Gear Checklist 🎒

🎒 The core - every trip

• Daypack, 20-30 L — fits water, layers and snacks for a full day Shop →
• Water, 2 L per person — refill stations are rare past the visitor center Shop →
• Offline park map — no signal past the gate; download the free NPS app before you go
• Headlamp — trailheads outlast daylight; phones die Shop →
• First-aid kit — the small ready-made kind is enough Shop →
• Sunscreen SPF 30+ — elevation burns faster than the beach Shop →
• Layers — mountain weather flips within an hour Shop →

🍂 Fall in Joshua Tree National Park

• Rain shell — fall fronts arrive fast Shop →
• Warm midlayer — mornings start near freezing Shop →
• Thermos — hot drinks stretch short days Shop →

🥤 Nutrition & hydration - this park earns it

No trailhead, campground or trail in Joshua Tree has a potable water source. Carry all the water you'll need — NPS guidance for desert hiking is roughly one gallon per person per day, more in summer heat. Informational only, not medical advice.

• Electrolyte powder — replaces what you sweat out Shop →
• Salty trail mix — salt + calories in one bag Shop →
• Energy bars — one per person per 3 hours of hiking Shop →