One December morning, we stepped out of the car in Joshua Tree National Park. We had arrived to hike a couple of hours in the park’s northern region, through Black Rock Canyon.
The sky was a bright blue, and a soft breeze blew as we began our hike up to Warren Peak. Though it was winter, we began to remove our layers of clothing as our bodies warmed under the sun.
At the summit, we stood and smiled for a photo in our t-shirts. Surprisingly, despite excellent conditions, the park was nearly empty. With just over 200,000 visitors, December is one of the best and least-visited months to see Joshua Tree National Park, the jewel of the California desert parks.
December Weather
December is the coldest month in Joshua Tree National Park, with an average high temperature of 58°F degrees and an average low of 37°F degrees. However, it will be sunny and dry, with comfortable daytime temperatures.
While December isn’t typically the windiest month in Joshua Tree, you may experience days of blustery Santa Ana winds that originate in the surrounding Mojave Desert. While most winds in December are 6 miles per hour, the Santa Ana winds can blow at 40 miles per hour.
There is low humidity in the desert, but if you’re lucky, you may experience the rare beauty of a snow-covered desert.
Winter Clothing
What to pack: The desert varies significantly in temperature, so it’s best to pack winter layers for the morning and evening in December, such as long pants, long-sleeved shirts, thick jackets, scarves, and gloves.
During the day, when it is warmer, you may opt to wear a light jacket or puffer vest over a sweater. Everyone will want to bring a windbreaker jacket as winds can be powerful. These winds can also aggravate allergies, so put some antihistamines in your pocket.
Best Time to Visit in December
Early December – Mid-December: The best time of the month to visit Joshua Tree is in early and mid-December, as you will avoid the winter holiday visitors in late December. Additionally, it begins to cool down later in the month, so early December is still a time to experience sunny and warm days.
Late December: If you arrive in late December, particularly the last week, you will experience crowds. However, the Santa Ana winds will likely fade by late December, so this may be a calmer time for the winds.
Camping Timing: If you are planning to camp in Joshua Tree will need to stay during the weeknights or book a campground more than three months in advance. Popular campgrounds like Indian Cove and Jumbo Rocks book up quickly on weekends in December.
However, there are two ways to stay in Joshua Tree, even on a busy weekend:
- Sites at Black Rock Campground are almost always available, even on winter weekends, as long as you don’t mind driving 20 minutes to the park entrance.
- Book a campsite during Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, two dates that are never fully booked.
Camping Overnight
An overnight visit to the desert is an unparalleled Californian experience. Bright, starry nights await visitors who bundle up for the cold temperatures. However, with strong winds and nighttime temperatures hovering above freezing, camping in December in Joshua Tree will be uncomfortable.
For this reason, December is an optimal time to camp in a recreational vehicle (RV), which can sleep four to ten people and rent out for $100 to $200 per night. You can also go “glamping” and rent yurts for $150 to $400 a night in the neighboring desert cities of Yucca Valley or Twentynine Palms, only a few minutes drive from the park entrance.
If you still choose to camp overnight in Joshua Tree, bring your warmest winter camping gear and get cash to buy local firewood. Remember that you can only create campfires in designated campsite fire pits and that they should put out all fires with water before bedtime.
Things to Do in December
Joshua Tree National Park is one of the best National Parks to visit in December. The park offers athletic, outdoorsy activities as well as more relaxing options. Here are a few of the best things to do in the park local Californians lovingly nicknamed “J-Tree.” Review the Desert Institute’s event calendar for all other activities such as guided geology tours and group hikes.
Outdoor Activities | Hiking, Climbing
Joshua Tree National Park is a paradise for outdoor activities. Specifically, people visit the park for two reasons: hiking and rock climbing. Both are perfect activities for a December visit.
Hiking: With over 120 hikes listed on AllTrails, it is unsurprising that this is one of the most popular National Parks for hikers in the U.S. Additionally, most of the popular trails are less than 5 miles long, making this the perfect place for a beginner hiker.
For instance, Ryan Mountain, the most popular trail in the park on AllTrails, is only three miles long. One of my favorite trails through an ethereal cactus garden is only 0.2 miles long and is wheelchair-friendly.
Climbing: However, the most popular park attraction is rock climbing. Joshua Tree is arguably one of the world’s most popular climbing destinations, and with over 6,000 routes, you can see why people visit the park. And because 19% of the routes are for bouldering, a sport that requires less equipment, even beginners may attempt climbing.
Things to Do | Recommended Tours
Relaxing Activities | Stargazing, Hot Springs
If you are looking to relax in the park, there are two excellent options for a December visit: stargazing and soaking in hot springs.
Stargazing: First, stargazing is world-famous in Joshua Tree National Park, one of California’s three International Dark Sky Parks (Death Valley National Park and Anza-Borrego State Park are the other two).
Dark Sky Parks are free of almost all light pollution and offer the clearest skies. As a result, one major attraction to Joshua Tree is the stargazing; they even host a Night Sky Festival in the fall.
Hot Springs: Finally, the winter weather will inspire visitors to seek heat, and there are a couple of accommodations offering hot spring relaxation. Check out these two exceptional places:
Unfortunately, local hot springs are uncommon, and there are no known pools inside the park. Yet, if you are willing to make a 45-minute drive outside the park, the city of Desert Hot Springs offers multiple affordable hotels with natural hot spring pools.
Joshua Tree | Nearby Hotel Deals
December Summary
Despite the cold and windy weather, December is a prime time to visit Joshua Tree National Park. With bright, sunny days and campfire nights, this is one of the best parks in California to unwind at the end of the year.