• Sunrise at the Cholla Cactus Garden

    Joshua Tree

    National Park California

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  • Pinto Basin Road Renovation

    Pinto Basin Road is being renovated. On weekdays you may encounter travel delays of up to 30 minutes. Cholla Cactus Garden is closed on weekdays. Cottonwood Visitor Center hours are 9 to 4 on weekdays, 8 to 4 weekends. More »

  • Rattlesnake Canyon Will Remain Closed Through May

    To provide additional time to mitigate the vandalism, Rattlesnake Canyon will remain completely closed to the public for another 30 days. More »

Professional Development

Workshops for teachers are offered by Joshua Tree National Park upon request. They may be available at school sites for staff development days or in the park. The workshops last one to two days.
• Explorations in Science helps teachers learn how to use outdoor resources in their area. Workshop involves hiking, identification of plants and animals.
• Exploring Social Science helps teachers learn how to incorporate historic places into their classroom lesson plans. Teachers explore the Desert Queen Ranch, Ryan Ranch, and the use of historic photographs.
• Project WILD
• Project Learning Tree
• Project WET
• Project Archaeology
 
The Desert Institute, the educational branch of Joshua Tree National Park Association, offers outdoor classes in science, history, and the arts. Classes vary in length from one to three days and are taught on weekends. Some classes offer optional college credit through UC Riverside. Course fees vary.

Did You Know?

Desert Queen Ranch branding iron

In the high desert country that was to become Joshua Tree National Park, rugged individuals tried their luck at cattle ranching, mining, and homesteading. William Keys and his family are particularly representative of the hard work and ingenuity it took to settle and prosper in the Mojave Desert. More...