• 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 »

A Desert Park

Viewed from the road, this desert park only hints at its vitality. Closer examination reveals a fascinating variety of plants and animals that make their home in this land shaped by strong winds, unpredictable torrents of rain, and climatic extremes. Dark night skies, a rich cultural history, and surreal geologic features add to the attraction of this place. Come see for yourself!

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Features

  • colorful wildflowers

    Wild For Wildflowers

    With sufficient fall and winter rain, the usual browns and grays of this desert park can be carpeted with the vivid colors of spring wildflowers.

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  • Desert Tortoise

    Desert Tortoise

    Spending 95% of their time underground, these unhurried creatures come out of their burrows in spring to eat and mate. Let us know if you see one.

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  • Joshua trees

    A "Dr. Seuss" Kind of Tree

    When you find yourself surrounded by twisted, spiky trees straight out of a Dr. Seuss book, you will have met the park's namesake: Joshua tree.

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  • two young bighorn sheep

    Bighorn Sheep

    Two hundred fifty or so desert bighorn live in Joshua Tree National Park. If you happen to see one, consider yourself really lucky!

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  • Johnny Lang

    A Campfire Tale

    The Lost Horse Mine story features gun slinging cowboys, cattle rustlers, horse thieves, the lure of gold, and a sticky-fingered miner.

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  • western chuckwalla

    Watchable Wildlife

    Wherever you go in the park, spring, summer, or fall, you are likely to see lizards. In spring, they are especially abundant.

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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...