On Friday, December 22, 2023, a lot of people were searching for “Joshua Tree” on Google, making it the top trending topic for part of the day. Surprisingly, when they clicked on the link, they found an article about a creative writing workshop that took place in October, but you couldn’t access it without paying. It was a bit confusing because it didn’t match what people were expecting, and it happened more often than searches for “Simone Biles” and “Al Nassr.”
Then, there was no specific pattern populating the results in Google News either. Authorities in San Bernardino County charged a man with murder in a fentanyl-overdose case, the nearby military town Twentynine Palms has experienced a boon in business because of a new national park visitors center, and, a week ago, the New York Times published a visitors guide for Joshua Tree.
Lots of things are happening, and it’s a bit tricky to figure out why Joshua Tree is getting a lot of attention. But if you look closely, you’ll see that every year during the winter holidays, more people search for Joshua Tree. The main reason is probably that this is the time when most folks begin visiting the town’s main attraction, Joshua Tree National Park.
Every year, more than 3 million people visit the park from November to April. Park officials say that during the winter holidays, there’s a lot of traffic, and parking, campgrounds, and lines can be crowded. So, it makes sense that Joshua Tree is trending because people are likely trying to plan a trip there.
If you’re thinking about going to Joshua Tree, it’s a good idea to arrive before 8 a.m. The National Park Service suggests bringing your own food, water, and gas because you won’t find them in the park. If you’re interested in camping, it’s smart to book a spot in advance on Recreation.gov since there are only a few first-come, first-served campsites available.
