Joshua Tree Rivian Off-Road: 20+ R1T and R1S Take the Desert

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I’m heading out to Joshua Tree to link up with the San Gabriel Valley Rivian Club for a massive group off-road excursion.

There is nothing quite like rolling out with over 20 other Rivians—a mix of R1T trucks and R1S SUVs, spanning both Gen 1 and Gen 2 hardware. From the technical nuances of charging in the desert to navigating rocky fire roads on road tires, let’s break down this epic adventure.

The Journey: Free Charging and Starlink Setup

We kicked things off at the San Bernardino RAN (Rivian Adventure Network) station.

• The “Free” Surprise: Rivian is currently offering free charging at RAN stations and the Joshua Tree Outpost, likely as support during the Southern California fire season. It’s a class act move that I really appreciate as an owner.
• Charging Data: I arrived at 21% SoC and saw speeds climb from 179 kW all the way to 216 kW as the battery hit its optimal temperature.
• The Tech Rig: Since cell signal is non-existent deep in the park, I brought along my Starlink setup and plugged it into the R1T’s bed outlets. I also carried my Anker C1000 portable power station as a backup for my filming gear.

Joshua Tree Rivian Outpost: The Meetup

The Joshua Tree Outpost is a sight to see. When I arrived, the lot was already teeming with Rivians. Seeing a “Canyon Red” Gen 2 R1S in the desert sun really makes you appreciate Rivian’s paint quality—it’s stunning.

We split into two groups and prepped for the Geology Tour Road. Before hitting the trail, I topped off to about 200 miles of range. While the Outpost currently doesn’t have solar panels on its new shade structures, the 212 kW charging speeds make it a perfect jumping-off point for park adventures.

Trail Performance: Geology Tour Road

The trail was a classic desert fire road, but notably rockier than our previous trek to Death Valley.

• The Tire Challenge: I’m currently running the 21″ Pirelli Scorpion All-Season road tires. While they aren’t the dedicated All-Terrain (AT) tires, they handled the rocks surprisingly well. I didn’t even have to air down, though I was taking it extra slow to avoid any sidewall punctures.
• Drive Mode: We switched into All-Terrain Mode, which raises the suspension to its high setting for maximum ground clearance.
• Lunch at the Bed: After a few hours of trail driving, I lowered the suspension back down to “Kneel Mode” to use the R1T tailgate as a table for my packed lunch—classic spam and rice.

Trail & Gear Specs

Trip Data

Unfortunately, a change of plans meant I couldn’t stay for the evening stargazing session at the Outpost, but the day trip was a massive success. The R1T remains the ultimate adventure vehicle, and rolling with the San Gabriel Club reminded me why the EV community is so special.