Wonder Valley and Joshua Tree National Park
H O M E
DESERT ISLE CABIN
COWBOY HIDEAWAY CABIN
A B O U T
YOUR HOST
MOJAVE SCENES
C O N T A C T

WONDERFUL WONDER VALLEY, CALIFORNIA



Scenic Wonder Valley cuts through the Mojave near the town of Twentynine Palms which features America's only true desert oasis. Just a two-and-a-half hour drive from Los Angeles, it's blessed by 330 days of clear skies and sunshine per year. This 10 mile wide, 20 mile long valley is experiencing a rebirth by attracting artists and desert lovers to its unspoiled beauty.

Drawn by spring water and a balmy climate, Native Americans made the area their home for thousands of years, naming it the Oasis of Mara. Twentynine Palms oasis was discovered in 1885 by Col. Henry Washington while conducting a government survey. Later, miners arrived to prospect for precious metals, optimistically naming the largest mountain range The Bullion Mountains. Just after World War I, veterans with lung damage settled here to enjoy the healthful dry air.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt established Joshua Tree National Monument in 1936. Its entrance and visitor center lie at the eastern edge of Twentynine Palms. The United Nations designated Joshua Tree National Monument an International Biosphere Reserve in 1984, recognizing its as one of the last unspoiled desert ecosystems. Joshua Tree National Monument was designated Joshua Tree National Park in 1994.

Today Twentynine Palms and Wonder Valley are home to support personnel for the nearby Marine base, retirees, desert lovers, artists and musicians.

NEARBY CITIES

TWENTYNINE PALMS (pop. 28,000, elev. 2001') is 7 miles from the Sapphire Ranch Cabins. It hosts fast food outlets along with a local pizzeria, a rib joint, bowling alley, drive-in movie theater, grocery stores and other essential services. Barber shops offer bargain prices on military haircuts as Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (the world's largest U.S. Marine base) is located just outside town. Most service personnel live on base. Three bedroom houses in Twentynine Palms rent for $500 to $800 per month. Typical houses sell for between $65,000 and $165,000 depending on location. Area resident and former Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant recorded a hit single titled "29 Palms" in 1993.

Demographic: Marine base service personnel and support. Artists. Desert lovers. Retired couples.

The Hi-Desert Star serves as the area's newspaper while The Sunrunner magazine serves as a cultural news source.

The Palms Restaurant, a classic desert roadhouse, hosts the Wonder Valley Music Festival on a semi-regular basis.

The Palms Historical Society sponsors the Schoolhouse Museum with its collection of historic materials, including a collection of Desert Trail newspapers dating from 1935.

JOSHUA TREE : (pop. 6,500, elev. 2728', 14 miles from Twentynine Palms) An artistic community featuring a strip of shops alongside the highway that divides the town. Home to musical noteworthies Lucinda Williams and Eric Burdon. Former home of English folk singer Donovan whose 2005 album Beat Cafe was inspired by the Beatnik Cafe, a local coffeehouse. The Crossroads Cafe, a popular stop on the highway through town, offers healthy fare, great espresso-based coffees and juices.

YUCCA VALLEY (pop. 25,000, elev. 3279', 21 miles from Twentynine Palms) A bustling little city that's become the area's commercial hub with its Auto Mall, Home Depot and Super WallMart. A six-screen movie theater and national chain stores bring suburban convenience to the high desert. Population is increasing rapidly, mostly retirees and service workers with jobs in Palm Springs, 24 miles away. Yucca Valley's high elevation brings it cooler year-around temperatures than other nearby cities. Home to Pioneer Town, a re-created western settlement formerly used as a TV set where Pappy & Harriet's features local and touring acts. Popular mid-town hangout Water Canyon Coffee Company offers customers free Wi-Fi.

PALM SPRINGS: (pop. 43,000, elev. 466', 37 miles from Twentynine Palms) A haven for retirees, this upscale community is the area's well-established major city. Palm Springs' median house price was $370,000 as of August 2005. Palm Springs' lower elevation brings it temperatures several degrees hotter than its neighboring towns along highway 62, including those above.