Twentynine Palms

Twentynine Palms is a city of 26,000 (2021) in south central San Bernadino County in the California Desert located on the northern boundary of Joshua Tree National Park.



Understand
The City of Twentynine Palms (also known as 29 Palms) is home to the headquarters and main entrance of Joshua Tree National Park. Situated in the Morongo Basin in the Mojave Desert, the city is renowned for its beautiful natural surroundings, desert and mountain vistas and its world-class murals and artists.

Twentynine Palms is also home to the largest United States Marine Corps base, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms.

Climate
At an elevation of more than above sea level, Twentynine Palms has a slightly cooler climate, especially during winter, than Palm Springs, but with essentially the same subtropical desert characteristics. On average, temperatures reach 100 °F on 89 days, 90 °F on 154 days, and the freezing mark on 17 nights annually. Extremes range from 10 °F on December 23, 1990, to 118 °F on July 11, 1961. Winters are moderately cool, with highs in the 60s °F and the lows in the 40s °F. Summers are hot, with high temperatures above 100 °F. The wettest month is August with 0.65 in inches of rain, mostly from monsoon thunderstorms.

By car
Most visitors will arrive in Twentynine Palms on California State Route 62 (CA 62, also known as Twentynine Palms Highway), which runs east-west through the Morongo Basin.

For visitors from the west, from the Palm Springs area and beyond, would take CA 62 from Palm Springs through Yucca Valley and Joshua Tree Village to Twentynine Palms.

From the east, CA 62 comes from the Arizona-California state line by Parker, AZ. Visitors from the Las Vegas area could travel south on US 95 to CA 62 just west of the AZ-CA state line. Visitors from central Arizona, such as from Phoenix, would take I-10 to Desert Center (at Jct I-10 and CA 177), north on CA 177 to CA 62, then west on CA 62 to Twentynine Palms.

By bus
There is a limited bus network, run by the Morongo Basin Transit Authority (MBTA). There's an hourly service from Yucca Valley, where it is possible to connect with Palm Springs.

By plane
The closest passenger airport is:
 * Palm Springs International Airport, about west.

Further afield are:
 * Ontario International Airport, about west.
 * Los Angeles International Airport, about west.
 * San Diego International Airport, about southwest.

Get around
Most visitors would travel around by car.

See



 * &mdash; The Old Schoolhouse is the oldest public building in the Morongo Basin area having come into existence in 1927. The school began in the truest pioneering fashion.  After being denied requested funds from San Bernardino County, the inhabitants of the surrounding area decided to take matters into their own hands. Working solely on the assistance and altruism of the community, the one-room schoolhouse was born, hosting eight students, hailing from different corners of the Morongo Basin. The Schoolhouse is now home to a museum and gift shop operated by the Twentynine Palms Historical Society. Exhibits center around the groups that were important to the history of the Twentynine Palms area: the Native Americans, miners, cattlemen, homesteaders, and military.
 * &mdash; The Old Schoolhouse is the oldest public building in the Morongo Basin area having come into existence in 1927. The school began in the truest pioneering fashion.  After being denied requested funds from San Bernardino County, the inhabitants of the surrounding area decided to take matters into their own hands. Working solely on the assistance and altruism of the community, the one-room schoolhouse was born, hosting eight students, hailing from different corners of the Morongo Basin. The Schoolhouse is now home to a museum and gift shop operated by the Twentynine Palms Historical Society. Exhibits center around the groups that were important to the history of the Twentynine Palms area: the Native Americans, miners, cattlemen, homesteaders, and military.
 * &mdash; The Old Schoolhouse is the oldest public building in the Morongo Basin area having come into existence in 1927. The school began in the truest pioneering fashion.  After being denied requested funds from San Bernardino County, the inhabitants of the surrounding area decided to take matters into their own hands. Working solely on the assistance and altruism of the community, the one-room schoolhouse was born, hosting eight students, hailing from different corners of the Morongo Basin. The Schoolhouse is now home to a museum and gift shop operated by the Twentynine Palms Historical Society. Exhibits center around the groups that were important to the history of the Twentynine Palms area: the Native Americans, miners, cattlemen, homesteaders, and military.

Sleep
There is a variety of lodging available in Twentynine Palms. For camping, see camping options in Joshua Tree National Park.



Go next

 * Joshua Tree National Park, south &mdash; The large national park south of the town is home to two desert ecosystems and is a favorite for campers, hikers, and rock-climbers.


 * Amboy and Route 66, north &mdash; The Mother Road routes through the California desert north of Twentynine Palms.
 * Mojave National Preserve, north beyond Amboy &mdash; Sand dunes, mountain ranges, and mesas with three types of deserts: the Mojave, Great Basin, and Sonoran.