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| The nearly 800,000 acres of Joshua Tree National Park were set aside
to protect the unique assembly of natural resources brought together by
the junction of three of California’s ecosystems. The Colorado Desert,
a western extension of the vast Sonoran Desert, occupies the southern
and
eastern parts of the park. It is characterized by stands of spike-like
ocotillo plants and “jumping” cholla cactus. |
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| The southern boundary of the Mojave Desert reaches across the northern
part of the park. It is the habitat of the park’s namesake: the Joshua
tree. Extensive stands of this peculiar looking plant are found in the western
half of the park. |
| A third ecosystem is located in the western most part of the park above
4000 feet. The Little San Bernardino Mountains provide habitat for a community
of California juniper and pinyon pine. |
| The plant diversity of these three ecosystems is matched by the animal
diversity, including healthy herds of desert bighorn and six species of
rattlesnakes. Joshua Tree National Park lies astride the Pacific flyway
of migratory birds, and is a rest stop for many. It was for this unusual
diversity of plants and animals that Joshua Tree National Monument was set
aside on August 10, 1936. |
| The park also encompasses some of the most interesting geologic features
found in California’s desert areas. Exposed granite monoliths and rugged
canyons testify to the tectonic and erosional forces that shaped this land.
Washes, playas, alluvial fans, bajadas, desert varnish, igneous and metamorphic
rocks interact to form a pattern of stark beauty and ever changing complexity. |
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last modified: 10/03/02
web editor: Sandra kaye |
