while in strong wifi/cellular Works offline after download
- How to start touring: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction.
- Go to the starting point No one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided Enter the first story’s point and the audio will begin automatically Follow the audio cues to the next story, which will also play automatically. Enjoy hands-free exploring. If you face audio issues, contact support. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
- Travel worry-free: Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace. Skip anything you don’t care about or explore bonus content for everything that interests you
- Savings tips: Driving tours: purchase just one tour for everyone in the car
- Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.
Options To Choose for Your Trip:
- Joshua Tree National Park Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour
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Joshua Tree National Park Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour Inclusions:
Included with Your Ticket
- Easy-to-use app: download Action’s Tour Guide App onto your phone
- Great value: purchase per car, not per person. More affordable than bus or guided tours!
- Engaging storytelling: Uncover unique tales and thrilling history for a memorable journey!
- Perfect narrator: nothing can beat listening to a great voice. Proven with tons of rave reviews!
- Offline maps: no signal, no problem! Works perfectly without cellular or wifi.
- Comprehensive route and stops: See it all, miss nothing, leave no stone unturned!
- Go at your own pace: Start anytime, pause anywhere, enjoy breaks for snacks and photos freely!
- Hands-free: audio stories play on their own based on your location. Easy to use!
Not Included
- Foods & Drinks
Trending Nearby Tours Likely To Sell Out
Special Instructions:
- This Tour is Provided by Adventures with Action.
- Tour Timezone & Starts at America/Los_Angeles.
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted.
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- This Tour is Rated 4.5 Stars based on 672 valid reviews on VIATOR.
- Minimum 1 Travelers is required to book.
- Maximum 4 Travelers is accepted for booking.
You’re not done yet! It’s time to set up the tour you purchased. Follow these steps now, while in wifi/signal. Do NOT wait until your travel date or while onsite. 1. Find the tour’s setup instructions: Email: search for the phrase "Your tour operator sent you a message” OR “Set up your Action Tour Guide self-guided tour now." If it’s not in your Inbox, check All Mail. Text: check for a text from 415-980-4997 Viator App Messages: open Viator app > Bookings > View Voucher > Contact Tour Operator TripAdvisor App Messages: open TripAdvisor app > Account > Messages Can’t find it? Ask us to resend: https://actiontourguide.com/redeem/ 2. Follow the setup instructions NOW, not later: You MUST do this before traveling to the site. Requires WiFi/signal. Do NOT wait until your travel date to access the tour for the first time. The tour is not tied to your travel date. 3. Not familiar with our self-guided audio tour? Watch this quick tutorial: https://actiontourguide.com/tutorial ⚠️ Important Note: Your purchase is for the audio tour ONLY. It does not include entrance tickets to parks or attractions. ⚠️ CarPlay and Android Auto are not yet supported. Connect your phone via Bluetooth, USB, or Aux for audio. Use phone speakers if needed. Have a question - We’re here to help! For quick answers, visit the app's FAQ section or our website at actiontourguide.com/faq. If you need further assistance, please call us at +1 714-333-0534, chat with us online, or email us at support@actiontourguide.com. We're committed to providing you with the support you need every step of the way! ❄️ Winter Closure 2024: The park is generally open in the winter, but some areas might be temporarily closed after heavy rainfall or snow.
