December in Joshua Tree National Park is a good month: highs around 63°F, lows around 38°F. Crowds: quiet — #6 busiest of the park's 12 months. Cool days, cold nights, and possible high-elevation snow. The editorial best window here is March–April & October. You get about 9h 54m of daylight. To finish Lost Palms Oasis (2h 45m) before dark, leave the trailhead by about 1:50 PM.
Month data reviewed · how we check this
| Verdict | Good A solid visit with a caveat — usually crowds or heat. |
|---|---|
| Temps °F | 63° high / 38° low |
| Crowds | quiet · #6 busiest of the park's 12 months |
| What December is like | Cool days, cold nights, and possible high-elevation snow |
| Best window (whole year) | March–April & October |
| Peak crowds (whole year) | Mar–Apr |
CROWDS: RELATIVE SEASONALITY FROM NPS VISITATION STATISTICS · TEMPS: APPROXIMATE NOAA NORMALS AT MAIN VISITOR ELEVATION — HIGH COUNTRY RUNS 10–20°F COLDER
DAYLIGHT ON DECEMBER 15 · LOCAL PARK TIME (PST)COMPUTED FROM THE PARK'S OWN COORDINATES FOR THE 15TH — THE MIDDLE OF THE MONTH STANDS FOR IT, AS IT DOES FOR CLIMATE NORMALS. WITHIN A MONTH THESE TIMES SHIFT BY UP TO AN HOUR
LEAVE THE TRAILHEAD BY — TO FINISH BEFORE DARK ON DECEMBER 15WALKING TIMES ESTIMATED FROM EACH TRAIL'S MEASURED DISTANCE AND ELEVATION GAIN — A PLANNING FIGURE, NOT A PACE. ADD YOUR OWN MARGIN FOR PHOTOS, REST AND CROWDS. WATER AT THE COOL-WEATHER RATE, BECAUSE THIS MONTH AVERAGES 63°F. TRAILS WE HAVE NOT MEASURED ARE LEFT OUT RATHER THAN GUESSED
WHAT DECEMBER ASKS OF YOU HEREJoshua Tree National Park in January — Good, highs around 62°F, crowds: quiet (cool and clear; a comfortable month before spring crowds arrive).
Our verdict for December is "Good". A solid visit with a caveat — usually crowds or heat. Expect highs around 63°F and lows around 38°F, with crowds at the "quiet" level. Temperatures are approximate NOAA normals at the main visitor elevation; crowd levels follow published NPS visitation statistics.
Across the full 12-month review, the best window is March–April & October, and the peak-crowd months are Mar–Apr. December itself we rate "Good".
About 9h 54m on December 15: the sun rises around 6:41 AM and sets around 4:35 PM local park time (PST). Computed from the park's own coordinates, so it is the light you actually get at the trailhead, not the nearest city's.
Lost Palms Oasis takes about 2h 45m of walking, so on December 15 you would need to leave the trailhead by about 1:50 PM to finish before dark — the sun sets around 4:35 PM local park time (PST). Walking times are estimated from each trail's measured distance and elevation gain, so treat them as a planning figure and add your own margin for photos, rest and crowds.
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