• 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 Remains Closed

    To provide additional time to mitigate the vandalism, Rattlesnake Canyon will remain completely closed to the public until further notice. More »

Trees and Shrubs

Unlike desert wildflowers, which germinate and bloom during the brief rainy seasons and leave their seeds to endure the hottest and dryest times, desert trees and shrubs must adapt to the the climate year-round. Their modifications are varied, but whether like the tiny, drought-deciduous leaves characteristic of paloverde, or the furry, gray leaves of brittlebush, they are equally effective.

  • Nature Trails Nature Trails

    The park has 12 self-guided nature walks. Read More

  • Looking for a guidebook or map? Looking for a guidebook or map?

    Park bookstores sell publications about Joshua Tree National Park Read More

Did You Know?

Mojave Mound Cactus Bloom

With nearly 750 species of vascular plants, Joshua Tree is renowned for its plant diversity. No wonder that when the area was first proposed for preservation in the early 1930s, the name suggested was Desert Plants National Park. More...