Why choose this Palm Springs tour ?
Download the GuideAlong self-guided audio tour and you’ll discover more on your Joshua Tree National Park road trip. Hear fascinating behind-the-scenes stories, local tips, and directions play automatically, all based on your location.
You’ll be guided to all of the park’s famous highlights as well as lesser-known gems including a viewpoint at 5,185 feet with views over the entire Coachella Valley, a garden filled with hundreds of teddy bear cacti, and rock formations resembling a giant skull and a 30-foot granite arch.
Enjoy the freedom to explore offline at your own pace, spending more time at places that interest you and bypassing any that don’t.
– Stories, tips, and directions play automatically based on your location.
– Travel at your own pace
– Tour offline using GPS, no cell service or WiFi needed
– Suggested itineraries for half, full, or multi-day use
– No time limits or expiry, and free updates
– Like having a tour guide along for the drive
Purchase one tour per vehicle.
Make the most of your Palm Springs adventure
What makes Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour in Joshua Tree National Park a unique experience ?
Named for the twisted, spiky trees, there’s so much more to see in this popular California national park with its rugged rock formations, breathtaking views, a wide variety of wildlife, and stark desert landscapes.
As the audio guides play commentary based on your GPS location, you can create your own itinerary along the tour route to match your interests and schedule.
The 30-foot granite Arch Rock is an Instagrammable location in Joshua Tree National Park. Take a short hike to Arch Rock to see the natural arch within the granite formations surrounding White Tank Campground.
Though it’s spectacular at any time of day, try arriving around sunset for one of the park’s iconic photo-ops: a gorgeous thirty-foot span of granite beneath a pastel-hued sky. It’s a mere 1.4-mile out-and-back hike to the arch, but we recommend you tack on a second formation: Heart Rock. Although a bit lopsided, this formation really does resemble its name, and it’s an understandably popular place to snap a photo with a loved one.
Barker Dam is a natural basin that was walled in 1902 to improve water storage for cattle ranchers – and it has fantastic scenery, short interpretative nature trails, and historical significance.
The Barker Dam trail is a 1.3-mile nature loop, with some easy scrambling and interpretive panels. It passes the southern edge of the backcountry area known as the Wonderland of Rocks. It’s not quite a true dam, it is actually a natural basin that was walled in in 1902 to improve water storage for cattle ranchers. Either way – it’s quite a pretty sight.
The Cholla Cactus Garden is one of the most surreal sights in Joshua Tree National Park, with hundreds of furry-looking cacti, gleaming silver and gold in the day’s fading light.
You won’t want to miss the surreal sight of hundreds of teddy bear cacti gleaming softly in the sunlight. To be sure, while they may look fuzzy from a distance, these plants are most assuredly not related to teddy bears: their furry appearance comes from the thicket of spines that cover the stems. Beware – though they are pretty to look at, you really don’t want to touch them, especially accidentally.
Hall of Horrors is Hall of Horrors is a popular location with several rock formations that can be explored on dirt paths and is a popular destination for scrambling and rock climbing. This area is also surrounded by mountains and provides many scenic views.
The namesake hall is a fun photo op for those comfortable with a little rock scrambling and is reached by circling around the right side of the first formation you see. The narrow dark corridor, or hall, is hidden in the second formation back from the road, it does require some exploration and a sense of adventure to find – but it’s worthwhile.
Hidden Valley Nature Trail is an easy one-mile loop through Hidden Valley on a dirt and rock trail. This is a popular hike through a rock-enclosed valley surrounded by unique rock formations.
A one-mile loop guides visitors through this small valley encircled by giant buttresses and granite domes. It was isolated enough to be used as a hideout for the McHaney Gang, outlaws, and cattle rustlers who were active in the 1870s and ’80s.
Keys View is a popular viewpoint perched on the crest of the Little San Bernardino Mountains, that provides panoramic views of the Coachella Valley.
A ten-minute side-trip drive climbs up to an elevation of 5,185 feet, and it’s the highest road in the park. From here you’ll have views of the entire Coachella Valley, from the San Andreas Fault and distant Salton Sea to Palm Springs and the snowcapped peaks of San Jacinto Peak and Mount San Gorgonio. A terrific view not to be missed.
Skull Rock is a popular stop in the park, to see a rock that looks like a huge skull.
As more rock eroded, more water accumulated, leading to more erosion until, as time passed, two hollowed-out eye sockets formed and the rock began to resemble a skull. From different angles and when the sun is shining at different levels, the skull changes its appearance and mood.
Split Rock is a gigantic boulder that’s been split in two with a good short hike to the rock and a lovely picnic area to stop at. Imagine the forces that caused the boulder to split!
Tour Description & Additional Info:
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Minimum mobile OS version iOS 15 / Android 9 (Pie). iPad models with GPS chip.
Options To Choose for Your Trip:
- Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour in Joshua Tree National Park
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Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour in Joshua Tree National Park Inclusions:
Included with Your Ticket
- Support: Toll free phone, chat and email
- Easy To Use: Pre-download and tour offline
- Trip Planners: In-app, web and PDF
- Location Based: Stories, tips & directions that autoplay
- GuideAlong (GyPSy Guide) Audio Tour: 185+ Points
- One-Time Purchase: No time or date use limit or expiry
- Flexible Routes: Suggested itineraries or create your own
Not Included
- Food and Drinks.
Trending Palm Springs Nearby Tours Likely To Sell Out
Special Instructions:
- This Tour is Provided by GuideAlong (GyPSy Guide).
- Tour Timezone & Starts at America/Los_Angeles.
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted.
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- This Tour is Rated 5 Stars based on 5 valid reviews on VIATOR.
- Minimum 1 Travelers is required to book.
- Maximum 8 Travelers is accepted for booking.
HOW TO GET YOUR GUIDEALONG AUDIO TOUR:
1. SIGN IN + REDEEM your VOUCHER CODE: https://store.guidealong.com/voucher
2. DOWNLOAD the GuideAlong App
3. SIGN IN to the GuideAlong app with the same Apple or Google account as Step 1
4. DOWNLOAD and OPEN the Audio Tour NOW
*These instructions are also sent via a separate email & text/sms: “Instructions for GuideAlong Audio Tour” or “Your Tour Operator Sent You a Message About Your (Viator) Booking”. Check your junk/spam folder.
PRE-DOWNLOAD THE APP & TOUR NOW
You must pre-download both the GuideAlong app and audio tour files to your phone (audio, maps & images) over reliable wifi or cellular service, before your drive out of signal.
There’s no date/time limit or expiry to use the audio tour, and no data connection is required while touring.
If you are able to OPEN your tour and see the START DRIVING button, you have successfully downloaded all files and are ready to tour.
CHARGING & SOUND
We do not recommend connecting your phone directly into the vehicle usb port. Instead use a usb/c car charger adapter plug into the auxiliary power outlet (cigarette car lighter). It prevents any automatic secondary pairing between your phone and the vehicle for sound and provides a stronger charging option.
HELP & SUPPORT
Have a question – we’re here to help! Lots of information is included in the app and even more is available on our website. Alternatively you can leave a message for support callback toll 18664771791, chat online or email us at info@guidealong.com.
