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Joshua Tree National Park is immense, nearly 800,000 acres. After the area became a national monument in 1936, local and regional residents were the primary park visitors. As Southern California grew so did park visitation; Joshua Tree now lies within a three-hour drive of more than 18 million people. Since Joshua Tree was elevated from national monument to national park status in 1994 however, greater numbers of visitors from around the nation and the world come to experience the park.

Minerva Hamilton Hoyt and her tireless efforts on behalf of California desert protection played an important role in the park. In fact, without her leadership, Joshua Tree National Park might never have become part of the National Park System. How a transplanted southern belle born on a Mississippi plantation came to become a staunch backer of the protection of desert landscapes is perhaps one of the more unlikely stories in the annals of national park history.

Her marriage to Dr. Sherman Hoyt led her away from the deep south to New York and eventually to the Pasadena area where she immersed herself in southern California high society and civic causes. She demonstrated talent as an organizer of special charity events and developed a passion for gardening. Gardening introduced her to some of the native desert vegetation commonly used in southern California landscaping. Trips to the desert instilled in Ms. Hoyt a strong appreciation for the austere beauty and wonderful inventiveness of desert plants that somehow managed to thrive in the harsh climate. She also saw the widespread wanton destruction of native desert plant life by thoughtless people who dug up, burned, and other wise destroyed so many of the cacti and Joshua trees that Minerva found beautiful.

Following the deaths of her son and husband, Minerva dedicated herself to the cause of protection of desert landscapes. She organized several successful exhibitions of desert plant life that were shown in Boston, New York, and London. She founded the International Deserts Conservation League, became its first president, and adopted a goal of establishing parks to preserve desert landscapes. Ms. Hoyt became convinced that the best option for preservation of a large park to preserve desert plants was through the National Park Service. She began a carefully organized campaign to achieve her goal. Ms. Hoyt hired well known biologists and desert ecologists to prepare reports on the virtues of the Joshua Tree region. She was introduced to President Franklin Roosevelt whose New Deal administration became active in the establishment of national parks and monuments as a jobs-creation initiative. Ms. Hoyt soon developed an ally in Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes. Minerva had a major success when President Roosevelt asked the National Park Service to prepare a recommendation on the site.

Humans have occupied the area encompassed by Joshua Tree National Park for at least 5,000 years. Projectile points found along an extinct water channel in the Pinto Basin represent the earliest known human occupation of this area. Dated from four to eight thousand years ago, this Pinto culture was first described by amateur archeologists, William and Elizabeth Campbell in the 1930s. The points collected by the Campbell’s are thick and triangular in shape, with notched shoulders and a broad stem. Pinto hunters attached the points to a wooden spear shaft and used a spear thrower, or atlatl, to propel the spear. Based on the relatively large number of Pinto points—as well as cutting and scraping tools—compared with the few seed-processing implements found at these early sites, it is believed that Pinto Culture was a mobile population dependent upon large game hunting and seasonal plant gathering.

Little evidence links the Pinto Culture with today’s tribal groups. Later, Indians traveled through this area in tune with harvests of pinyon nuts, mesquite beans, acorns, and cactus fruit, leaving behind rock paintings and pottery ollas as reminders of their passing. The Pinto group was followed by the Serrano, the Chemehuevi, and the Cahuilla who had a more diversified strategy of hunting and collecting food items that included distinct changes in stone tools and increasing numbers of hard-seed milling stones.

The Chemehuevi (sometimes called the Southern Paiutes) migrated into Southern California approximately four hundred years ago and their territories included Pinto Basin and the Coxcomb Mountains in the eastern portion of Joshua Tree National Park. In the late eighteenth century they moved to the Colorado River but when warfare with the Mojave broke out in 1867, the Chemehuevi were forced to leave the river. They returned to the Oasis of Mara which had been abandoned temporarily by Serrano survivors of a smallpox epidemic. Relationships changed and they slowly returned to the Colorado River re-establishing their former territory although a small group of Chemehuevi remained at Twentynine Palms.

The Cahuilla territory extended from the Colorado River to the San Jacinto plain outside of Riverside. The Cahuilla, like the Serrano, lived in small villages near reliable water sources and exploited the resources of their territory which is thought to have included both the western and the southern portions of Joshua Tree National Park. The Chemehuevi, during spring and summer, went on seasonal hunting and gathering forays and lived in temporary base camps. When it became colder, the Chemehuevi gathered in large villages and stayed for longer periods of time in snug winter structures whose floors were shallow pits in the ground.

The natives used plants for making bows and arrows, cordage, baskets, mats, seed-beaters, and other articles as well as for medicines. They hunted bighorn sheep, deer, rabbits, birds, amphibians, and reptiles. The spirits of the Serrano, the Chemehuevi, and the Cahuilla are still with us in the rock formations, the pictographs and petroglyphs, and in the archaeological sites which dot the landscape.

In 1855 the first survey of the area was made by Colonel Henry Washington who changed the name of the oasis that the natives called Mara, to “Twentynine Palms.” By 1913, all of the natives were gone from the Oasis of Mara.

Much of the history of the park and the surrounding area is related in some way to mining and the westward expansion that it instigated. Although “Gold Fever” was the most common reason for staking a mine claim in this area, silver, copper, and other minerals were also prospected. The National Park Service has estimated that Joshua Tree contains about 300 abandoned mine sites, each typically including a shaft, an adit (or tunnel), a small waste rock pile, a can dump, and perhaps the outline of rocks where a miner once pitched a tent. Some mine sites are historic and protected under the National Historic Preservation Act. The Lost Horse Mine produced 10,000 ounces of gold and 16,000 ounces of silver (worth approximately $5 million today) between 1894 and 1931. With the creation of Joshua Tree National Monument in 1936, Lost Horse Mine came under the protection of the National Park Service. Today Lost Horse Mine is considered one of the best preserved mines of its kind in a National Park Service unit. Lost Horse is also a popular destination for visitors looking for a moderate hike. Mine shafts are dangerous, and historic structures are easily damaged. While the Lost Horse site has been stabilized, it is still not safe to walk on.

In the high desert country that was to become Joshua Tree National Park, rugged individuals tried their luck at cattle ranching and homesteading as well as mining. In the 1800s cattlemen drove their cows into the area for the ample grass available at the time and built water impoundments for them. Homesteaders began filing claims in the 1900s. They built cabins, dug wells, and planted crops. Each group left its mark upon the land and contributed to the rich cultural history of Joshua Tree National Park. The park protects 501 archeological sites, 88 historic structures, 19 cultural landscapes, and houses 123,253 items in its museum collection.

William F. Keys and his family are particularly representative of the hard work and ingenuity it took to settle and prosper in the Mojave Desert. Keys was born in Russia, as George Barth, in 1879 and the family moved to Nebraska in 1892. Two years later, when he was fifteen, George left home and found work variously as a miner, a cowboy, and a deputy sheriff. By 1898 he had changed his name to William F. Keys and signed on with the Rough Riders in Prescott, Arizona. Thrown from a horse and hospitalized, Keys missed leaving with the group. Instead he traveled to Death Valley where he became friends and mining partners with Walter Scott, known as “Death Valley Scotty.” By 1910, Bill had arrived in the Joshua Tree area and been hired as custodian and assayer of the Desert Queen Mine. Once prosperous, the mine had lost money in recent years. When it finally closed, Bill claimed it and a five-acre mill site for his unpaid wages. In 1917 Keys homesteaded additional acreage adjoining the mill site and these 160 acres became the Desert Queen Ranch. Keys married Frances Mae Lawton the next year.

Joshua Tree encompasses three of California’s ecoregions. Its geology shows the effects of plate tectonics, volcanism, mountain-building, and stark erosion. With elevations ranging from 900 feet to over 5000 feet above sea level, the park is home to a diversity of biological communities found nowhere else in such proximity. Sand dunes, dry lakes, flat valleys, extraordinarily rugged mountains, granitic monoliths, arroyos, playas, alluvial fans, bajadas, pediments, desert varnish, aplite, and oases are all found here. Each feature makes its contribution to the natural tapestry of the southwest.

Joshua Tree lies on the eastern end of the broad mountainous belt called the Transverse Ranges, which stretch from Point Arguello, 50 miles west of Santa Barbara, eastward for nearly 300 miles to the Eagle Mountains in the Mojave Desert. Unlike most mountain ranges in North America that run north-south, the Transverse Ranges lie on an east-west axis.

Within the park there are six distinct mountain ranges: the Little San Bernardino Mountains in the southwestern part; the Cottonwood, Hexie, and Pinto Mountains in the center; and the Eagle and Coxcomb Mountains in the eastern part. Both the southern and northern margins of the park are marked by steep escarpments that rise abruptly from the lower desert areas. Much of the park lies at elevations above 4,000 feet. Between the park’s numerous mountain ranges, there are valleys, which are classified according to their method of formation. Queen Valley and Lost Horse Valley were formed by a difference in the rate of erosion between the rock underlying the valley itself and the rock composing the surrounding mountains. The mountainous rock is more resistant to erosion and therefore rises above the valleys. Pleasant Valley, on the other hand, was formed by down-dropped motion along faults that formed basins (called grabens). Some valleys have playas: lakes that may contain water a few weeks a year during the rainy season.

Joshua Tree is crisscrossed with hundreds of faults, and is a great place to see raw rocks and the effects of earthquakes. The famous San Andreas Fault bounds the south side of the park, and can be observed from Keys View. Blue Cut Fault in the center of the park can be seen from the hilltop behind Lost Horse Mine. The fault forms the straight, abrupt base of the Hexie Mountains east of Queen Valley. Fault zones are important factors in localizing natural springs. Movement by faults causes impervious zones of shattered rock fragments to form an underground dam forcing ground water to rise. The Oasis of Mara at the visitor center in Twentynine Palms marks the Pinto Mountain fault. The park has four other fault-caused oases that support the native palm tree, Washingtonia filifera. These oases supply food and water to a wide variety of wildlife and point to the connection between the park’s geology and its wildlife habitat.

Geologists believe the face of the park’s modern landscape was born more than 100 million years ago. Molten liquid, heated by the continuous movement of Earth’s crust, oozed upward and cooled while still below the surface. These plutonic intrusions are a granitic rock called monzogranite. The monzogranite developed a system of rectangular joints. One set, oriented roughly horizontally, resulted from the removal—by erosion—of the miles of overlying rock, called gniess (pronounced “nice”). Another set of joints is oriented vertically, roughly paralleling the contact of the monzogranite with its surrounding rocks. The third set is also vertical but cuts the second set at high angles. The resulting system of joints tended to develop rectangular blocks. Good examples of the joint system may be seen at Jumbo Rocks, Wonderland of Rocks, and Split Rock.

As ground water percolated down through the monzogranite’s joint fractures, it began to transform some hard mineral grains along its path into soft clay, while it loosened and freed grains resistant to solution. Rectangular stones slowly weathered to spheres of hard rock surrounded by soft clay containing loose mineral grains. Imagine holding an ice cube under the faucet. The cube rounds away at the corners first, because that is the part most exposed to the force of the water. A similar thing happened here but over a long time, on a grand scale, and during a much wetter climate. After the arrival of the arid climate of recent times, flash floods began washing away the protective ground surface. As they were exposed, the huge eroded boulders settled one on top of another, creating those impressive rock piles seen today.

Visitors also wonder about the “broken terrace walls” laced throughout the boulders. These are naturally occurring formations called dikes. Younger than the surrounding monzogranite, dikes were formed when molten rock was pushed into existing joint fractures. Light-colored aplite, pegmatite, and andesite dikes formed as a mixture of quartz and potassium minerals cooled in these tight spaces. Suggesting the work of a stonemason, they broke into uniform blocks when they were exposed to the surface. The present landscape is essentially a collection of relict features inherited from earlier times of higher rainfall and lower temperatures.

The area of southeastern California is a rain shadow desert. The rain shadow effect is produced by the high mountains on the west, which block the movement of wet winter storms. Coastal storms moving east collide with Mount San Jacinto (10,804 ft.) and Mount San Gorgonio (11,502 ft.) dropping most of their moisture on the west sides of these mountains. Land on the east side receives much less rain, which results in a desert environment. During late August or September occasional tropical storms move into southern California from the south. These storms end up on the east side of the Peninsular Ranges and can dump a considerable amount of water in a short time. Some five to 10 inches of rain may fall in a few hours, representing a large portion of Joshua Tree’s annual precipitation.

Situated between the Great Basin Desert to the north and the Sonoran to the south (mainly between 34 and 38°N latitudes), the Mojave is defined by a combination of latitude, elevation, geology, and indicator plants. Temperatures are a function of both latitude and altitude. Although the Mojave Desert has the lowest absolute elevation and the highest maximum temperature (134°F in Death Valley), it is north of the Sonoran Desert and its average elevations are higher. As a result, its average temperatures are lower than those of the Sonoran. The Mojave is in what some geographers call the Basin and Range Province, a landscape of alternating mountain ranges and their adjacent basins. Common rock substrates include Precambrian gneisses and granites. Slopes are often composed of metamorphic rocks, such as gneisses.

With 700 species of vascular plants, Joshua Tree is renowned for its plant diversity. No wonder that when the area was first proposed for preservation in the early 1930s, the name suggested was Desert Plants National Park. Plant associations within the park are divided into tree-dominated, shrub-dominated, herbaceous-dominated, and sparse/non-vegetated. Each association is named after the most conspicuous plant in the landscape. Tree-dominated plant associations in the park include: California juniper, singleleaf pinyon, Joshua tree, desert willow, California fan palm, blue palo verde, smoketree, Gooding willow, Freemont cottonwood, and mesquite. Shrub-dominated associations are the most diverse group, numbering 35. California Mormon tea, creosote bush, creosote bush/white bursage, blackbrush, brittlebush, bigberry manzanita, cheesebush, Mojave yucca, teddy-bear cholla, and desert almond are just a few examples. Herbaceous-dominated associations are those communities that are mostly comprised of species like perennial bunch grasses or annual grasslands. The main associations are big galleta grass and cheatgrass. Sparse associations include non-vegetated areas (e.g. desert pavement, rock outcrops, dunes, playas, washes, and disturbed areas) and areas with less than two percent shrub cover. These areas may be dominated by annual wildflowers during moist years, but normally appear devoid of vegetation.

Below 3000 feet (910 m), the Colorado Desert, occupying the eastern half of the park, is dominated by the abundant creosote bush. Known scientifically as Larrea tridentata, it produces small, pretty yellow flowers in spring and summer. But it is the pleasantly pungent smell, which the leaves produce as soon as a summer rain starts, that is most noticeable. The creosote bush is the signature plant of the southern part of the park and a common, characteristic, and often dominant shrub of the deserts of southwestern North America. Its closest relative lives in the arid regions of Argentina.

The higher, slightly cooler, and wetter Mojave Desert is the special habitat of the undisciplined Joshua tree, extensive stands of which occur throughout the western half of the park. Joshua trees, Yucca brevifolia, are found only in North America in the states of California, Arizona, Utah, and Nevada. Confined mostly to the Mojave Desert between 2,000 and 6,000 feet, they thrive in the open grasslands of Queen Valley and Lost Horse Valley in Joshua Tree National Park.

Joshua trees can grow from seed or from an underground rhizome of another Joshua tree. They are slow growers, managing less than an inch a year. The trunk of a Joshua tree is made of thousands of small fibers and lacks annual growth rings, making it difficult to determine its age. This tree is not very sturdy because of its shallow root area and top-heavy branch system. But, if it survives the rigors of the desert, it can live a couple hundred years. One of the most beautiful spectacles in spring is the creamy white blossoms of blooming Joshua trees. These white candles can be seen from February to late April. Joshua trees do not branch until after they bloom and they don’t bloom every year.

Standing like islands in a desolate sea, oases, a third ecosystem, provide dramatic contrast to their arid surroundings. Six fan palm oases dot the park, indicating those few areas where water occurs naturally at or near the surface, meeting the special life requirements of those stately trees. The desert fan palm, Washingtonia filifera, is native to the low hot deserts of southern California where it can live for 80 to 90 years. Towering up to 75 feet, the desert fan palm is among the tallest of North American palms. It is definitely the heaviest; a mature desert fan palm can weigh as much as three tons. Its distinctive leaves are shaped like a fan and folded like an accordion. They measure up to six feet in length and are nearly as wide. Looking much like “petticoats,” the fan palm’s dead leaves remain attached to its trunk until removed by fire, wind, or flood.

Fire is beneficial for palms and rarely kills an adult. In palms the vascular bundles, those tubes that transport water and nutrients, are scattered throughout the trunk. This arrangement provides insulation from the heat of a fire. Fire does kill young palms, but it also removes competitors and opens up space for palm seeds to germinate. In fact, desert fan palms increase seed production immediately after fires. A healthy palm can produce as many as 350,000 seeds.

Water is a necessity. Desert fan palms suck up water using a mass of pencil-wide rootlets so dense that the roots of other plant species cannot penetrate. This mass may extend as far as 20 feet from the trunk in all directions. But water, in the form of flash floods, is also the most common cause of death for desert fan palms living in narrow canyons.

Wildflowers may begin blooming in the lower elevations of the Pinto Basin and along the park’s south boundary in February and at higher elevations in March and April.

The park is a backpacker’s dream with its mild winter climate and interesting rock formations, plants, and wildlife. It embraces 794,000 acres of which 585,000 acres have been designated wilderness. Thirty-five miles of the California Riding and Hiking Trail pass through Joshua Tree. Two to three days are required to hike the entire length of the trail but shorter hikes of 4, 6.7, or 11 miles (6.4, 10.7, or 17.6 km) are possible. Boy Scout is a scenic 16 mile trail through the edge of the Wonderland of Rocks. 49 Palms Oasis is 3 miles long with several stands of fan palms and pools of water. Mastodon Peak is also 3 miles long, but offers excellent views of the Eagle Mountains and Salton Sea. There are also numerous nature trails that are no longer than 1.3 miles and provide a unique insight to the desert ecosystem. Additional information on hikes is available at park visitor centers. Bajada All-access Nature Trail, Oasis of Mara Nature Trail, Cap Rock Nature Trail, and Keys View are wheelchair accessible.

Horseback riding is a popular way to experience Joshua Tree National Park for those who bring their own horses. However, because of the special requirements for horses in this environment, care should be taken in planning your trip. The lack of available drinking water is both a challenge and a limitation. The Backcountry and Wilderness Management Plan provides for 253 miles of equestrian trails and trail corridors that traverse open lands, canyon bottoms, and dry washes. Many riding trails are already open, clearly marked, and ready to be enjoyed. Other trails are in various states of development. Trail maps for the west entrance area and for the Black Rock Canyon area are available at the park.

Mountain bikes and 4-wheel-drive vehicles are welcome in the park. For your own safety, and for the protection of natural features, stay on established roads. Tire tracks on the open desert can last for years and will spoil the wilderness experience of future visitors. Paved roads in the park are narrow with soft shoulders. Curves, boulder piles, and Joshua trees restrict the vision of bikers and motorists. Bike riding in the park is restricted to roads open to vehicles. The unpaved roads in the park are safer for bikes and offer many opportunities to explore the area.

Berdoo Canyon Road connects the south end of Geology Tour Road with Dillon Road. This 4-wheel-drive road requires a high clearance vehicle. Berdoo Canyon Road exits the park after 11.5 miles (18.4 km). The last 3.9 miles (6.24 km) to Dillon Road winds past the ruins of the Berdoo Camp, which was established in the 1930s by the builders of the California Aqueduct. Black Eagle Mine Road is a dead-end dirt road that runs along the edge of Pinto Basin, crosses several dry washes, and winds through canyons in the Eagle Mountains. The first nine miles (14.5 km) are within the park boundary. Several old mines are located near these roads but may be too dangerous to approach.

The dirt roads in Covington Flats offer access to some of the park’s largest Joshua trees, junipers, and pinyon pines in the high desert. From Covington Flats picnic area to Eureka Peak is 3.8 miles (6.2 km) one way. The dirt road is steep near the end, but the top offers views of Palm Springs, the surrounding mountains, and the Morongo Basin. Your trip will be 6.5 miles (10.5 km) longer if you ride or drive over to the backcountry board, a starting point for excellent hiking. The Queen Valley Roads is a network of roads, totaling 13.4 miles (21.7 km) that cross this valley of boulder piles and Joshua trees. A bike trip can begin at Hidden Valley or the dirt road opposite Geology Tour Road. Bike racks have been placed in this area so visitors can lock their bikes and go hiking. Geology Tour Road, Old Dale Road, and Pinkham Canyon Road also offer great exploring options.

An 18-mile motor tour leads through one of Joshua Tree National Park’s most fascinating landscapes. There are 16 stops along a dirt road and it takes approximately two hours to make the round trip. A descriptive brochure that highlights each stop is available at the beginning of the road.

Another great pastime at the park is bird watching. Fan palm oases and water impoundments are good places for bird watching. Barker Dam also offers forage vegetation for birds, so may be a good spot to view birds. The Oasis of Mara, including the 29 Palms Inn at the west end, is a good bird viewing area. Cottonwood Spring has trees that provide vegetation and shelter for a number of birds. Lost Palms Oasis, 49 Palms Oasis and the riparian habitat in Smith Water Canyon require extensive hiking but provide good birding opportunities as well. When in the high desert areas of the park take a walk or two in the Queen and Lost Horse valleys and look for the ladder-backed woodpecker, red-tailed hawk, oak titmouse, bushtit, blue-gray gnatcatcher, black-throated sparrow, and sage sparrow. Stop at a visitor center and pick up a bird checklist and ask about other possible bird sightings.

The ranger-led tour of the Desert Queen Ranch includes the colorful story of the 60 years Bill and Frances Keys spent working together to make a life and raise their five children in this remote location. After years of neglect, the National Park Service, with the help of some dedicated and resourceful volunteers, has restored the ranch much as it was in 1969 when Bill died. The ranch house, school house, store, and workshop still stand; the orchard has been replanted; and the grounds are full of the cars, trucks, mining equipment, and spare parts that are a part of the Desert Queen Ranch story. Keys Ranch is located in a remote, rocky canyon. Admission to the ranch is restricted to guided walking tours. The tours are a half-mile in length and last 90 minutes. Group size is limited to 25 people. Tours are offered at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday from October through May. Weekday tours vary during the season and are listed on the Ranger Program schedule.

Joshua Tree is one of the most popular rock climbing areas in the world. This high desert monzogranite climbing mecca is famous for its traditional-style crack, slab, and steep-face climbing. With more than 400 climbing formations and 8,000 climbing routes, Joshua Tree offers challenging climbs for all levels of climbing ability. It is truly a world-class climbing destination. Offering a wide range of difficulty the routes are concentrated within about 100,000 acres of park land. Over one million people visit Joshua Tree each year, many of them rock climbers.

If you are new to rock climbing and bouldering, please be sure that you are properly trained and equipped before you engage in these activities. You may wish to purchase a climbing guide or hiking map if you are unfamiliar with the park. They are available at park visitor centers and at outdoor shops in the surrounding communities. Information about commercial guide services can be found on the Internet and at local climbing stores.

Cryptobiotic soil contributes nitrogen and organic matter to ecosystems which is critical in deserts where resources are few and far between. Unfortunately, many human activities are incompatible with these fragile crusts. The fibers that offer stability to the soil surface are no match for the boot of a hiker or the weight of a tire. Crushed crusts contribute less nitrogen and organic matter to the ecosystem; under the best circumstances, a thin veneer may return in five to seven years!

So now what? Well, the best thing we can all do is try not to love our desert to death. Stay on established trails, and keep your vehicle on approved roads within the park. If you must walk through an area thick with crusts (you may see them as lumpy black bumps on the ground), walk in single file to destroy as small an area as possible. The desert will thank you for this in years to come, with bountiful wildflower displays in the crusted areas, as well as with land kept in place and a healthy ecosystem.

The National Park Service mission requires park managers to provide for the enjoyment of the park by today’s visitor while conserving and protecting park resources for future generations. Dramatic increases in the number of visitors engaging in rock climbing contribute to an already difficult, sometimes contradictory, task. Park managers are concerned about trash, soil erosion, vegetation damage, human waste disposal, natural and cultural resource protection, and the quality of each visitor’s experience.

Guided by the provisions of its Backcountry and Wilderness Management Plan, the park is working with the climbing community to implement a comprehensive approach to climbing management. The park’s goals are to restore to a natural condition those areas already impacted by climbing, to mitigate future impacts, and to prevent the cumulative impacts of climbing from increasing to unacceptable levels. A committee comprised of members of the climbing community, conservation organizations, and interested individuals is providing recommendations to the park on a variety of climbing-related issues.

Park staff also carefully monitors the effects of changes in air quality, and the effects of nitrogen deposition, wildfires, and invasion by nonnative plant species. Their watchful eyes can alert managers and the public to threats to desert resources in time for useful action.

On a clear day visitors to Joshua Tree National Park can see the Mexican border from the mile-high vantage point of Keys View. More often however, visitors can barely discern the tip of 10,000-foot-high Mount San Jacinto, about 50 miles away.

The haze that obscures these vistas is the result of smog that blows into the park from surrounding urban areas. Growth in the Coachella Valley, and to a lesser extent in the hi-desert, and the construction of power plants nearby, all impact air quality in the park. But Los Angeles basin, with a population over 12 million, is the major contributor of ozone and other pollutants that reach the park.
Polluted air contains particulate matter that drops out nitrates onto the soil. Desert plants that have adapted to survive in nitrogen-poor soils must now compete with non-native grasses and other exotic plant species that thrive with the added fertilizer.

Although the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has mandated that the skies above our national parks be subject to the most stringent level of protection, Joshua Tree National Park consistently exceeds the 120 ppb ozone concentration levels set by the EPA for human health at its monitoring station located in the northwestern part of the park. The park would like to install additional monitoring stations to determine if the entire park is out of compliance with air-quality standards. The park is also working with the University of California at Riverside to determine how soil nutrients, carbon cycling, and the nitrogen supply are affected by air pollution in the park. Native plants such as Rhus trilobata are sensitive to high ozone levels and other animal species are likely to be affected as well as humans.

Sparse desert vegetation is advantageous when lightening strikes ignite fires in the park. Without abundant vegetation to carry it, a fire will quickly burn out. When non-native plants thrive in the park, they provide the fuel for larger, hotter fires that can burn thousands of acres of slow growing Joshua trees, junipers, and pinyon pines. The non-native species are better able to reestablish themselves quickly after a fire, increasing their abundance to the detriment of the ecosystem.

There are numerous invasive plants in the park that need constant monitoring. These take over and compete with native plants and animals for precious water supplies and nutrients. Some of the worse offenders are Eurasian salt cedar, fountaingrass, cheatgrass and red brome. Joshua Tree staff actively pursues invasive exotic species and have removed a lot of problem plants.

Mine sites sometimes provide habitat for bats, some protected under the Endangered Species Act. Many mine sites constitute “a permanent installation” within Congressionally Designated Wilderness in contradiction to the Wilderness Act. The park has extensively evaluated 36 mine sites for treatment, calling on experts from each area of concern to help decide how each site should be treated. Of those, only two have been erased by cleaning up the area, plugging the shaft with polyurethane foam, covering the site with dirt and re-vegetating the area with native plants. Three others were left with the outward remains of the mining activity intact but made safer by the installation of a polyurethane foam plug deep enough to preserve the appearance of the shaft, but without the danger of a 100-foot hole. One mine was found to be habitat for an established bat colony, so a gate that allows bats entry, but poses a safety barrier to people, was installed. Park staff will evaluate approximately 30 mine sites per year for the next four years, balancing safety, cultural, and natural values with applicable legislation.

As with all hiking and outdoor walking activities, rangers recommend wearing sturdy hiking boots with good traction and adequate ankle support.

Days are typically clear with less than 25 percent humidity. Temperatures are most comfortable in the spring and fall, with an average high/low of 85 and 50°F (29 and 10°C) respectively. Winter brings cooler days, around 60°F (15°C), and freezing nights. It occasionally snows at higher elevations. Summers are hot, over 100°F (38°C) during the day and not cooling much below 75°F (24°C) until the early hours of the morning.

The desert sun can damage eyes as well as skin. Wear a hat, sunglasses and use sunscreen lotion liberally. Temperature changes of 40 degrees within 24 hours are common. Bring a variety of clothes that you can layer on and off as conditions change. Although rain is relatively rare in the desert, when it does come it can really pour down. Even when it isn’t raining where you are, rain in the mountains can run off so fast as to cause flash floods. Stay alert.

Current Park Weather

If you will be out overnight, park and register at a backcountry registration board. An unregistered vehicle or a vehicle left overnight somewhere other than at a backcountry board is a cause for concern about the safety of the vehicle’s occupants. It is also subject to citation and towing. Your wilderness camp must be located one mile from the road and 500 feet from any trail. Make yourself aware of any day-use areas in the vicinity (they are indicated on the topo maps at the backcountry registration boards) and make certain to camp outside of them. Washes may seem inviting places to sleep because they are relatively level, but it is important to realize that they got that way because flash floods bulldozed the rocks and vegetation out of the way.

Water sources in the park are not potable and are reserved for wildlife, so you will have to carry in an adequate supply for drinking, cooking, and hygiene. Carry a minimum of one gallon of water per person per day just for drinking, two gallons in hot weather or if you are planning a strenuous trip. You will need additional water for cooking and hygiene. You will want to give some thought to the trade-off between the water required to hydrate dried foods and the heftier weight of canned and fresh foods. If you want to heat something you will need to pack in a stove and fuel as open fires are prohibited in the backcountry. Bring plastic bags to hold your garbage and pack it out. Buried trash gets dug up by animals and scattered by the wind; it is not a pretty sight. Do bury human waste in “cat” holes six inches deep. Don’t bury your toilet paper; put it in plastic (zip-locks work nicely) and pack it out. Remember to use the Leave-No-Trace principles.

A good additional backpacking checklist to the above items is: tent with rainfly, repair kit, sleeping bag and mat, backpack, trekking poles, sturdy hiking boots or shoes and/or climbing shoes, multipurpose tool or knife, first aid kit, sunglasses, sunscreen, wide-brimmed hat, signal mirror or whistle, food, toilet articles, fire starter, matches, 1-2 quart water bottle and a larger container for the water you carry in with you, flashlight with extra batteries and bulb, cooking utensils/pots and garbage bags.

There are several heat related illnesses to be aware of while hiking in the desert. Please check out the article in Adventure Education for pertinent information in recognizing the signs and symptoms of these illnesses and how to treat or prevent them.For bike riding, carry plenty of water, at least one gallon per person per day—two for extended or uphill trips. Wear a helmet. Ride with caution: Park roads are narrow with sandy shoulders, bumps, and potholes. Watch for RVs and trucks with extended side-view mirrors. Wear reflective clothing after dark.

A permit is required to camp with stock in the backcountry. You can arrange for a permit by calling 760-367-5541. Grazing is not permitted in the park. While in the backcountry, stock animals are restricted to pellet feed. Manure must be removed from campgrounds and trailheads. Stock use is limited to horses and mules and is restricted to designated equestrian trails and corridors, open dirt roads, and shoulders of paved roads. Riders should travel single file to reduce damage to soil and vegetation. Stock animals are not permitted within ¼ mile of any natural or manmade water source. Horses and other stock are not permitted on nature trails, in the Wonderland of Rocks, in campgrounds, in picnic areas, or at visitor centers.

Climbers may replace existing unsafe bolts, and new bolts may be placed in non-wilderness areas through a monitored process. However, please consider the impacts of new fixed anchors on the quality of existing climbing routes, natural, historical, and archeological resources, and the experience of other visitors. A “fixed anchor checklist” was devised by the park, with advice from local climbers and other interested persons, to help you evaluate the potential impact of your proposed route. It is available at entrance stations, visitor centers, and online. You may obtain a checklist of bolting guidelines for non-wilderness areas at entrance stations and visitor centers. You must obtain a special-use permit to use a power drill in non-wilderness. A permit is required to place new fixed anchors in wilderness. Contact the special-use office at 760-367-5545 to request a permit application. Over 75 percent of the park is Congressionally-designated wilderness. Climbers are responsible for knowing where wilderness boundaries are located. A list of climbs and whether they are inside or outside of designated wilderness is available online. If you are unsure about a particular location, contact a park ranger.

Fixed anchors may not be placed or replaced in fixed anchor-free zones. Additionally, the Barker Dam area, a popular destination for many park visitors, has been designated a fixed anchor-free zone to maintain its aesthetic value for visitors. Fixed anchors may not be placed between the parking lot and the dam. If you wish to place fixed anchors in the surrounding area, make sure to identify the boundaries first.

Please follow these general climbing regulations. It is prohibited to initiate or terminate a climb in an occupied campsite without prior permission of the occupant of that site. The use of any substance, such as glue, epoxy, or cement, to reinforce hand or footholds is prohibited. “Chipping” or enhancing hand or footholds is prohibited as is removing vegetation or “gardening.” Minimize the use of chalk and brush it off after bouldering sessions to minimize the visual impact. By law, archeological and historic sites and artifacts may not be disturbed. This includes rock art (pictographs and petroglyphs), habitation sites (rock shelters and camping sites), and cultural artifacts (pottery vessels and sherds, projectile points, stone tools, beads, etc.) Climbing within 50 feet of any rock-art site is prohibited. Skin oils, chalk, and boot rubber hasten the deterioration of these irreplaceable cultural artifacts. So does fire, never start a fire in a rock shelter.

Use your crash pad carefully to prevent damage to plants near the base of climbs. Carry it rather than dragging it across the ground. Place it so that plants are not broken or crushed when a boulderer lands on it. Don’t be guilty of “large group sprawl.” Limit the number of bodies around the boulder and you will limit the damage to the area surrounding the boulder. If several people are already bouldering in the area of your choice, look for someplace better.

Pack out your trash—all of it: tape, chalk pieces, cigarette butts, micro-food articles and wrappers, and fruit peels and cores (they don’t decompose in this arid environment). Please don’t create a mess by dumping your trash into a pit toilet or leaving it next to a full dumpster or recycle bin. Pit toilets have to be pumped and filling them with trash makes the job difficult, to say the least. Trash left outside dumpsters attracts ravens; ravens eat baby tortoises, and the desert tortoise is already on the edge of extinction. Leave your campsite and your climbing area cleaner than when you found it. Better yet, leave no trace!

Multiple approach paths, called “social trails,” to the same cliff or boulder damage fragile desert plants and soils. Cryptobiotic soils that contain micro-organisms help to keep the sand in place and provide nutrients and moisture so plants can grow. When you walk on cryptobiotic soil, the micro-organisms die, so don’t create a new path—even if it is the shortest distance to your climb—when a well-worn approach already exists. Walk on rock surfaces and in washes rather than trampling undisturbed soil.

In order to protect sensitive wildlife habitat, the entire Wonderland of Rocks is closed to overnight use. This allows the desert bighorn sheep and other animals to visit water sources without being disturbed. Pets are banned from the backcountry. The presence of carnivores, such as domestic dogs, inhibits the feeding, travel, and reproductive cycles of animals who must struggle to survive in the wild. Even leashed dogs cause extra stress on wild animals and are only allowed in campgrounds and within 100 feet of designated roads.

Joshua Tree is home to about 250 bird species, including several birds of prey (raptors). Occasionally a climbing route will be closed during nesting season to protect these birds. Closure notices are posted in the area of the closure, at park visitor centers, at entrance stations, and at local climbing shops. If you encounter nesting raptors while climbing, please inform park staff and avoid the area.

Six areas of the park are closed to rock climbing due to their proximity to sensitive resources or private property. They include: “Energy Crisis” on the east side of “Little Hunk,” the “Schwarzenegger Wall,” the “Pictograph Boulder” at the base of Queen Mountain, and within 50 feet of “Chicken Wing,” “Heavy Metal,” and “Hell Flake” in the “Indian Wave” boulder area. The private property across from the Hemingway parking area is closed to climbing, as is the Keys Ranch property. Visitors to the ranch must be accompanied by a park ranger; scheduled tours are available.

Rock climbing can be a dangerous activity. The National Park Service does not maintain climbing routes or associated climbing gear and cannot guarantee your safety. You climb at your own risk. Most climbing in Joshua Tree National Park requires traditional climbing gear. Fixed anchors for top-roping are limited. Helmets are advised for all climbing activity in the park. Volunteers and park staff train together to provide search and rescue services in the park. In an emergency call the park dispatcher direct at 909-383-5651, or call 911. Be prepared to tell the dispatcher the rock formation and climbing route names, the nearest landmark, and a meeting place so that you can direct rescuers to the accident site. Please report all climbing related injuries to park staff, even those that do not require assistance.

The broad vistas of desert landscapes can distract the visitor’s eyes from the small and quick near at hand. Despite the impression that the desert is lifeless, many animals make their homes in deserts. Birds, lizards, and ground squirrels are most likely to be seen because they are largely active during the day. However, it is at night that desert animals come out to roam. Mostly nocturnal animals include: snakes, bighorn sheep, kangaroo rats, coyotes, and black-tailed jack rabbits. Dusk and dawn are good times for viewing many kinds of animals, both those just going to bed and those just getting up.

Animals that thrive in desert environments often have special adaptations for dealing with limited water and high summer temperatures. One does not walk far in the desert without seeing a multitude of burrow openings. The smaller mammals and all reptiles take refuge from the heat underground. Reptiles are physiologically adapted to getting along with much less water than mammals and birds can fly to water. And desert mammals make more efficient use of their bodies’ water supply than does the human body. Nevertheless, the springs and seeps in the park are necessary to the survival of many animals.

Most of the reptiles and many small rodents and insects go into an inactive state of hibernation during the winter. However, winter is the time of greatest bird concentrations in the park, because of the presence of many migrant species. With over 250 kinds of birds recorded from Joshua Tree National Park, it is understandable that the park affords a rewarding place to study them. Make sure you get some bird watching in while you are there. The park is an attractive place to sight and watch birds. The lack of dense vegetation makes birds much easier to see here than in most national parks. Golden eagles hunt in the park regularly. The roadrunner, of cartoon fame, is an easily recognized resident. And the call of Gambel’s quail is a noteworthy sound of the desert.

Lying astride the inland portion of the Pacific flyway, the park serves as a rest stop for many migrants. The aquatic areas of Barker Dam and the Desert Queen Ranch attract many types of waterfowl on their way to the Salton Sea, birds that would not otherwise be seen in the desert. Rest stops are important for most migratory birds for purposes of water intake and for metabolism of fat reserves, which may not keep pace with energy use while they are actually in flight. Many of the park’s migrants are actually residents of the nearby mountains, from which they fly to escape the heavy winter snows.

Although most birds require drinking water almost every day, this is not such a limiting factor as might be supposed. There are many springs and seeps in the park, which are readily accessible to animals that can fly to them. The chief limiting factor for birds in the desert is food. Birds require relatively large amounts of food daily, especially during the breeding season. Thus, it is understandable that there are only 78 species of birds known to nest and raise young in the park.

Phainopepla, mockingbird, verdin, cactus wren, rock wren, mourning dove, and Le Conte’s thrasher can be sighted in the park throughout the year. The park’s winter migrants: white-crowned sparrow, dark-eyed junco, sage sparrow, cedar waxwing, American robin, and hermit thrush will remain in the park into March. After this, other species will begin to migrate into the area for spring and summer. This group includes summer nesting species such as Bendire’s thrasher, ash-throated flycatcher, western kingbird, Scott’s oriole, northern oriole, and western bluebird.

In Joshua Tree, there are two important amphibians. The California tree frog is found only in southern California and is listed as a Species of Special Concern. It is found in the rocky, permanent water sources created by the Pinto Fault along the northern edge of the park. This species reaches the eastern edge of its range here. The red-spotted toad is a true denizen of the desert, where it spends most of its life underground. Found from one end of the park to the other, it appears after good, soaking rains. This toad lays its eggs in potholes, springs, and the intermittent streams found in rocky canyons after heavy rains. Breeding and toad choruses occur in spring following winter rains or after the monsoon storms of summer. Male tree frogs and toads do the vocalizing. Gelatin-covered eggs are laid by the females at the bottom of a pool and hatch in a few days. Then, in the case of toads, it is a race to finish the tadpole stage before the pool dries up.

The chief obstacles to survival in the desert are lack of water, shortage of food, and extreme temperatures. Because scarcity of food in the desert limits the number of large mammals that can be supported, most desert mammals are small. Joshua Tree National Park is home to 52 species of mammals. Of these, 24 are small rodents. Being small has its advantages and disadvantages. Rodents can burrow into the ground or hide in rocky crevices to avoid the mid-day heat. But their small body size means that they can gain or lose body heat rapidly. Many of them plug the entrance to their burrows to keep out the hot, desiccating air.

Most small mammals make the most of the positive side of being small, spending the day in burrows and emerging at night when the temperature drops to a more comfortable level. The larger mammals, such as mule deer and mountain sheep stay close enough to springs to be able to drink daily. A few desert mammals, such as the round-tailed ground squirrel, a diurnal rodent, enter a state of aestivation when the days become too hot and the vegetation too dry. They sleep away the hottest part of the summer. They also hibernate in winter to avoid the cold.

Many of the Joshua Tree mammals are paler in color than their relatives in more moderate environments. Pale colors not only ensure that the animal will absorb less heat from the environment, but help make it less conspicuous to predators in the bright, pallid landscape.

Most desert mammals are herbivores and derive water directly from the plants they eat. Some, like kangaroo rats, have extreme adaptations enabling them to live without ever drinking water. They have super efficient kidneys that extract most of the water from their urine and return it to the blood. And much of the water that would be lost in breathing is recaptured in the nasal cavities by specialized organs. If that weren’t enough, kangaroo rats actually manufacture water metabolically from the digestion of dry seeds!

In the California deserts there are more than a dozen species of bat—Earth’s only flying mammal. The pallid bat of the southwestern deserts favors an odd delicacy: scorpions. Apparently, pallid bats are immune to scorpion venom, so their culinary preferences help to keep that arachnid’s populations in check without harming the bats. In general, bats choose dark, quiet, undisturbed places as their homes: caves, rock crevices, trees, abandoned buildings, abandoned mines, bridges and tunnels. Those that live in the desert usually squeeze themselves inside a rock crevice, or perhaps roost in an abandoned mine. If they are disturbed while hibernating, bats may burn up their stored energy supplies and perish before the weather permits them to go out hunting again, so it is important to leave bats alone. Do not forget that they are wild animals, capable of transmitting diseases such as rabies—although it must be said that less than a tenth of one percent of the local bats have been found to be rabid. At Joshua Tree National Park all bat species are protected. Look for them at dawn or dusk in desert washes, which make up 80 to 90 percent of their foraging territory.

The Desert Bighorn, Ovis canadensis nelsoni, ranges through the dry, desert mountains of eastern California, much of Nevada, northwestern Arizona, and southern Utah. The total population of this sheep is about 13,000. Two hundred fifty or so live in the park. Desert Bighorn prefer a habitat of steep, rocky terrain for escape from predators, bedding, and lambing. Bighorn zigzag up and down cliff faces with amazing ease. They use ledges only two inches wide for foot holds, and bounce from ledge to ledge over spans as wide as 20 feet.

The bighorn uses open areas of low growing vegetation near rugged terrain for feeding. This habitat preference divides Joshua Tree’s bighorns into three more or less separate herds. The 120 animals that live in the Eagle Mountains at the far eastern boundary of the park is the largest herd. The second consists of about 100 animals and ranges through the main part of the Little San Bernardino Mountains. The smallest herd, which numbers only 30 animals, is found in the Wonderland of Rocks. Members of this last band are the ones most often seen by park visitors. Ewes seldom venture from their natal herd, but rams wander rather frequently. The Desert Bighorn is most active during daylight, moving to traditional bedding areas at night. During the summer bighorn rest during the hot midday, often on cliffs above their water source. Rest periods are also used for chewing cud.

The smallest and rarest member of the dog family in Joshua Tree is the desert kit fox, Vulpes macrotis arsipus. The kit fox lives on the open desert, on creosote bush flats, and amongst the sand dunes. There is a significant population of this mammal in the Pinto Basin. Seventy-five percent of sightings are in areas with less than 20 percent vegetation cover. Kit foxes are almost exclusively carnivorous. They seldom need to drink, getting all their water in the food they eat and by having a digestive tract that is super-efficient at absorbing every last milliliter. Undoubtedly the primary item in the diet of our kit foxes is Merriam’s Kangaroo Rat, Dipodomys merriami — another creature of the night. They also dine frequently on both Black-tailed Jackrabbits Lepus californicus and Desert Cottontails, Sylvilagus auduboni. In addition to nocturnal rodents, Kit foxes eat birds, reptiles, and even insects. Unlike the gray fox, kit foxes are creatures of the night. They avoid heat stress during the day by remaining inactive in underground dens. Night-time foraging seldom takes a fox more than three kilometers from its den. The only predator known is the Desert Coyote, Canis latrans mearnsi, and such predation is apparently rare. Probably more foxes die as road kills.

Reptiles form a very conspicuous part of the vertebrate fauna of warm deserts such as are found in the park. There may not be any larger number of reptiles in the desert than in neighboring less arid areas, but the lack of dense vegetation on the desert certainly makes them easier to see. Many of the lizards are especially conspicuous as they bask atop boulders or other elevated sites. The reptiles of Joshua Tree include one tortoise, 18 lizards, and 25 varieties of snakes. The Desert Banded Gecko, Northern Desert Iguana, Mojave Collared Lizard, Western Chuckwalla, San Diego Alligator Lizard, Southwestern Blind Snake, Desert Rosy Boa, Mojave Glossy Snake, California Kingsnake, Western Leaf-nosed Snake, Western Diamondback Snake, Mojave Desert Sidewinder, Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake, Red Diamond Rattlesnake, Mojave Rattlesnake and Desert Tortoise are just a few to be found in the park.

In order to protect the desert fox and other wildlife, drive slowly through the park—you’ll also see a lot more. Be mindful of poisonous snakes. See Wildlife Precautions page .

Joshua Tree Pass is an annual pass of $30.00 for 12 months.

A fee of $15.00 is charged per vehicle for 7 days. Walk-ins are charged $5.00 for 7 days.

Desert Queen Ranch tour costs $5.00 per person aged 12 and over and $2.50 for children 6 to 11. Children under six are admitted free. Golden Age and Golden Access Passport holders pay $2.50. You may book tours up to five months in advance by calling 760-367-5555 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Tickets may also be purchased at the Oasis Visitor Center in Twentynine Palms during normal visitor center hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily). Tours fill quickly and reservations are recommended.

There is a 30-day camping limit each year. However, only 14 nights total may occur from October through May. Campsites are limited to six people, three tents, and two cars. Group sites can accommodate 10 to 60 people. Obtain reservations for sites at Black Rock, Indian Cove, and all group sites by calling 1-800-365-2267. Other campgrounds are first-come, first-served and fill quickly on weekends and during spring break. Camp only in designated campsites. There are no hookups for recreational vehicles. Water is available at Oasis Visitor Center, Indian Cove Ranger Station, West Entrance, and Black Rock and Cottonwood campgrounds. Showers are not available. All vegetation in the park is protected. If you want to make a campfire, bring your own firewood. Quiet hours are from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Generator use is limited to six hours a day: 7 to 9 a.m., noon to 2 p.m., and 5 to 7 p.m. Food-storage containers capable of preventing access by wildlife are required in the campgrounds. Any scented or odorous items must be similarly stored.

Belle Campground is open all year. It sits at 3,800′ elevation and has 18 sites. There is a $5 camping fee. No water is available.

Black Rock is open all year. It sits at 4,000′ elevation and has 100 sites. There is a $10 camping fee. Water and flush toilets are available as well as a horse camp. Reservations can be made online or by phone at 1-800-365-CAMP.

Cottonwood is open all year. It sits at 3,000′ elevation and has 62 sites. There is a $10 camping fee with 3 group sites at $25 camping fee. Water and flush toilets are available.

Hidden Valley is open all year. It sits at 4,200′ elevation with 45 sites. There is a $5 camping fee. There is no water available. No motorhome or vehicle plus trailer longer than 25 feet are allowed.

Indian Cove is open all year. It sits at 3,200′ elevation and has 101 sites. There is a $10 camping fee. 13 group sites are available at $20/$35 camping fees. Water is available at the ranger station. Reservations can be made online or by phone at 1-800-365-CAMP.

Jumbo Rocks Campground is open all year. It sits at 4,400′ elevation with 124 sites. There is a $5 camping fee. No water is available.

Ryan is open all year. It sits at 4,300′ elevation and has 31 sites. There is a $5 camping fee. No water is available. There is a horse camp. Sheep Pass is open all year. Reservations can be made online or by phone at 1-800-365-CAMP. The campground sits at 4,500′ elevation. 6 group sites are available at $20/$35 camping fee. No water is available.

White Tank is open all year. It sits at 3,800′ elevation with 15 sites. There is a $5 camping fee. No water is available and no motorhome or vehicle plus trailer longer than 25 feet are allowed.

Death Valley National Park is 335 miles away. Mojave National Preserve is 90 miles away. Grand Canyon National Park is 380 miles away. Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks are 466 miles away. Zion National Park is 376 miles away. Other nearby attractions are Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, Mt San Jacinto State Park, Mojave National Preserve, Colorado River Indian Reservation, Fort-Yuma-Quechan Reservation, Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, Salton Sea, Cleveland National Forest, San Bernadino National Forest, Angeles National Forest, and Los Padres National Forest.

Major airlines fly into Los Angeles.

Joshua Tree National Park lies 140 miles east of Los Angeles. You can approach it from the west via Interstate 10 and Hwy 62 (Twentynine Palms Highway). The north entrances to the park are located at Joshua Tree Village and the city of Twentynine Palms. The south entrance at Cottonwood Spring, which lies 25 miles east of Indio, can be approached from the east or west, also via Interstate 10.

Approximate Mileage from the following major cities to Joshua Tree National Park:

By Car:

From the north:

Los Angeles, CA – 147.50 miles

Palmdale, CA – 158.50 miles

San Diego, CA – 163.46 miles

Fresno, CA – 364.99 miles

Las Vegas, NV – 217.83 miles

Phoenix, AZ – 278.84 miles

From the south:

Los Angeles, CA – 158.99 miles

Palmdale, CA – 170.03 miles

San Diego, CA – 174.95 miles

Fresno, CA – 376.47 miles

Las Vegas, NV – 258.95 miles

Phoenix, AZ – 228.15 miles

From the west:

Los Angeles, CA – 132.64 miles

Palmdale, CA – 143.69 miles

San Diego, CA – 148.60 miles

Fresno, CA – 350.13 miles

Las Vegas, NV – 244.75 miles

Phoenix, AZ – 303.95 miles

By Plane:

Palm Springs International Airport – 51.71 miles

Public transportation to the park is not available.

Joshua Tree National Park, 74485 National Park Drive, Twentynine Palms, CA 92277-3597
Visitor Information 760-367-5500
By Fax 760-367-6392

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