Full Day Hike in Joshua Tree National Park

Overview

I am a 20 year resident of the Mojave Desert and log 200 miles annually on foot within Joshua Tree National Park. Over the years and miles I've cultivated an awareness of landscape, ecological systems, and local culture that when contextualized by the trail becomes a narrative experience I'm eager to share.
I landed in Joshua Tree after dropping out of college in 2001. Back then you arrived by chance or a friend of a friend said you had to check out the rocks, feel the energy, and camp under the stars.
I fell in with the gathering characters, an assortment of dirtbag climbers, avant artists, practical new age visionaries, and entrepreneurs...an amalgam of identities that would go on to create the image of the High Desert that is so coveted today.
I am legally permitted to guide within Joshua Tree National Park and happy to host you. I know my stuff and I want you to know it too.

City: Palm Springs

Mon 23 Dec

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $146.00

Make a reservation

Mon 23 Dec

Starting at $146.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Water is provided in either re-usable 1.5 liter bottles or 2-3 liter hydration bladders.

Daypacks

Additional Info

Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
All activities are conducted outside with adeqaute space for social distancing.

Cancellation Policy

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

Traveler Photos

Reviews (9)

Jerry2102

May 2021

In early May, I went on an overnight backpacking/camping trip in Joshua Tree National Park with Travis Puglisi of Wandering Mojave Hiking Service. We started the hike in the upper Covington Flats, made camp in the lower Covington Flats, and continued the next morning on the California Riding and Hiking Trail to Juniper Flats where we concluded the hike. I don’t usually write reviews about my tour experiences but I am making an exception this time because my experience was truly exceptional. To say that I am a beginner backpacker/hiker is an understatement: I only just started hiking in April. But I wanted to learn more about backpacking and camping, so a hiking guide in Palm Springs referred me to Travis because he said that Travis is an experienced guide who could teach me the basics. Travis is very professional and thorough. He asked me to fill out a questionnaire so that he could determine my hiking experience and fitness level as well as my expectations for the tour. He then prepared a hiking course that was tailored for me, and provided all of the food (which was good), equipment and water for the trip. He also explained how to use the equipment, such as how to pack a backpack, how much water to take on a trip, how to use trekking poles, and how to put up a tent. The trip itself was amazing. I live in New York City so it was an incredible experience to see the stars at night from my tent at a campsite in the middle of Joshua Tree. And the pictures I posted with this review only begin to describe the beauty of the landscape that I saw. Travis is a knowledgeable and enthusiastic teacher, so I learned a lot about the ecosystem of the Mojave Desert, particularly how the plants, animals and other organisms, as well as the weather and landscape interact with each other. Not surprisingly, he’s also a passionate steward of the land who believes that it should be preserved to benefit future generations. (On several occasions, I saw him pick up litter left by others.) In sum, Travis provided a exciting, safe, and transformative trip. I am now definitely hooked on hiking/backpacking, and look forward to scheduling another trip with Travis at Wandering Mojave. I highly recommend him.

Response from Host

Oct 2021

What a special experience that was. Thanks so much Jerry! Please do let me know if you're ever returning to the desert...would love to hike and hang with you again.

shlemaster

Apr 2021

We had an absolute blast with Travis! He completely tailored our private hike to our requests (wanted to see all kinds of trees, flowers, and plants, and landscapes, and didn't want to see other people around). Highlight for me was when he decided to take us up a rocky/boulder portion of a mountain. We loved it and it was so fun navigating the rock climbing. We would have absolutely never known we could have accessed the route by going up that part of the mountain. Travis was also incredibly knowledgeable about all the plants, cacti, flowers, and even sand patterns in the dessert. We learned sooo much. Made sure we saw beautiful, different parts of the park (it's huge and we've been multiple times!). Highly recommend Travis!!

Response from Host

Oct 2021

Glad you had a great trip. I did too. If you're ever in the area again please let me know as I'd love to head out with you again.

LibrarianLounge

Jan 2021

One of my best hiking days ever! Travis was an excellent guide and we had such a good time together with much interesting conversation. I really appreciated his love for the desert and the time he took to teach me about the different plants and animals rock formations and everything that we were seeing. I'm really looking forward to my next hike with him and would highly recommend his services!

Response from Host

Oct 2021

Thanks so much Mindy!