By Joaquin Gallegos
The local deserts around Southern California provide a short distant retreat from the day-to-day worries. One place in particular is as much of a location as it is an idea. Joshua Tree is a place that is known for outdoor activities like hiking, but also to its credit, it is also known for its eclectic mindset. Especially to those who choose to call it home. Many of those nice individuals have just as much of a story to tell of themselves as to why they chose to settle there.
A day trip to the town of Joshua Tree can be filled with many things to do. The excursion included stops at The Hi-Desert Nature Museum, Noah Purifoy Outdoor Desert Museum, The Glass Outhouse, The Mountain View Horse Ranch, and finally The Snake Bite Roadhouse. Many more places to visit could be found in the small valley that is nestled between Yucca Valley and 29 Palms, just north of Desert Hot Springs.
On the day of the visit, the weather was cool with wispy cloud coverage overhead which made for a beautiful pink sunset later in the day. A visitor can easily feel as if they had left the state, however, it is only about one and a half hours from San Bernardino. The area is speckled with art installations and thrift stores. The valley is surrounded by soft rolling hills which are visible but yet not as close as they may appear. There are many homes along dirt roads which add to the independence of the homesteaders. There is the quietness of solitude but one does not feel alone. It is a tourist town but there is no rush. The daylight sets time and if it can’t be done today, there is always tomorrow.
The Hi-Desert Nature Museum is a great place to start to give a visitor some context and background of the region. They have many interesting artifacts of the habitats of the plethora of animals the region hosts. They also have information and artifacts of early settlers to the area from Indigenous People to gold miners.
Hi-Desert Nature Museum
Going more to the artful side of things, a visitor might want to visit the Noah Purifoy Outdoor Art Museum. The installation covers a few acres of land and is filled with many large pieces to walk around and see from different angles. They are somewhat otherworldly in their presentation but can definitely get the creative juices flowing. A visitor might think that it is something that Tim Burton could have contrived. It's a good thing that visitors only come during the day. It would be the stuff of nightmares to walk through on a moonlit night.
Noah Purifoy Outdoor Art Museum
Another place to visit for more familiar colorful pieces is The Glass Outhouse. It is a real functioning glass outhouse that visitors can use to relieve themselves. It is just as strange as it sounds. However, the real draw of this location is the kaleidoscope of art pieces. There are some buildings to walk through which have paintings and other fragile pieces for viewing and buying. The real eclectic part of a visit here is the soda bottle lines walkways of outdoor art. The beauty is in the differing art that is speckled across the property.
The Glass Outhouse
One special place within this location is a tiny church where they actually hold weddings. It has a single steeple and only four single-seat pews. Yes, single-seat pew. It resembles an old-time church from a Western film.
Small Church at Glass House
A way to take in the outdoors at Joshua Tree could be to take a horse ride. At Mountain View Ranch, a visitor can schedule a training session on top of a beautiful horse. The ranch manager Kat is sure to be light-hearted and informative. If a visitor is lucky enough to have her for their training they will definitely feel fulfilled in the short time they spend there. She is very much in tune to the needs of her animals and the love she has for them is unquestionable. Anytime a person from the city finds themselves on a horse, they will feel like they really did do something different from their day-to-day traffic commute.
Mountain View Ranch
At the end of the day, having filled the body and soul at Joshua Tree it is time for a good meal under the warm neon lights of Snake Bite Roadhouse. Just off the boulevard, it stands out in its own way. Take a sway on a swing outside. Take a picture in the photo booth or take a picture next to the giant mural of a rattlesnake. The inside feels kind of like a diner in a train cart. There is a nostalgic warmth of a diner with small touches like wood booths, chrome accents, and a coin rocker for kids outside the front door. They even boast a pool table that is said to come from an estate where the Rolling Stones and The Beatles played on it. The menu has many items to choose from. A couple of options might be the cactus tacos or BBQ half chicken.
Snake Bite Roundhouse
There may be many reasons that a person can plan a trip to Joshua Tree. The outdoor weekender can stay at one of many campgrounds. The meditative person who would like to get away from things can stay at any one of the many Airbnb locations throughout the valley. With its location so close to San Bernardino, a simple day trip there can benefit the mind and physique. One thing is for sure however, a person could not do it all in one day. With its relaxed feel, why would anyone want to?
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