• 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 »

Teacher Guides

Mojave Desert Discovery is a resource guide about the Mojave Desert ecosystem for teachers of upper elementary students. Here are the content standards for California public schools.

Mojave Desert Issues is a secondary school curriculum that helps develop critical thinking skills by looking at issues that national parks are facing. Here are the content standards for California public schools.

Do Your Part — Be Desert Smart is a family activity guide that helps students learn how to live sustainably in our desert.

  • Teachers may request one printed copy for each student. A Spanish language version is also available.
  • Or, you may download a digital copy here (1mb PDF).

Wilderness Kit was created for self-guided park visits by scout troops, church and youth groups, etc. Lessons explore the idea of wilderness and Joshua Tree National Park. Kit activities are set for students in the upper elementary and middle school levels with extensions for high school students.

Did You Know?

Fault map of the park

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. More...