Project Profile: Close and Secure 5 Abandoned Mines at Joshua Tree National Park

Superintendent David Smith gives a tour of mine closures at the Desert Queen Mine area.

NPS Photo

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
Revegetation of Hazard Mine Lands | FY22 $209,000

The National Park Service will permanently close two vertical shafts and three horizontal, unprotected passages from visitor entry at Joshua Tree National Park. The project will increase public and wildlife safety, while also improving the health of the surrounding landscape.

Why? Joshua Tree National Park’s historic and abandoned mines are sometimes located near popular trails and are particularly concerning for public safety. Visitors to the park often make a trip to see one of these interesting abandoned mines and are relatively unaware of the hazards they present. This project includes the construction of a bat gate which will close the mine permanently, while allowing safe, close-up viewing by the public and protecting park wildlife, such as desert tortoise and bats. Vertical shafts will be closed in a way that preserve the historic landscape and gives visitors a sense of the historic mining era while also considering their safety.

What Else? Joshua Tree National Park has a long and successful history of remediating abandoned mine sites that present hazards to wildlife and visitors. In 1998, the park created a list of 120 highly hazardous openings. Of those 120 hazardous openings, as of 2023, over a dozen mine features will be remediated thanks for Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds. A highly skilled team of NPS staff with backgrounds in geology, biology, welding and the use of helicopters ensure that the projects are accomplished in a safe and professional manner.

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – Ecosystem Restoration

This project was made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – Ecosystem Restoration, signed on November 15, 2021. It is a historic investment in the restoration and protection of the environment.