5Lost Palms Oasis Trail, Joshua Tree National Park, California
Although it’s strenuous, it is a favorite of several travel writers. It’s also one of the park’s longest day hikes with a distance of 7.5 miles roundtrip. You begin your hike at Cottonwood Spring not far from the Cottonwood Campground.
The hike will take between 3 and four hours. You’ll travel over rock-strewn hills and sand-bottomed washes of the arid Colorado Desert. Your destination is the Lost Palms Oasis. Since there isn’t any shade anywhere else, this large group of fan palms will be especially welcome.
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