The California desert is incredible. Wild, rugged landscapes and strange plant life make Southern California’s deserts one of a kind. If you are looking to explore the Southern California desert, here are five unforgettable desert region parks in Southern California that you need to visit now.
Pin Me for Later!
Southern California.
The sun is shining, the temperature is pleasantly warm, and palm trees rise up toward the blue skyline. Surfers dot the Malibu coastline, waiting for that perfect wave. Sandy beaches are packed with families and friends swimming and playing volleyball.
The California coast is dreamed about by many, and has been for a long time. But it may surprise you that my version of Southern California is more often filled with cacti and yucca plants; towering cliffs and boulders; red earth and purple mountains.
I’m talking about the amazing desert regions that call Southern California home: The Mojave Desert, the Colorado Desert, the Sonoran Desert, and the Great Basin Desert.
There are plenty of state and national parks spanning these deserts in Southern California, and I’ve visited each of them countless times. While they are all worth visiting, here I will cover my top 5 California desert recommendations.
I can’t even begin to guess how many days I’ve spent in these deserts, impressed with their very different, but equally amazing, landscapes. If you give them a chance, I’m sure you will feel the same way.
Read on for the-best-of-the-best stunning desert landscapes that are found – surprisingly – right in Southern California.
5 Unforgettable Desert Region Parks in Southern California
1. Joshua Tree National Park
You’ve heard it from me before and you will hear it again – Joshua Tree National Park is one of my favorite places on the entire planet.
Unlike anywhere else I’ve seen, the unusual plant life and odd geology can just about transport you to another planet. This is a place you won’t soon forget.
This park is extra special because inside of it’s 1235 square miles, Joshua Tree National Park holds not one but two distinct desert regions; the Mojave Desert and the Colorado Desert. Determined visitors can easily cover Joshua Tree hiking trails in two different deserts within the same day.
The differences between the two areas are profound.
The Mojave portion is covered with towering bulbous rocks and mountains, as well as the park’s namesake – the Joshua Tree. The tall and spindly Joshua Tree is actually a yucca plant rather than a tree. This section of the park, in the north, is where most of the hiking and camping can be found.
The Colorado portion is flatter, hotter, and drier, filled with different types of cacti including barrel and cholla. The Colorado Desert covers the southern end of the park, and while many people skip driving down that far, I can tell you that is a big mistake. The views are stunning, showcasing cactus gardens with a purple mountain backdrop.
If you are looking for the perfect Joshua Tree itinerary, I have a lengthy post explaining exactly how to spend your time (as well as maps, tips, and a PDF printout, as cell reception in the park is pretty limited!).
Though these desert parks are listed in no particular order, Joshua Tree is one of my favorites in Southern California. From Los Angeles, it will take roughly 2.5 hours to reach the park by car, depending on your exact starting point.
2. Red Rock Canyon State Park
Perhaps the least known of these five desert region parks in Southern California is Red Rock Canyon State Park. Red Rock is in located in the small town of Cantil, California, roughly 2-3 hours north of LA.
Seriously, why do no Californians know about this park? It always seems nearly empty when I visit!
Red Rock Canyon sits inside of the Mojave Desert region (not to be confused with the Mojave National Preserve below) and is a desert park that offers stunning and surprising visuals.
As you approach on the highway, towering red, orange and white cliffs can be seen from on both sides of the road. And, it gets even more stunning the further you explore into the park.
The landscapes seen here are more reminiscent of the southwestern desert landscapes of Arizona or Utah, in my opinion.
Red Rock Canyon hiking and camping can’t be beat. With no crowds, fiery visuals, and quiet surrounding areas, you’ll feel like you are states away from busy Los Angeles.
There are a few stray Joshua Trees scattered a bit north of the towering rocks, but the landscape here looks completely different than any other part of the Mojave Desert.
3. Death Valley National Park
Third and most famous of the Southern California desert region parks is Death Valley National Park, on the eastern edge of the state.
Death Valley is the hottest and driest of all national parks. It is also the largest national park in the United States outside of Alaska, which is truly impressive.
Badwater Basin, pictured above, is the lowest point in all of North America. This area sits at a shocking 282 feet (86 m) below sea level.
More than once, I’ve hit temperatures of 115 degrees or higher when traveling the long road leading to Badwater Basin and Furnace Creek. However, I’ve also visited after record rainfall in Southern California and experienced a stunning superbloom in Death Valley, as well. So, you can still find varied weather here.
The views at Zabriskie Point are endless. The colorful Artists Palette is almost unbelievable.
No matter the season, there is a lot to see. The park sits in the northern end of the Mojave Desert and borders the Great Basin Desert. Most of Death Valley occupies California, but small areas spill over across the Nevada border.
While I don’t recommend hiking in the hottest summer months, there are a number of gorgeous trails throughout the park that are worth the trek.
Death Valley National Park holds five different areas of sandy desert, and while walking on those sandy peaks isn’t quite as breathtaking as walking in the Arabian Desert, they are still impressive.
Death Valley is roughly 4-5 hours outside of Los Angeles, depending on the exact starting point, but you will feel worlds away from the city life while you visit.
4. Mojave National Preserve
The also-sprawling Mojave National Preserve covers 1.6 million acres of the desert. Of the Southern California parks, this is another that doesn’t receive the respect it deserves.
Three of the four major deserts in North America are found within the boundaries of the park: the Mojave, Great Basin and Sonoran deserts.
While you will find some of the expected landscapes of the Mojave Desert, you will also come across unique mountains, dry riverbeds, and sand dunes. Kelso Dunes is a large sandy desert area great for hiking in the cooler months. The expansive dunes are a beautiful spot to watch the sunset.
Mojave National Preserve is rugged. Park rangers and staff are few and far between. Cell reception is elusive. And other parkgoers can be hard to come by. So, be sure to plan in advance for any desert hikes you may embark on.
The park is between 3-4 hours outside of Los Angeles. Joshua Trees are plentiful and lizards and snakes are never far.
5. Anza Borrego Desert State Park
Last but not least is the Anza Borrego Desert State Park, which is just under 2 hours east of San Diego.
This park is incredibly unique, situated between mountains and badlands, creating stunning geology. Earthquakes, floods, and erosion have done a number on the landscape here and the effect is beautiful. The scenery found on any of the hikes in Anza Borrego will not disappoint you!
My favorite of all of the hikes here is known simply as “The Slot.” The trail weaves through narrow canyons. Some are so skinny that you cannot even fit a large backpack through. But scrambling through is part of the fun! Explore the post linked above for full details.
Much of Anza Borrego is primitive, and not accessible without a four-wheel drive vehicle. The park offers Jeep tours throughout some of the less trafficked areas, taking visitors to quiet and untouched areas in this desert region park.
Anza Borrego Desert State Park is a haven for stargazers, much like Joshua Tree National Park. It sits well away from the lights of the city, and is a designated International Dark Sky Park. Stargazing trips are also available.
Have I convinced you yet that Southern California holds more appeal than just beaches and ocean? Those are lovely, of course, but nothing calls my name like the deserts of the world.
These desert region parks in Southern California are impressive and unforgettable, and are all deserving of a road trip, hiking trip, or camping trip in the near future.
Let me know below – which of these Southern California desert region parks will you be visiting first?
Pin Me for Later!
Leave a Reply