For part of the day on Friday, Dec. 22, 2023, “Joshua Tree” was the number one trending topic on Google, which meant that a large influx of people started searching those particular words ahead of “Simone Biles” and “Al Nassr.” However, the webpage associated with the topic was an article locked behind a paywall about a creative writing workshop that happened in October. It didn’t make a lot of sense.
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.
With so much happening, it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly why Joshua Tree was trending. However, if you dig deeper into the data, you’ll notice that searches for Joshua Tree spike every year around the winter holiday season. The most likely explanation for why is that it’s the time most people start visiting the town’s main attraction, Joshua Tree National Park.
According to data collected by the National Park Service, the park brings in more than 3 million visitors each year. They typically start in November and continue through April. Also, park officials warn the public that the winter holidays bring in heavy traffic, which results in limited parking, packed campgrounds, and long lines. Therefore, the most reasonable explanation for why Joshua Tree was trending is that people were trying to plan a trip.
So if you’re planning to visit Joshua Tree, the National Park Service recommends that you get to the park before 8 a.m. and come fully stocked with food, water, and gas, as none are available in the park. And if you’re planning on camping, park officials also recommend that you book a reservation on Recreation.gov as there are limited spots at first-come, first-serve campsites.