16 Joshua Tree Airbnbs for Your Desert Escape

Think of Joshua Tree as the quirky sibling of Palm Springs. This desert town dances to its own mystical rhythm, swapping midcentury-modern glam for a unique homesteader vibe. Here, you’re just as likely to chat about aliens or the benefits of sound baths as you are to share the best hiking trails in Joshua Tree National Park. Covering 1,235 square miles, the park is a bit larger than Rhode Island and features the meeting point of the Mojave and Colorado Desert ecosystems, with its vividly named rock formations, ancient petroglyphs, and forests of unique Joshua trees.

During your stay, you can book a campsite through the National Park Service or choose from a variety of local accommodations, including an Airstream glamping site. To truly immerse yourself in the local spirit, consider living like a temporary resident in a Joshua Tree Airbnb, often showcasing eclectic, desert-themed decor, “cowboy pools” (galvanized steel livestock troughs) for refreshing dips, and firepits perfect for late-night conversations beneath the stars.

Top neighborhoods to stay near Joshua Tree

• Joshua Tree features a walkable district along California State Route 62, with a variety of weekend-friendly spots including a coffee shop, a brewery, a weekly farmers’ market, and unique art galleries, such as the famously quirky World Famous Crochet Museum.
• Yucca Valley, located west of Joshua Tree along Highway 62, is home to attractions like the Hi-Desert Nature Museum, along with convenient grocery and sporting goods stores for stocking up before your hiking, camping, or cooking adventures at your Airbnb.
• Nearby communities also include Twentynine Palms, close to the national park’s North Entrance Station, featuring nearly two dozen restaurants, and Pioneertown, a kitschy Old West-style town built in the 1940s, where many western films were shot and which still hosts Pappy & Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, a famous honky-tonk and barbecue spot.

Joshua Tree

Invisible House Joshua Tree

Created by film producer Chris Hanley in collaboration with Frank Gehry associate Tomas Osinski, the 5,500-square-foot Invisible House is dubbed a “22-story horizontal skyscraper,” featuring a mirrored glass exterior that reflects the desert scenery. This all-electric home boasts a nearly zero carbon footprint and is centered around a 100-foot indoor swimming pool, adorned with luxurious amenities such as Frette linens, Flos lighting, a Boffi bathtub, and furniture by Piero Lissoni and Pierre Paulin. Nestled on 90 private acres adjacent to the national park, it includes its own 4,000-foot-high peak and hiking trails that wind through massive boulders.

MoonView Modern

This two-bedroom modern getaway boasts a playful mix of Native American and western kitsch, featuring cowboy boots and tumbleweeds alongside eclectic art pieces, such as Amit Shimoni’s portrait of Gandhi in sunglasses and tie-dye. Outdoors, enjoy a hot tub and pool surrounded by vast desert wilderness where you might spot a roadrunner or coyote, or come across a charming abandoned homesteader cabin. However, you won't be roughing it here; your host can arrange in-home private kundalini yoga, massages, reiki healing sessions, or sound baths for the ultimate Mojave Desert wellness experience.

Kind of Blue 1959 Airstream

This newly renovated Airstream trailer, dating back to 1959—the same year as the iconic Miles Davis album it’s named after—features two Superhosts who are professional musicians and a third who is a private chef. The beautifully styled trailer, adorned with potted succulents, crystals, blond wood, and cozy throws, is part of Joshua Tree Acres, a collection of chic vintage trailers. As a guest, you'll enjoy access to a shared clubhouse equipped with an outdoor kitchen, barbecue grill, turntable, and record collection, along with a solar-heated outdoor shower, a hot tub nestled beneath a towering Joshua tree, and a plunge pool set on an octagonal deck perfect for soaking up the sun.

Moon Camp Retreat

This off-grid desert retreat evokes the vibe of the space facility where Matt Damon lived in The Martian, featuring a Quonset hut-style dome house, abundant solar panels, and a collection of shipping containers repurposed into a guesthouse and lounge. Outside, enjoy a firepit, charcoal grill, hammocks, and lounge chairs—ideal for watching the sunset. Just five miles away, you can explore the Covington Flats section of the national park, where a dirt trail meanders through pinyon, juniper, and, of course, Joshua trees.

The Kellogg Doolittle House

This iconic structure embodies both ancient and futuristic elements, crafted over 25 years by Kendrick Bangs Kellogg, a protégé of Frank Lloyd Wright. Rather than conventional walls and ceilings, the High Desert House features 26 cantilevered concrete columns that rise like unusual mushrooms, providing shelter across the landscape. Nature integrates beautifully into the design: custom copper, bronze, and steel features by interior designer John Vugrin coexist with monumental boulders that have remained unchanged for millennia. Despite its rugged surfaces, this Airbnb Luxe property is filled with modern comforts, including Hästens beds and luxurious rain showers.

Dome in the Desert

This two-bedroom geodesic dome offers a unique way to connect with the essence of Joshua Tree, nestled in the shade of one of the iconic plants. Be warned: you might find yourself captivated by the dome and tree duo, capturing their beauty as the sunlight transforms throughout the day. The interior bursts with color, from the cushions and rugs in the meditation loft to the charming rope swing chair and the geodes and yarn-wrapped antlers that adorn the walls. This creative project, crafted by stained-glass artist Kathrin and musician Brian Smirke, includes a guitar and typewriter for your artistic impulses—and a telescope for stargazing.

The Sunset House

This two-bedroom ranch-style retreat, just four minutes from downtown Joshua Tree, exudes a laid-back boho-rocker atmosphere. With a turntable, a selection of records, concert posters, and an acoustic guitar, it’s a place where you can almost picture Joni Mitchell or Gram Parsons crafting their next masterpiece next to the cozy wood-burning stove. While bobcats and coyotes may wander the grounds, the Airbnb Plus interiors offer a refined experience, equipped with practical amenities like a washer, dryer, Bluetooth speaker, and Nespresso machine, along with special touches like whole roasted beans from Joshua Tree Coffee Co. and handcrafted toiletries from New Mexico's Los Poblanos.

Quail’s End

Renovated by L.A. interior designer Julia Chasman, this 1963 three-bedroom home is just three miles from the entrance of the national park and breaks away from typical high-desert aesthetics. Instead, it showcases an eclectic, lived-in charm with a mix of unique finds from around the world, including a vintage clawfoot tub, an O’Keefe & Merritt stove, an orange Malm fireplace, antique tiles from Spain and Morocco, a Hamilton upright piano, and an array of maps and oversized biology diagrams. The back patio, enclosed by a corrugated metal fence, offers a tranquil retreat complete with a hot tub, firepit, cushioned loungers, and impressive saguaros—though not native, they make for a fantastic Instagram shot!

Desert Isolation Mid-Century Home

Adorned in a clean palette of whites, grays, and light wood, this two-bedroom Airbnb Plus radiates a serene (or perhaps Apple Store-like) tranquility that contrasts with its proximity to the lively Joshua Tree Saloon and downtown. The decor is minimalist, showcasing sleek midcentury lines and an abundance of natural light, where each design element—be it vintage maps, striking lamps, or rawhide rugs—has its purpose. The gravel backyard exudes a brutalist simplicity, featuring a soothing fountain, a cozy firepit with cushions, and a gas grill, all enclosed by privacy-enhancing metal walls that might just tempt you to try the outdoor shower.

Jackrabbit Cabin

Blending cowboy charm with Coachella vibes, this quaint brick-red cabin recently transformed from a no-frills shelter into a stylish studio apartment. The kitchenette boasts rustic wooden cabinetry alongside a cozy dining nook, while the bedroom features delightful details like a moon-phase art piece above the bed and jackrabbit paintings by artist Karine M. Swenson. On the porch of this Airbnb Plus, a triangle awaits, allowing you to call your friend or partner in for dinner, just like a homesteader. Located on the south side of town, you're also close to the Desert View Conservation Area, one of the prime habitats for desert tortoises.

The Pinto

Host Hannah Lott-Schwartz, a travel journalist, has curated an interesting stay: her guidebooks focus on sustainability and are available for guests. This two-bedroom home is dog-friendly and greets visitors with a cheerful turquoise door and a vibrant cactus garden, all within a 15-minute stroll from Joshua Tree’s lively main strip. The plan? Swing by the farmers’ market for fresh ingredients to cook up a meal in the dreamy kitchen or fire up the charcoal grill outside. With an array of board games and a fantastic record collection featuring some Mexican folkloric treasures, guests have been known to leave behind vinyl finds from local swap meets, adding to the unique ambiance for future travelers.

The Magic Hour Home

Tailored for family enjoyment, this five-bedroom residence boasts a kid-friendly bunk room and a garage dedicated to games, complete with pool and ping-pong tables. The interior features cheerful sherbet hues, botanical patterns, and abstract artwork, while the backyard resembles a dude ranch with its array of amenities: a hot tub, a firepit surrounded by rustic logs for seating, a grill, a patio table adorned with string lights, a seasonal cowboy pool, and four hammocks, ensuring peaceful stargazing without sibling squabbles. For a taste of the area’s quirky charm, the house is just a five-minute walk from the Krblin Jihn Kabin, an installation by artist Eames Demetrios (grandson of Ray and Charles Eames), part of a worldwide project envisioning a parallel universe named Kcymaerxthaere.

Airstream featuring outdoor movie experiences

Snuggle up in this 2016 Flying Cloud Airstream trailer, set on five acres adorned with playful features like giant Jenga, a hammock nestled among potted cacti, a stock tank pool, and an outdoor movie screen for projecting your favorite films. (We recommend something local like Seven Psychopaths or Ingrid Goes West!) Inside, you’ll discover a mini-library filled with books from nearby Opal Atlas and Secret Canyon Books in Joshua Tree. A standout attraction of the property is the outdoor wooden soaking tub. It does take some time to heat up with charcoal, but it comes with a built-in cooktop, allowing you to grill dinner on the tub while you wait. And let’s not forget the quirky outhouse—a charming reminder that you’re in the Wild West.

Yucca Valley

Desert home featuring an observatory

Located about a 20-minute drive from Joshua Tree National Park, Observatory Retreat claims to be the only vacation rental in the world offering guests exclusive access to an automated dome observatory. Simply walk in, select a celestial body on a screen, and watch as the dome and telescope automatically align for the perfect view. You’ll enjoy a three-bedroom home filled with high desert charm—complete with cactus-themed wall art—and a variety of fun amenities for those less inclined to stargaze, including foosball, air hockey, billiards, skeeball, and more.

The Rum Runner

Wrapped in barn wood and artistically rusted metal, this one-bedroom retreat debuted last year in Yucca Valley, focusing on breathtaking views. Inside, local artist Ana DiGiallonardo has captured those vistas in a minimalist mural that will inspire you to visit her website for a print. A retractable glass wall in the sunroom frames the surrounding high desert like a massive landscape photograph. The space features a luxurious Tuft and Needle bed adorned with Parachute linens, industrial-style fixtures, and a vintage chesterfield couch that's perfect for unwinding after a day on the trails. From the six-person hot tub or the stargazing bed, enjoy the unspoiled night sky, perfect for spotting the Milky Way, and the adjacent “cowboy tubs” offer a cozy spot to catch the sunset or watch for coyotes and jackrabbits.

Cloud Canyon Ranch

Ideal for family reunions or getaways with friends, this sun-soaked villa features inviting corners that can serve as extra sleeping spaces. Alongside four bedrooms, there's a living room equipped with four fold-out cushions, perfect for a cozy slumber party for younger guests or just lounging with a fleece blanket and a bottle of wine. Parents will love the thoughtful amenities, including a crib, pack ‘n’ play, high chair, and even baby dishware, books, and toys. For those seeking a more luxurious experience, options like a private chef, massages, sound baths, and horseback rides are available—an exceptional way to discover the nearby Joshua tree forests and hiking paths.

This article was first published in 2022 and was updated on October 9, 2023, with the latest information.