Spring visitors to Joshua Tree National Park can typically expect limited parking, full campgrounds and long lines to enter the park. KVCR’s Megan Jamerson reports, with visitation numbers up last year, rangers are expecting even bigger crowds during their historically busy season.
To avoid the crush of people, rangers suggest visitors follow these three tips during March and April. Plan mid-week trips, buy a digital pass ahead of time at recreation.gov, and arrive before 10 a.m. and avoid leaving around sunset.
While a super bloom is unlikely this year, the park also reminds visitors to respect wildflowers by only taking photos, and to keep hikes on trails.
In a release, the park says visitations were likely up last year from locals choosing to keep their recreation close to home during the pandemic. They saw an 11 percent increase in visitors from June to October, and a 20 percent increase in November.