As at most national parks, regulations at Joshua Tree prohibit dogs from accompanying you on trails—but not from driving through to admire the scenery or enjoy a picnic at a site surrounded by the fuzzy, forklike cacti from which the park takes its name. In a day’s visit, you can watch rock climbers negotiating the park’s signature boulder formations in the Quail Springs and Hidden Valley day-use areas; enjoy sweeping vistas of the Coachella Valley from Keys View; and enjoy an 18-mile geology motor tour through some of the park’s most fascinating landscapes. Park campgrounds are dog-friendly, and dozens of pet-friendly vacation rentals are available just outside preserve borders. A pet-friendly hotel in the immediate area is the Green Acres Ranch in the village of Joshua Tree.
Pro tip: Bring plenty of water for your dog—desert heat can be deceptive, even in cooler months. Stick to the paved roads and developed picnic areas, where shade structures and trash cans make it easier to keep your pup comfortable. Early morning and late afternoon are the best times to explore, when temperatures are mildest and the golden light makes the rock formations look incredible. For more advice on keeping your pup safe in the heat, check out our desert hiking safety tips.
Anza Borrego Desert State Park, 100 miles from Joshua Tree and two hours from San Diego on the south side of the Salton Sea, is renowned for the desert wildflowers that carpet valleys and hillsides in early spring. The largest state park in California contains 600,000 acres and consumes about one-fifth of San Diego County. Here as in most California state parks, dogs aren’t allowed on trails. That said, more than 500 miles of dirt roads within the park are fair game for dog-walkers—and that’s a lot of ground to cover. Bring a good map and plenty of water, and don’t forget paw protection if you’re walking on rocky or hot surfaces. Just getting here is an adventure of sorts: approaching from the east or west, Highways 22 and 78 climb and descend the Peninsular range with sweeping views of the Colorado Desert.
Multi-day park visitors (and many snowbirds) often base themselves in Borrego Springs, a resort town that prides itself on being California’s first “dark sky” community, a designation referring to restrictions on nighttime lighting that help make stargazing a revered pastime. The community’s most famous resort, La Casa del Zorro, is a luxury retreat dating to 1937 set on 42 landscaped acres towering 6,000 feet over the desert floor. Rooms and casitas are dog-friendly, and there’s a dog-friendly patio at the restaurant, as well. On the more economical end, Stanlunds Inn & Suites and the Springs at Borrego, an RV resort with a golf course and many other amenities, are good options. The top-rated Springs, which offers on-site RV rentals as well as sites for guests with their own vehicles, even has a dog park!
