How to Plan a Joshua Tree Elopement (Updated for 2025)
Joshua Tree is a little town and a national park located in the desert in southern California home to a unique kind of tree, called- you guessed it- Joshua trees. The landscape of Joshua Tree is full of boulders perfect for climbing on, spiky Joshua trees, cholla cactus groves, and pink sunsets, which makes for a beautiful backdrop for an elopement. Joshua Tree is also a trendy boho hippie town with cute little shops and funky houses dotted all over the surrounding hills located within close driving distance to other places like LA and Palm Springs, which makes it a perfect getaway from the city. If you’re looking for a desert backdrop with a plethora of adorable rentals and easy access to a major airport, Joshua Tree is a perfect spot to choose your your desert elopement.
Table of Contents
How to get to Joshua Tree
Best time of year to elope in Joshua Tree
Activities in Joshua Tree
Elopement locations in Joshua Tree
Wedding venues in Joshua Tree
Locations in the park
Accommodations in Joshua Tree
Why elope in Joshua Tree?
Cute Hippie Vibes
Joshua Tree is a cute little hippie town in the desert with tons of little boutiques for shopping, delicious restaurants, cute little motels and airbnbs, and tons of artists who live in town with galleries and installations to check out- my favorite is the World Famous Crochet Museum. If you’re into desert boho vibes, you’ll love hanging out in Joshua Tree.
Stunning Accommodations
Joshua Tree has some of the coolest stays in the country. There’s sooo many Airbnbs and VRBOS that are so cute as well as tons of motels, hotels, glamping, camping, yurts, or any other kind of accommodation you can think of. You can also stay in Palm Springs or Pioneertown for even more options of cool stays and beautiful rooms. Joshua Tree probably has the best selection of cute accommodations out of any elopement destination in the country.
Plenty of Vendors
Joshua Tree is in the desert, so it feels desolate and remote, but it’s still within a reasonable distance to Los Angeles and close to Palm Springs, so there’s tons of vendors to choose from that are local or that can come a short driving distance from LA. One of the hardest things about planning an elopement is finding vendors that will service these remote natural places, but Joshua Tree is unique in how close it is to major metropolitan areas, so it makes the planning process easier.
Easily Accessible
There are two different airports that are close to Joshua Tree that you can fly into, which makes it easier to reach than many other national parks. Both LA and Palm Springs have airports you can fly into, and the drive from each is fairly short compared to many national parks or remote natural areas, especially areas in the desert.
Warm Winter Destination
When the rest of the US is freezing in snowy weather, Joshua Tree will still have sunny 65 degree days. There has been the rare occasion where a cold front will bring in a bit of snow, but typically the days are pleasantly warm from late fall to early spring. Winter temps are usually in the 50s and 60s, sunny, and perfect for hiking, hot springs, and hanging out in the sun. Be sure to bring a jacket for cooler nighttime temps or the extra chilly days, but compared to where I grew up (Colorado), Joshua Tree is a lovely respite from the cold.
How to get to Joshua Tree?
To get to Joshua Tree, you can either:
Fly into Los Angeles- LAX is the bigger airport of the two, and usually has cheaper and more direct flights from all over the country as a result. However, LA has horrible traffic, and if you happen to fly in or out during rush hour, your commute to/from Joshua Tree will be significantly longer- your 2.5 hour drive can easily be 4-5 hours.
The Second option is to fly into Palm Springs- I recommend this option over LAX. There are less flights to Palm Springs and the flights may be a little bit more expensive than LAX, but the drive from Palm Springs to Joshua Tree is about 45 minutes, and you likely won’t run into any serious traffic. Palm Springs is also just a cute town worth checking out if you’ve never been- maybe even stay a night to see all the mid-century modern architecture, have a date shake, or visit Trixie Mattel’s motel!
Best time of year to elope in Joshua Tree
Summer: May-Early September
Summertime is very VERY hot in Joshua Tree, and for this reason, I wouldn’t recommend it for your elopement. This is also a more busy time of year since this is when kids are off for school. If you do choose to elope in Joshua Tree in summer, I’d recommend having a sunrise ceremony before the sun starts baking everything. If you do decide on summer, just keep in mind it’s going to be super hot, a long dress and full suit is probably a bad idea, plan on taking breaks in AC between events, and bring plenty of water and electrolytes so you don’t get heat stroke!
Fall: Late September-November
Fall is a great time for a Joshua Tree elopement as the temps start getting cooler, especially later in the fall, and peak season is over. The nights are still pretty wam, perfect for getting long exposure night shots and for staying out for celebrations and nighttime exploring. There’s more people around than the winter, but considerably less crowded than the peak season in summer.
Winter: December-February
Winter is a great time to visit Joshua Tree. There’s less people around than any other month, so this is the best time to elope if you want to avoid the crowds and have some time to yourself out in nature. The daytime temps are lower but still relatively warm in the 50s and 60s. Nighttime temps do get chilly, though, so be sure to bring a jacket if you’re planning on staying out at night for photos or celebrations! There is the rare occasional winter storm, so be prepared for the off chance of snow if there’s a cold front.
Spring: March-Early May
Springtime is a lovely time to elope in Joshua Tree with warmer temperatures, blooming bushes and cactus, and pleasant nighttime temps. Springtime isn’t as crowded as summer, but does get a little busier than the winter, since the temperatures are a bit warmer. You can always plan a sunrise ceremony if you want to avoid crowds of other people during the shoulder months.
Activities for your Joshua Tree elopement
Hike somewhere for photos of just the two of you
Try bouldering on one of the many rock faces in the park- that’s the activity Joshua Tree is best known for!
Rent a classic car from Palm Springs Classic Cars
Visit the World Famous Crochet Museum
Day trip to Palm Springs
Have a picnic in the desert with Stories Tablescapes
Stargaze
Where to elope in Joshua Tree
My favorite Joshua Tree wedding venues
There’s one location in Joshua Tree that allows up to 100 people, which is Indian Cove Amphitheater, but if that’s booked up, there’s no where else in the park you can elope with over 35 people. If you have a larger group, you’ll need to reserve an actual venue to accommodate your guests.
Joshua Tree elopement locations
Indian Cove Amphitheater- 100 people, 1 car
Hidden Valley Picnic Area- 35 people, 8 cars
Turkey Flats- 35 people, 8 cars
Cap Rock- 25 people, 8 cars
Rattlesnake Picnic Area- 20 people, 8 cars
Quail Springs Picnic Area- 15 people, 8 cars
Split Rock- 15 people, 5 cars
Porcupine Wash- 12 people, 4 cars
Queen Valley Mine- 10 people, 5 cars
Lost Horse Parking Lot- 10 people, 5 cars
Live Oak Picnic Area- 5 people, 3 cars
Accommodations In Joshua Tree
Need A Photographer For Your Joshua Tree elopement?
Joshua Tree is one of the most unique places in the world to elope, and I love showing my couples around such a beautiful and funky place! If you need someone to help you figure out the logistical aspects of eloping to guide you through the day, gimme a holler and we can talk all about what your dream elopement looks like.
