Pioneertown
DETAILS:
Location: Pioneertown is located approximately 35 miles north of Palm Springs and just west of Joshua Tree National Park.
Hours of Operation: Pioneertown (Mane Street) is open to the public daily. The majority of the action in town happens on the weekends. Businesses don't keep a strict schedule, but are typically open from mid-day until sundown.
Parking: Free parking lot on site (east of Mane Street).
Cost: Free!
Time Commitment: 30 minutes to 1 hour (unless you’re dining).
Miscellaneous:
No cars or automobiles are permitted on Mane Street.
Leashed dogs allowed.
Eating options include Pappy & Harriet's and The Red Dog Saloon. Pappy & Harriet’s also has live music shows on the weekend (pre and hopefully post Covid).
Accommodations can be found at The Pioneertown Motel which is actually pretty chic despite its “motel” designation.
Pioneertown Wild West Theatre, across from Pappy & Harriet’s, offers A Wild West Stunt Show which includes gunfights, brawls, romance, robbery, demolition, and a square dance.
A link to all business websites located in Pioneertown can be found below under “resources”. Please check their respective websites for current info during covid restrictions.
Established in 1946 by a group of investors (most notably Roy Rogers) as a “living” movie set, Pioneertown was erected on 32,000 acres in the high desert of San Bernardino County. Functioning as an 1880’s western-themed downtown district, the hope was that it would become a regular filming location, vacation getaway, and a permanent residence for locals. This endeavor ended with mixed results, but it still serves as a popular tourist attraction for anyone visiting the Palm Springs and Joshua Tree area due to its close proximity to both.
Unless you’re there to dine (at Pappy & Harriet’s or at the Red Dog Saloon, both of which I highly recommend) or to bunk up (at the Pioneertown Motel which is another solid recommendation), your stop will likely be quick one since the downtown strip along Mane Street isn’t very long (hardly 2-3 blocks), but it’s enough time to soak in the ambiance of the old west and visit a few of the shops that hang a shingle there. You’ll probably be tempted to buy a cowboy hat too since the urge to wear one will be strong. When in Rome, right?
