Joshua Tree is a cultural and natural wonder as distinctive as the eponymous tree variety that populates the community. Initially the site of extensive mining operations, the town has become one part artistic community, one part national park and one part tourist destination. “Joshua Tree has one hundred percent contributed to my style,” says artist and owner of Rando De Colores, Patrick Hasson. “There’s something about this place and the way the sun is so vibrant and works with so many different colors.” But the desert hasn’t just struck visual artists like Hasson. The town is also home to the famous Rancho De La Luna recording studio, where an extensive list of famous musicians have recorded. Surrounded by sprawling desert vistas and towering rock formations of Joshua Tree National Park, the town offers miles of hiking trails, panoramic views from the Giant Marbles or the Quail Springs picnic areas and a myriad of rocks to climb. “It’s a world-class destination for climbing,” says Nelson Day, founder of The Climbing Life Guides. “There are thousands of places to climb, so if one is busy you can just move on to the next.” JT Trading Post is one of several kitschy shops in the area, with a colorful collection of apparel goods. The Joshua Tree Farmer’s Market is a popular spot to pick up fresh produce from local farmers, and the nearby Walmart offers a larger store for bulk products and household necessities. There are also plenty of options for grub. For a hot cup of coffee, Joshua Tree Coffee Company curates a collection of carefully sourced beans, which they roast on-site. Crossroads Café is a rustic, saloon-themed café serving up classic American fare, and Sam’s Indian Food and Pizza offers everything from chicken tikka to sub sandwiches and curry pizza. “Sam’s is the most unique, best food you can get in Joshua Tree,” says Day. Twice a year, the national park hosts the DIY Joshua Tree Music Festival, but Furstwurld is the center of activity within the town. “I’ve built four Quonset huts,” says Bobby Furst, community activist and founder of Furstwurld. “One’s a theater, one’s a metal and wood workshop, the third will hopefully be a library this year and the fourth space is for when we have events and we have a chef come out and bring food for everyone.” The most notable characteristic of the town, Furst says, is the people. “When I first got here, it was all about me. And after a few years it became all about the community.” The residential landscape is primarily made of single-family homes on sizeable lots. Southern California’s distinctive mid-century modern style is on full display, offering indoor and outdoor communal spaces with clean geometry and wide windows to take advantage of natural light. Thanks to the area’s booming short-term rental business, however, homes don’t come cheap. “I bought my first house in Joshua Tree in 2013 and it was $60,000,” says Hasson. “But now, for the true locals, it’s difficult to even find a place to rent.” Prices now start around $400,000 for two-bedroom ranch-style home and run as high as $18 million for a modern three-bedroom. The median home price is $390,000. Students are part of the Morongo Unified School District, starting in schools like Joshua Tree Elementary, which earns a C on Niche. La Contenta Middle earns a C, and Yucca Valley High School earns a B-minus as part of the Desert Valley League with a handful of sports programs and a theatre company which produces three performances annually. Driving is the main mode of transportation for Joshua Tree residents, though there are Basin Transit bus stops along 29 Palms Hwy. Connecting drivers to the West Coast and the rest of the country at large, Interstate 10 is 27 miles southwest of Joshua Tree. Some of the larger streets are paired with sidewalks, but residential streets mostly go without, though the desert roads are wide. Data from Risk Factor shows that wildfires are likely to impact 98% of Joshua Tree properties over the next 30 years. Of the 19 facilities that are critical to Joshua Tree’s infrastructure, 13 face a high risk of being impacted by wildfires. Historic data indicates two wildfires were reported in Joshua Tree between 1984 and 2021. The last fire, in 2006, covered six square miles. Learn more on the Joshua Tree city guide.