gfpresley Loc: Florida

Planning a first time trip to Joshua Tree National Park in January.

Any advice on what to see and not to miss?

Thanks in advance for you time.

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

I found better trees in the town of Joshua Tree just north of the park. The very best Joshua Tree forest I've seen is up near Lake Mead.

Hip Coyote

I went once on a night time star / astro photo seminar. So my experience is limited to that. That being said, I do suggest you consider doing a bit of night time photography. Go to photopills or similar sites to get up on the topic. Its kind of fun thing to do (once ...not my cup of tea.) You can do the usual north star thing and take a flash light to light paint the foreground. If you have Olympus you can use the very cool live composite feature (I did not have it at the time.) I dislike tripods but you need one there to do any night time stuff. A headlamp is a must, with a red lens capability so that you dont ruin night vision.

I am not sure about wildlife but obviously there are the reptiles there.

I can say, since we live in So Cal and get news reports on the topic, get ready for the desert, hotish during the day and quite cold at nite. Seems some tourists like to go walking around there, get lost and freeze to death over night. The place is not to be trifled with. Go have fun, but you have to have plenty of water, etc. And if off trail, don't get out of view of your camp. I am not afraid of snakes, but do respect them. They are there and just watch out for them. If you see one, back up a bit and photography them. Kinda cool. In our case, we hung a small light on our tents to make sure we did not lose sight of them. I carry the Garmen inReach nav and satellite texting device when ever I am in the wilderness. Although it may seem that the land is somewhat flat and you can easily your way back to your campsite, things start to look the same and people get lost.

I attached one shot compilation I took there...these are kinda of passe these days. I much prefer just shooting the milky way rather than time shots of star trails...

Palm Springs not far away. The tram there is pretty cool as well...again, you go from hot to cold very quickly. You can hike down if that is your thing. Fun ride, decent photography and you can eat at the top of the tram.

gfpresley Loc: Florida

Thanks for the quick response.
Image was/is great.
You offered sound advice. I greatly appreciate it.
Regards,

Machinedoc Loc: Yorktown Heights, NY

Take your time and drive through the park - there are lots of places to stop and wander around...skull rock is very popular and there is a wonderful lookout point from which you can see the Salton Sea. I was there in mid-March several years ago after a rainy season and the desert was in bloom - very spectacular! Enjoy your visit, and yes, take the cable car ride in Palm Springs and be prepared to hike around in cold weather.

gfpresley Loc: Florida

Thanks for taking time to respond with your constructive advice.
Regards,
Greg

shadows creation Loc: san antonio

Skull rock is a must see spot.

Fstop12 Loc: Kentucky

Very nice shot!

brucebc Loc: Tooele, Utah

Yes, great area.

fergmark Loc: norwalk connecticut

JT is a pretty amazing place. My favorite area would probably be in the Jumbo Rocks area. One has to hike around and explore to see some of the better rock formations.

(Download)

gfpresley Loc: Florida

Many thanks for your comments and photos.

Real Nikon Lover Loc: Simi Valley, CA

Not so much comment on the photography just remember take extra blanket (s) and warm clothing as it can (and usually is) very cold and sometimes windy that time of year. Top off your fuel before you leave any distance on dirt road. Extra batteries. I carry a 12v to 110v inverter to charge stuff if needed. Extra water, snacks. Extra flashlight. Have fun.

colinc1 Loc: Goleta, California

Was at the park just 3 weeks ago. The biggest attraction does not seem to be the Joshua Trees but the fantastic rock formations. Lots of photo ops. Have fun.

Drip Dry McFleye

We camped in J.T., staying in our tent for a week. Enjoyed the place more than I had thought we would. We did a LOT of hiking. It seemed to me that the good pictures were more to be captured by good artistic vision on the part of the photographer than by pulling into a parking area marked with a sign. (I hope that makes sense.) A circular polarizer can be useful there. Water is at a premium there. We had to drive 20-30 miles to get water. None available at the campgrounds. Pit toilets but very well maintained. Most campsites were filled to capacity every day. Try to arrive on a weekday if you will need a campsite. We definitely enjoyed the place.

Spirit Vision Photography Loc: Behind a Camera.

Nice image 👍 Exposure info? I spent much of my youth in the Tree, honing my photography and climbing skills.