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Joshua Tree National Park
Geology Motor Tour
 

An 18-mile motor tour leads through one of Joshua Tree National Park’s most fascinating landscapes. There are 16 stops along a dirt road and it takes approximately two hours to make the round trip. A descriptive brochure that highlights each stop is available at the beginning of the road.

In good weather sedans and trucks may access the route as far as Squaw Tank, stop #9. After that a 4-wheel-drive vehicle is recommended. The road is not suitable for campers, trailers, and motor homes.

At Squaw Tank, which is 5.4 miles from the beginning, there is adequate turn-out space for returning to the main park road. Or you can proceed on the one-way portion (numbered stops 10 through 16) to continue exploring Pleasant Valley.

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Geology Tour Road Map
Map of the Geology Tour Road (59k PDF)
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Fault map of the park  

Did You Know?
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.
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Last Updated: August 23, 2006 at 20:01 EST