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| While the Joshua Tree area has been inhabited by humans for
at least 5,000 years, by the late 1920s the development of new roads into
the desert had brought an influx of land developers and cactus poachers.
Minerva Hoyt, a Pasadena resident who was extremely fond of desert plants,
became concerned about the removal of cacti and other plants to the gardens
of Los Angeles. Her tireless efforts to protect this area culminated in
825,000 acres being set aside as Joshua Tree National Monument in 1936. |
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| The monument was administered by the superintendent of Yosemite
National Park until James Cole was appointed as the first superintendent
in 1940. The eastern portion of the historic Oasis of Mara was deeded to
the National Park Service by the Twentynine Palms Corporation in 1950. That
same year the monument's size was reduced by 265,000 acres to exclude some
mining property. |
| As part of the Desert Protection Bill, Joshua Tree National Monument
was elevated to park status on October 31, 1994. The bill also added 234,000
acres. The new park boundary follows natural features and includes complete
ecological units such as entire mountain ranges. Previous boundaries divided
these ranges along survey lines. The additions provide better resource
protection with easier boundary identification and monitoring and important
habitat for desert bighorn sheep. Elevations in the park range from a
low of 536 feet to a high of 5,814 feet at Quail Mountain.
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| In 1976 Congress designated 420,000 acres within the monument
as wilderness. Of
the park's current 794,000 acres, 585,000 is designated wilderness. |
| Joshua Tree provides habitat for 712 higher plant species, 40 reptile
species, 41 mammal species, and 240 bird species. The federal register
lists one park reptile, the desert tortoise, as threatened and one park
plant species, the Coachella Valley milk vetch, as endangered. In addition
there are 26 species of special concern being protected within the park.
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| Joshua Tree has one paleontological area and potentially eight
more. The park protects 501 archeological sites, 88 historic structures,
19 cultural landscapes, and houses 123,253 items in its museum collection. |
| Park staff maintain 88 miles of paved roads and 81 miles of
unpaved roads, nine campgrounds with 523 campsites and two horsecamps, and
10 picnic areas with 38 picnic sites. There are 32 trailheads and 191 miles
of hiking trails throughout the park. Park staff greet visitors at three
entrance stations, two visitor centers, and one nature center. |
| Behind the scenes the park maintains 10 water treatment facilities,
nine solar power stations, four maintenance facilities, eight employee housing
units, and 95 vehicles. |
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last modified: 06/01/05
web editor: Sandra kaye |
