Ranger Programs
February 1 to 25
Ranger Rendezvous - Join a ranger at the following locations for 15-minute talks describing the natural and cultural history of Joshua Tree National Park:
49 Palms Oasis: 11 am to 2 pm Sundays - Hike 1.5 miles to the oasis where you will join the ranger and discover how water sustains desert life.
Barker Dam: 1 to 2 pm Mondays & Fridays - Discover what has drawn people to this location for thousands of years.
Cholla Cactus Garden: 10 am to noon Sundays & Mondays - Learn about the "other" interesting plant life in the desert.
Keys View: 10 am to noon Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Thursdays - See the San Andreas Fault, learn about geology, and see the contrast between the Colorado and Mojave deserts.
Hidden Valley Nature Trail: 1 to 3 pm Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Thursdays - Discover the abundance of life in the desert.
Keys Ranch Tour
10 am & 1 pm Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, & Saturdays - This ranger-guided tour explores the colorful story and numerous artifacts of this Mojave Desert historical site. (1½ hours, ½ mile on unpaved trails)
Reservations are required. You may purchase tickets by phone at 760-367-5555 and at the Cottonwood, Joshua Tree, and Oasis visitor centers prior to the tour day.
Fees: adults (12 and over) $5.00, Senior and Access Pass holders $2.50, children (6 - 11) $2.50. Children under six are free.
Skull Rock Walk
1:30 pm Wednesdays & Fridays - Start at one of the iconic formations of Joshua Tree National Park and wind 1.5 miles through stunning, granite boulders. Meet at the Skull Rock parking area near the Jumbo Rocks Campground entrance. The hike is moderate and participants should be prepared for rock scrambling.
Jumbo Rocks Evening Program
7 pm Fridays - Meet at Jumbo Rocks Campground amphitheater (1 hour).
A Stellar Place
7 pm Saturdays - A Stellar Place at Indian Cove Campground amphitheater (30 minutes plus viewing the night sky through telescopes).