• 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 Will Remain Closed Through May

    To provide additional time to mitigate the vandalism, Rattlesnake Canyon will remain completely closed to the public for another 30 days. More »

Cooperating Association

jtnpa logo

Joshua Tree National Park Association was incorporated as the nonprofit cooperating association for Joshua Tree National Park in 1962. The mission for the Joshua Tree National Park Association is to assist with preservation, education, historical, and scientific programs for the benefit of Joshua Tree National Park and its visitors.

Members of JTNPA receive a 15 percent discount on all purchases at park bookstores, as well as most other national park cooperating association bookstores.

 
geology class at Joshua Tree National Park

Desert Institute instructor, D. Trent, teaching a geology class at Joshua Tree National Park.

Karina White

The Desert Institute, the educational branch of Joshua Tree National Park Association, offers outdoor classes in science, history, and the arts. Classes vary in length from one to three days and are taught on weekends. Some classes offer optional college credit through UC Riverside. Course fees vary from $45 to $200.

Did You Know?

Desert Queen Ranch branding iron

In the high desert country that was to become Joshua Tree National Park, rugged individuals tried their luck at cattle ranching, mining, and homesteading. William Keys and his family are particularly representative of the hard work and ingenuity it took to settle and prosper in the Mojave Desert. More...