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Long before the national park drew climbers and stargazers, people came to Twentynine Palms for its spring-fed oasis. The Serrano and Chemehuevi lived around the Oasis of Mara, and later homesteaders and veterans of the First World War settled here for the dry desert air. Today the town of about 28,000 people, including families from the large Marine Corps base to the north, is the gateway to the north entrance of Joshua Tree National Park.
The town has a distinctly artistic side. More than twenty large murals on walls along Highway 62 and nearby streets recount local history and pioneer families. The adobe Twentynine Palms Inn has welcomed guests beside the oasis since the 1920s, and the Old Schoolhouse Museum keeps homestead stories alive.
Nights are a highlight: the dark skies make the Sky's the Limit Observatory a magnet for stargazers, and the October Pioneer Days festival fills town with a parade and rodeo spirit. Beyond town lie the stark homestead cabins of Wonder Valley, the palm oases tucked into nearby canyons, and the boulders and Joshua trees of the national park.
A collection of more than twenty large murals painted on buildings around town, each depicting a piece of local history, from Native peoples and early homesteaders to the Marine base and desert wildlife. Pick up a mural map at the visitor center and drive or walk the route in the cool morning.
A gallery run by the Twentynine Palms Artists Guild in a small building near the oasis, showing paintings, photography and crafts by high desert artists. Exhibits change regularly, and many works are for sale. It is a relaxed stop between the inn and the visitor center; check hours first.
A rustic inn with adobe and wood-frame cabins set around the Oasis of Mara since the 1920s, with gardens, a pool and a well-liked restaurant growing some of its own produce. Even if you stay elsewhere, come for lunch or dinner on the patio and a look at the palms and cactus garden.
The Twentynine Palms Historical Society's museum, set in the town's first schoolhouse from the 1920s, with exhibits on homesteaders, miners, Native history and the desert's early settlers. Volunteers are full of stories. It has limited opening days and is free, with a small donation welcome.
A volunteer-run observatory and nature center just outside the national park, with telescopes, an outdoor orrery and a scale model of the solar system on a desert trail. Monthly public star parties let visitors view planets and galaxies. Check the event calendar and bring warm layers for the night.
The national park's main visitor center in town, with exhibits, maps, ranger advice and a short paved loop through the Oasis of Mara, where native California fan palms shade a spring-fed pool. It is the best first stop before entering the park. Arrive early in summer to walk the loop before the heat.
A rocky out-and-back trail of about three miles round trip from a trailhead on the edge of town, climbing over a ridge before descending to a hidden grove of fan palms around seasonal pools. Bighorn sheep are sometimes seen. Start early, carry plenty of water, and avoid midday hikes in summer.
A vast stretch of open desert east of town dotted with tiny homestead cabins from the 1950s, some abandoned, some reborn as art studios and rentals. Drive Amboy Road and the side streets at sunset for stark, photogenic views. Respect private property and do not enter the cabins.
A long-running festival held each October celebrating the town's homestead and pioneer roots, with a parade, carnival rides, food booths, games and community contests. It is the liveliest weekend of the year in town. Book lodging early, as rooms fill with both festival-goers and park visitors.
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California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
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Photo: bobistraveling, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: bobistraveling, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Joshua Tree National Park, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Joshua Tree National Park, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Joshua Tree National Park, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Art Anderson, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Bernard Gagnon, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Bernard Gagnon, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Joshua Tree National Park, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
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