• 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 »

Park Clarifies Position On Tribal Casino

On October 15, the Joshua Tree Community Association sponsored a public meeting about a proposal by the Twenty-nine Palms Band of the Mission Indians to build and operate a casino in the Village of Joshua Tree. At this meeting, a presenter made a comment that the National Park Service (NPS) supports the project. This statement is incorrect. As with any land use proposal for an activity on private lands outside the park, the National Park Service cannot, and does not, support or oppose the casino proposal. The park is officially neutral. Joshua Tree National Park will be in contact with tribal representatives to clarify the position of the National Park Service on this project.

The NPS has no jurisdictional authority concerning private land-use proposals outside the boundary of the park. The concept of a casino in Joshua Tree and its potential authorization is a matter between the tribe, the citizens of the community of Joshua Tree, and the agencies having jurisdictional authority over the project. To date, the NPS has not analyzed the potential impacts that a casino in Joshua Tree would have on the park. As more information becomes available, the NPS will determine the appropriate level of analysis to pursue.

As a neutral party to these discussions, the NPS supports all involved in their efforts to seek a mutually agreeable and acceptable solution.

Did You Know?

Red Spotted Toad

The red-spotted toad is a true denizen of the desert, where it spends most of its life underground. Found from one end of the park to the other, it appears after good, soaking rains. More...