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No trail advice, but please remember to be safe. You won't have phone service in the park for the most part. Let someone at least know your intended destination trail and time, if not actually letting them follow your travels as much as possible via GPS on a trail app or Google. GPS drains your battery faster, but if it at least gets a couple pings out to someone and you take a portable battery charger with you as backup you'll be that much safer.

AAA ain't coming to rescue you, so gas up and do a safety check on your car and have an emergency kit packed before leaving: https://www.ready.gov/car

By the way, if there's even a chance it's gonna rain in JP, I'm sorry, but don't go in. Flash floods can and have killed people in JT.
https://www.nps.gov/jotr/planyourvisit/safety.htm

Also take whatever personal protection you'd carry in the city, but remember firearms aren't allowed in the park.

One of the best all-around safety items you can take is the loudest whistle you can buy. Something like this will scare 2 and 4 legged predators as well as help with search and rescue: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001H8FJIW

And here's how to signal for help using a whistle: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/2d/b6/e2/2db6e21ada026a6cc17f7c22139b0603.jpg

Always carry a good survival flaslight either with you or in your car that has an SOS, beacon, or strobe function built in, and take it on the trail even if you are heading out at 7am. Every person who's ever broken an ankle/got lost and spent the night missing started out during the day. Here are a few examples: https://survivorsfortress.com/10-best-survival-flashlights/

Have fun in the park, but again be safe!

There are 3 main tribes you should be looking for Serrano, Chemehuevi, Cahuilla.

The best books are from the Malki Museum. I would start with these little booklets. There is one for each tribe that lived in and around the park. Look around at what else they have, they have everything from oral history to myths and legends.

If you want to read a ripping yarn around the campfire nothing beats the Willy Boy story.

If you like creation stories True Tales of the Mojave: From Talking Rocks to Yucca Man by Peter Wild is really great. Again reading them while you are in the area really brings the stories to life.

If you want a happy ending, the story of the Chemehuevi has them hitting rock bottom, and then reviving their culture at the end of the 20th century. A Chemehuevi Song: The Resilience of a Southern Paiute Tribe by Clifford Trafzer

If I was to pick one I would get the Yucca Man book. It presents well as a gift. It is a very high quality printing.

https://www.amazon.com/Trad-Guide-Joshua-Tree-Favorite/dp/0972441395

That's what you want then for sure! Just good clean fun.

I work for JOTR. It's been surprisingly slow this month, so in all honesty, you could probably get there mid-Friday and be okay. However, I'd call Thursday at like 3 or 4 and ask if it's been busy.

> have no less than 1gal of water per day per camper

Smart advice. I'd definitely get one of these, too. The spigot is a luxury you should have.

If you need supplies, there's a 24 hour Wal-Mart that's about a half hour drive from Hidden Valley.

>I'm not sure how the flash flood should factor into my preparations if at all.

Weather outlook for the next week seems clear. That could change, but I doubt it will.The VC's and the entrances will have up-to-date weather info.

Also, shit's finally cooling down. It'll probably be in the mid-60s at night, and low 90s during the day in that part of the park.

Don't do any of the trails in open-toed shoes, or barefoot. Use common sense. Enjoy a totally rad place.

I found one on Amazon Prime for $9, thanks for the tip!

This might do the trick