I've lived near Joshua Tree National Park for almost 20 years. These are the 5 most common mistakes I see visitors make.

There are a few things travelers should know before visiting Joshua Tree National Park.

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• I've lived near California's Joshua Tree National Park for almost 20 years.
• As a local who visits the park often, I've seen many travelers make the same common mistakes.
• Many visitors assume they'll have cell service and underestimate the temperatures in the park.

Joshua Tree has become one of the most popular US national parks, drawing in almost 3 million visitors last year alone.