Joshua Tree Self-Driving Audio Tour: Mystical Desert Exploration

Embark on a mystical desert exploration with the Joshua Tree Self-Driving Audio Tour. Discover the beauty of Joshua Tree National Park and Palm Springs from the comfort of your own car!

Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Joshua Tree Visitor Center - Your tour of Joshua Tree begins at the Joshua Tree Visitor Center. From here, you’ll drive through this weird, one-of-a-kind park where two deserts meet. Along the way, get ready to marvel at the bizarre Joshua trees for which the park is named, embark on awe-inspiring hikes, and catch a sunset you’ll never forget.

Note: This 68+mile-long tour covers the essentials of Joshua Tree in 3-4 hours.

  • Joshua Tree - Before you enter the park, you’ll pass through the town of Joshua Tree. It’s full of quaint little shops and restaurants and is the perfect place to pick up a snack or a souvenir before or after your trip through the park.
  • Samuelsons Rock - This peculiar landmark can be accessed via a moderate, 3.3-mile trail. Almost 100 years ago, an enigmatic man named John Samuelson etched various musings and declarations onto these rocks. They remain to this day as a strange, almost mystical sight.
  • Willow Hole - A 7-mile trail leads straight to Willow Hole, a seemingly miraculous oasis in the middle of the desert. The oasis is surrounded by willow trees and just has to be seen to be believed. Many visitors at first think it’s a mirage!
  • Hemingway Buttress - The Hemingway Buttress is one of the most popular climbing spots in the park. It juts up dramatically from the earth, seeming to dare visitors to scale it. The buttress features a huge pile of boulders which are lots of fun to scramble up, and climbers of all skill levels can find something to enjoy here.
  • Hidden Valley Nature Trail Trailhead - Ever wanted to see the hideout of a Wild West gang? You’ll find it on this trail, as well as some seriously stunning desert scenery to boot. The Hidden Valley Nature Trail is an easy trek and only goes for about a mile, making it one of Joshua Tree’s must-see hikes. As a bonus, this package also includes a tour through Hidden Valley Nature Trail!
  • Intersection Rock - Intersection Rock is considered to be a sort of hub within Joshua Tree. Thanks to its towering size, it can be seen from a great distance and casts a striking silhouette against the blazing desert sky. It’s also a hugely popular climbing spot, featuring numerous different climbing routes with names like Knuckle Cracker, Ignorant Photons from Pluto, and Sympathy to the Devil.
  • Cap Rock Trail - Cap Rock is a strange sight, featuring a small boulder almost impossibly perched atop a larger rock formation. Here, you’ll find a quick quarter-mile trail chock full of information about the local flora.
  • Lost Horse Valley - Lost Horse Valley is a sweeping desert valley that gets its name from some of the McHaney Gang’s misdeeds back in the days of the Wild West. You’ll hear all about that as you drive through this valley, including what one overconfident miner did to try to get his stolen horses back!
  • Lost Horse Mine - The Lost Horse Mine Loop Trail leads to a truly unique spot: the remains of one of the most successful gold mines in the region. In addition to these ruins, this four-mile trail also features some magnificent desert flora and more than a few excellent vistas. If you’re visiting in the summer, be prepared for a lack of shade on this trail.
  • Queen Valley Road - Another abandoned mine waits in Queen Valley. The gold found in this mine was the motive behind at least one murder and a whole lot else.
  • Skull Rock - This iconic desert granite formation looks uncannily like a human skull. It’s easily accessible from the roadside, and is also the trailhead for an easy 2-mile trail that’s among the most popular hiking trails in the whole park.
  • Sky’s The Limit Observatory and Nature Center - Sky’s The Limit Observatory and Nature Center is a phenomenal spot to learn not just about the flora and fauna of Joshua Tree, but also about the stars above. As a dark sky area, Joshua Tree makes for some seriously impressive stargazing, so try to stick around after dark if you can!
  • Oasis Visitor Center - The Oasis Visitor Center is the last stop along the main tour route. It sits in the town of Twenty-Nine Palms, not far from where you began your tour. If you’d prefer to continue journeying through Joshua Tree, you can also follow the detour route, which proceeds south through the rest of the park and exits out the southern gate.
What's Included
  • Easy-to-use app: download Action’s Tour Guide App onto your phone
  • Great value: purchase per car, not per person. More affordable than bus or guided tours!
  • Engaging storytelling: Uncover unique tales and thrilling history for a memorable journey!
  • Perfect narrator: nothing can beat listening to a great voice. Proven with tons of rave reviews!
  • Offline maps: no signal, no problem! Works perfectly without cellular or wifi.
  • Comprehensive route and stops: See it all, miss nothing, leave no stone unturned!
  • Go at your own pace: Start anytime, pause anywhere, enjoy breaks for snacks and photos freely!
  • Hands-free: audio stories play on their own based on your location. Easy to use!
What's Not Included
  • Foods & Drinks
Additional Information

Purchase one tour per car, not per person. Everyone listens together!

Explore the rugged, mystical beauty of Joshua Tree National Park with this narrated driving tour. Discover a desert full of amazing hikes and cartoonishly strange trees, and hear all about the area’s fascinating history, from the greed of the gold rush to the McHaney Gang’s reign of terror. Enjoy all this in any season from the comfort of your own car!

• Tour Joshua Tree National Park from the comfort of your own car
• As a bonus, this package also includes a tour through Hidden Valley Nature Trail!

After booking, check your email to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action, enter your unique password, and access your tour. These steps require good internet/Wi-Fi access. From there, follow the audio instructions and the route.

New, extra validity — now yours for an entire year! Use multiple times over multiple trips!

  • How to access: Once you book a tour, you’ll get a confirmation email with instructions. Follow the instructions right away: • Download the separate app • Enter the password • Download the tour • MUST DO while in strong wifi/cellular.
  • How to start the tour: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction. • Go to the starting point. (Note: no one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided). • The audio will begin automatically at the starting point. If you face audio issues, visit the FAQ. • Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
  • Amazing Savings: why pay for an expensive, crowded, and limited bus tour — priced per person! — when you can have ONE amazing audio guide on your OWN phone for your WHOLE group?
  • Flexibility and Convenience: • Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. It’s perfect for tailoring your exploration and revisiting your favorite spots on future trips. • Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace, free from the constraints of a group.
  • Comprehensive Tour Experience: •The app provides a full itinerary, travel tips, narrated audio stories, scripts, images, videos, and recommendations for additional activities. • Enjoy a private experience without the crowds, ideal for personalized stops and photo opportunities.
  • Ease of Use and Accessibility: • The app is hands-free and activates stories via GPS, offering support through call, chat, or email. • There is no need for a continuous cell or Wi-Fi connection as the GPS map works offline.
  • Memorable Keepsakes: • Utilize the app’s images to create a photo book or share on social media, ensuring you have high-quality, crowd-free memories from your trip.
  • Preparation: • After booking, download the app and the tour using a strong Wi-Fi connection. • Review the tour at home before your trip for a better experience.
  • Starting the Tour: • Open the app upon arrival at your destination. • Select the appropriate tour based on your starting point. • Head to the starting location; the audio will begin automatically. • Follow the suggested route and adhere to the speed limit for an optimal experience. • By following these instructions and taking advantage of the app’s features, users can enjoy a personalized, flexible, and in-depth exploration of their destination at their own pace and convenience.
Location
Cottonwood Visitor Center
Pinto Basin Road
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.5
(616 Ratings)
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Anna_r
Aug 18, 2024
Great - The app worked great and ended up being a great way to see Joshua tree national park on our own time table and still get lots of information about the park. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Viator
Kenkf1640zo
Aug 18, 2024
Excellent Audio Tour. - Tour was great. Audio guide was on point. Very knowledgeable and had some jokes to make the ride fun. Highly recommended!!!. Made driving through the park exciting with the history behind it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lisa_y
Aug 6, 2024
Great audio tour - Made our experience a lot better because it told us what we were actually looking at. Highly recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Lizde8925db
Aug 5, 2024
Great day! - I’m very glad I bought the audio tour! It provided some really cool history and made it very enjoyable. It was very nice to have the map to follow and super convenient that you don’t have to stop/start the video.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sobec
Jul 30, 2024
A 100% recommendation - What a fabulous guide! I speak from personal and professional experience having been the ceo of a major museum. I wholeheartedly recommend this company.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kaileyg651
Jul 28, 2024
Unexpected gem of a tour! - What an amazing way to experience Joshua Tree!! Especially in the heat of summer. Great anecdotes, facts and interesting tales. My fiancé and I really enjoyed this.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mike_t
Jul 9, 2024
Great experience - This was an incredible way to see the park. It gives you a few options as well if you want to branch off. We have done Joshua Tree with a guide before and we don't even remember what we learned. This was a memorable and really affordable option.
Review provided by Viator
955naveenv
Jul 8, 2024
Great app and tour - Lovely narration and very informative. Also it works when there's no cell signal. It gave the right information at the right time.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Deann_f
Aug 5, 2024
Not user friendly - Difficult to use visitor center NOT open! I will admit I’m IT challenged, but I read everything at home, down loaded the app etc.. when I got to visitor center at 10:20 I needed some help. It was closed!
Review provided by Viator
Climber711275
Aug 14, 2024
Do not buy! The park offers a FREE audio tour. - Do not buy. Joshua Tree National Park has a free audio tour that’s fun and informative. Unlike Action’s audio tour, the park’s audio tour is written and narrated by the rangers who actually work there. And they have multiple options! Download the free official NPS app which works inside the park without cell service.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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