The Four-Hour Rule: Joshua Tree

Think saloons, sand dunes and million-dollar sunsets

March 3, 2017 9:00 am

Sometimes what you want is hot and dry. Which means it’s time to head south.

To Joshua Tree: National Park and adjoining desert town of distinct interest. 

The Coachella kids are fast on their way but still a month out. 

The time, then, is now — so here are our suggestions for a saloon, a sand bar and some killer sunsets. 

Bonus: no rain in the forecast. 

WHERE TO STAY
Under the stars, obviously. But if you prefer shelter to a lack thereof, we recommend very specifically the Airbnb we used, owned by a couple who runs a vintage shop in town. Expect a fully kitted kitchen, Instagrammable-interiors and a porch made for thoughtful music under starry skies. Or a barbecue, your choice. 

WHERE TO EAT & DRINK (& SING)
If you aren’t cooking over a campfire (recommended), you’ll confront a limited number of choices for in-town dining. Our absolute favorite: Country Kitchen. (Anthony Bourdain liked it, too.) Unreasonably friendly staff given the tight quarters and a Saturday morning line out the door. Later on, head across the street, to the Joshua Tree Saloon. Order the ribs, get some drinks and settle in for a night of solid live music. Why wouldn’t you want to be there in time for Friday night karaoke?

WHERE TO PLAY
Go mid-week if you plan to camp — unless you like sitting in lines of cars to enter the park, which are, unsurprisingly, worse on weekends. Our favorite hike was Ryan Mountain: wind your way around the summit, and get 360-degree views from the top for your trouble. 

WHERE TO PLAY (PART 2)
We took a day to drive deeper into the Mojave — to Kelso Dunes at Mojave National Preserve. Imagine running on a beach, but vertically. It’s a two-hour drive from Joshua Tree, but worth it. Even better if we’d had the time to keep going, on to Death Valley. 

WHERE TO PLAY (PART 3)
There are plenty of reasons to come to the desert — some better (the national park) than others (Coachella). But we’d go back today to check out Desert X, the first-of-its-kind showcase of site-specific works by big-name artists like Doug Aitken and Glenn Kaino. 

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