California | Joshua Tree & Death Valley National Parks | Adult Only

Palm Springs Arrival: Welcome to Palm Springs, California! Your guides will pick you up in the morning from your pre-trip hotel.

Joshua Tree National Park: Joshua Tree National Park is a meeting place for two unique ecosystems: the Mojave and the Colorado deserts, which results in an inspiringly diverse landscape. Here you’ll discover the darkest of night skies, unique rock formations, longstanding history, and of course the famed Joshua trees found nowhere else in the world.

49 Palms Oasis Hike: It’s paradise hidden within the desert at 49 Palms Oasis, one of just five oases found in Joshua Tree National Park. Hike along 3 miles of trail to the final destination where you’ll be met by thriving palm trees fed by natural water sources.

Cholla Garden Hike: This easier loop hike will get you up close and personal with a forest of cholla cacti, a species which has been nicknamed “the teddy bear cactus”. But don’t hug these bears! Their spines will stick to your skin easily, a defense mechanism that protects the cacti.

Mastodon Peak Loop Hike: Venture on this 2.6-mile loop trail that winds through natural rock formations that resemble abstract statues and offers a look at an abandoned mine. Look for desert birds like cactus wren, rock wren, Gambel’s quail, and even roadrunner!

Transfer Time: 1 hour

Twentynine Palms: This small city settled in the southern Mojave Desert serves as a gateway to Joshua Tree National Park and is home to the world’s largest Marine Corps training base. Its name originates from Colonel Henry Washington who had surveyed the land in 1855, noting 29 native Washingtonia palms which were growing in the oasis.

About 29 Palms Inn

A gem settled in the desert landscape, 29 Palms Inn has thrived for five generations in the town of Twentynine Palms not far from Joshua Tree. Each unique room brings wild west and Native American culture together through decor, furniture, and vibe. Spanning over 70 acres with the Oasis of Mara in its center, 29 Palms Inn is a memorable home base for desert adventurers.

Inspiration Peak from Keys View Hike: By the end of this hike, you’ll have no doubt the final overlook is rightly named: Inspiration Peak. Beginning from Keys View, a short loop trail, take the trail that climbs 400 feet in 0.3 miles to a crest where you’ll continue on to reach Inspiration Peak, the ultimate reward. From here you have a splendorous panoramic view of Mount San Jacinto, Palm Springs, Mount San Gorgonio, Ryan Mountain, and Keys View which now looks dwarfed from your original starting point.

Hidden Valley Loop Hike: Considered one of the best hikes in Joshua Tree National Park, this one-mile loop trail near Twentynine Palms features rock gardens, statue-like rock formations, and a plethora of palms, yuccas, Joshua trees, oaks and pines.

Barker Dam Hike: This easy 1.1-mile loop trail leads you past monzogranite boulders, trees, historical rock art site, and the Barker Dam. The rock art you’ll find are colorful petroglyphs preserved in a cut of rock, but be careful not to disturb this area. Barker Dam holds history of its own, constructed by cattlemen in 1900, found between Queen Valley and the Wonderland of Rocks.

Wall Street Mill Hike: Wander amongst history on this 2.15-mile round trip hike where you’ll get a chance to see one of the best-preserved gold mills in Joshua Tree National Park. When in operation in the first half of the 20th century, ore passed through Wall Street Mill to be mined for gold and silver. It will be easy to imagine the place bustling with miners in a time goneby.

Night On Your Own: Enjoy a night on your own this evening for dinner. Your guides will give you restaurant options to choose from in the area and will provide ideas on things to do on your own time. Alternatively, feel free to just relax tonight after a wonderful activity-filled day!

Transfer Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Mojave National Preserve: Located between Death Valley and Joshua Tree National Parks, this natural preserve is a surprising destination of serenity and solitude in the wilderness away from city chaos. Sand dunes, cinder cone volcanoes, Joshua trees, and spring wildflowers all call Mojave home.

Kelso Dunes Hike: Prepare to get some sand in your hiking boots on this 3-mile out and back hike. The Kelso Dunes are one of the oldest and most expansive dune fields in western North America spreading more than 45 miles, where dunes mount to 600 feet above the desert floor.

Teutonia Peak Hike: Meet Joshua trees, cacti, yucca, cholla, opuntia, and wild desert flowers on this 3.2 mile out and back trail with 650 feet of elevation gain where you’ll end at the base of Teutonia Peak. Located near Cima, this most densely populated Joshua tree forest in the world was majorly affected by a ravaging Dome wildfire caused by lightning in August 2020, thus affecting 44,000 acres of vegetation.

Transfer Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes

Furnace Creek: A small little village found 190 feet below sea level, Furnace Creek runs a visitor center for Death Valley National Park, a campground, and resorts for valley visitors.

Transfer Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Death Valley National Park: Don’t let Death Valley’s name deceive you! The hottest, driest, and lowest place in North America beckons those who love adventure, nature’s beauty, and geologic wonders. Despite its rather foreboding name, life thrives in the desert that is Death Valley, and this national park of 3.37 million acres of natural extremes harbors tall mountain peaks, sprawling salt pans, and deep colorful canyons.

Ubehebe Crater Hike: Take a gander at this 600-foot deep crater caused by Death Valley’s volcanic past as you hike about 1.5 miles along its rims. You may feel as though you’ve transported to the moon on this trek.

Mosaic Canyon Hike: Welcome to nature’s art gallery. Where rock mixtures form mosaic-covered canyon walls and colors swirl in a frozen time capsule that is marble. The trail winds along the canyon bed, which is molded and carved by the power of water and movement of rock. Hike around 3.5 miles roundtrip with just over 1,000 feet of elevation gain to enjoy this geological treat.

Mesquite Sand Dunes Hike: You may find yourself wondering if you’ve landed in the middle of the Sahara Desert on this hike. Witness intricate sand designs that have settled gracefully in drifts and waves and covers the landscape as far as the eye can see. Leave a trail of footprints across the sand as you hike around 3 miles on this fairly flat journey.

Golden Canyon to Red Cathedral Hike: Wander along the Golden Canyon where reds and oranges meet you beside the wide trail for 2.8 miles. With just 574 feet in elevation gain, this trail is rated easy, however toward the end you’ll be crawling around rocks to reach the Red Cathedral where you’ll be rewarded with an awesome view of towering rock formations.

Sightseeing Tour: Today you’ll have the chance to enjoy a classic sightseeing tour with stops along the way for photos and insights into the landscape from your guides. Visit Dante’s View, Zabrieskie, Badwater, and Artist Palette, all landmarks which are just 30 minutes from your accommodation. On some of these stops you’ll witness salt flats, burning orange mountains that roll across the horizon, and rock formations exquisitely carved by the elements.

Harmony Borax Works Hike: Find a snapshot of history living in the desert on this exploratory hike near Harmony Borax Works where, as you may have guessed, borax was mined out of Death Valley. In the early 1880s, nearly three tons of borax could be produced. At this historic site you’ll find old double wagons and foundations from the old operation.

Transfer Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes

Las Vegas, Nevada: Las Vegas, Nevada is a place that needs no introduction. With its five-star resorts, world-class restaurants, stellar shopping, unrivaled entertainment, and 24/7 pulse—from classic Downtown Las Vegas to the famous Las Vegas Strip and beyond—this one-of-a-kind city owns the throne as a premier tourist destination.

Las Vegas Departure: Your guides will shuttle you back to Las Vegas to get ready for your departure home.