Press Kit

a field of Joshua trees with mountains in the background — NPS Photo

Joshua Tree National Park was first established as a national monument in 1936 and then became a national park in 1994. The park was established to preserve an ecologically dynamic region of the California Desert, a transition zone between the Colorado and Mojave Deserts. The park provides recreational opportunities to approximately 3 million visitors annually, and protects and preserves a rich array of natural and cultural resources.

Park overview

Park stats

Size: 795,159 gross acres including private and state inholdings. 3,218 square kilometers.
Staffing: ~105 full-time employees
Annual Visitation: 2,991,874 (2024). Visitation statistics are updated yearly and can be found on the NPS DataStore.
Education: 15,000+ students annually
Budget: $7,000,000 from Congress in 2020. $23,000,000 from other sources (fees, donations, etc).

Flora

813 plant species
14 species of cacti
44 species designated as rare plants
1 federally endangered species: Coachella Valley Milk Vetch

Fauna

46 reptile species (including 18 lizards, 25 snakes, and 1 federally & state threatened tortoise)
2 amphibian species
57 mammal species
250 bird species
Thousands of insect species

Geology

Highest peak: Quail Mountain (5,814 ft / 1,772.1 meters)
Lowest point: base of Coxcomb Mts. (502 ft / 15 meters)
Gneiss: metamorphic rock 1.3 to 1.8 billion years old
Granite: igneous rock 100 to 80 million years old
3mm vertical uplift per year
5 natural fan palm oases

Cultural features & archaeology

850+ recorded archaeological sites
Several thousand unrecorded archaeological sites
242,100+ items in park museum collection
300+ mines
100+ recorded rock art sites
5 Cultural Landscapes

Average climate, 2024

Rainfall: 4.06 inches
Summer temperatures: high 100+ degrees, lows near 65 degrees
Winter temperatures: high 60 degrees, lows near 40 degrees
For climate change information, check our climate webpage.

Facilities

93 miles of paved roads
106 miles of unpaved roads
32 trailheads
191 miles of hiking trails
253 miles of equestrian trails & trail corridors
9 campgrounds
523 campsites
10 picnic areas
13 solar power stations
3 visitor centers
2 campground ranger stations
3 entrance stations
8000+ climbing routes

Park issues

Changing fire regime
Climate change
Exotic plant species: mustards, cheat grass, red brome
Habitat fragmentation
Lack of funding
Light pollution
Off-highway vehicles
Poaching
Poor air quality
Poor visibility
Recreation impacts
Social trails
Threatened soundscapes
Urbanization
Vandalism

Web fact sheets

Joshua Tree National Park has been getting hotter and drier over the past century in large part due to human-caused climate change. These changes impact the landscape, the species, and our visitors. From 1895 to 2016, the annual precipitation dropped by 39 percent, and the average temperature increased by 3℉ (2℃). 2014-2020 were the warmest seven years in earth’s recorded history. The warming and drying trend is expected to continue through this century. There has been a 60% loss of surface water, and 27 out of 39 springs went dry between 2006 and 2016. Potential impacts to visitors include fewer sightings of Joshua trees, wildlife, and wildflowers, poor air quality due to climate-fueled regional fires, a shorter recreation season, and more heat-related illnesses.

Joshua tree decrease:

Research suggests that by 2099, more than 80% of suitable Joshua tree habitat in the park could be lost with an increased annual temperature of 5°F (3°C), assuming moderately optimistic emission controls.
Fewer Joshua tree seedlings are sprouting, growing, and surviving at lower, warmer elevations. Mature trees will slowly die off and succumb to drought and/or fire.
Joshua trees may take refuge and survive at higher, cooler elevations with greater annual rainfall. The park has identified areas around Covington Flats and Black Rock as likely Joshua tree refugia. Fuels reduction projects are underway in these areas to reduce the risk of wildfire and maximize the conservation of Joshua trees in the park. Unfortunately, about half of the area in these refugia have already burned by wildfires.

Fires more frequent, bigger, and intense:

Nitrogen deposits from air pollution fertilize the soil and help nonnative grasses and plants to grow and act as fuel. This nonnative vegetation, along with hotter, drier conditions, results in increased fire frequency, size, and intensity.
Joshua trees generally do not survive when burned, and seedling establishment in burned areas is limited.
Historic wooden structures are irreplaceable resources at a high risk of being lost forever.

Wildlife loss and changes:

Desert bighorn sheep will lose lower elevation habitat and will need to migrate to higher and higher elevations, causing genetic isolation and possible extirpation within the park.
Desert tortoise populations have already plummeted due to habitat loss, disease, raven predation, and climate change. Scientific research suggests that an increase of 5℉ (3℃) could leave 80% of the park uninhabitable for tortoises.
Four reptile species could lose half of their suitable habitat: Blainville’s horned lizard, desert spiny lizard, night lizard, and northwestern fence lizard.
Surveys conducted between 1908-1968 and 2013-2016 show bird species declined 43% in the Mojave Desert due largely to climate change and the loss of surface habitat.

Taking action:

The Joshua Tree Climate Change Collaborative is a team of researchers from Joshua Tree National Park and UC-Riverside Center for Conservation Biology created to monitor these effects in the park. The collaboration has produced multiple scientific journal articles describing the issue and effects to the park’s natural resources.
The park is lowering greenhouse emissions by maximizing solar power at all facilities and converting gas-powered vehicles and equipment to electric by 2030.
Other efforts to protect the park include fire prevention, pre-planning emergency response to fire/flash-flooding, enhancing refugia by planting or seeding important species, and educating the public on the effects of climate change.

Humans have thrived in the Joshua Tree area for millennia. Positioned at the convergence of several traditional Native American homelands, these communities developed expansive knowledge and skills needed to live successfully in a challenging environment.

Joshua Tree National Park acknowledges the Maara’yam (Serrano), Kawiya (Cahuilla), Aha Macav (Mohave), and Nüwü (Chemehuevi) people as the original stewards of the land on which the park now sits. We are grateful to have the opportunity to work with the indigenous people in this place. We pay our respects to the people past, present, and emerging who have been here since time immemorial.

Cattlemen and miners established a permanent presence in the late 1800s, followed by waves of homesteaders and others. These new communities did much to change the area physically and culturally.

The arrival of new groups deeply impacted Native American communities, cutting them off from their traditional food resources, water sources, and place-based culture. Pressured to leave traditional collecting and travel areas for nearby designated reservation lands, Maara’yam, Kawiya, Nüwü, and Aha Macav communities’ lost access to traditional resources outside of these designated areas. Some tribal members adapted by working for early prospectors or were hired as farm hands and cowboys.

In 1936, Joshua Tree National Monument was created as a biological and cultural reserve, bringing new communities to the area. Park staff were tasked with scientifically managing the area, protecting resources, and providing recreational and educational opportunities to the public.

Traditionally Associated Native American Communities

Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians
Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians
Cabazon Band of Cahuilla Mission Indians
Cahuilla Band of Mission Indians
Chemehuevi Indian Tribe
Colorado River Indian Tribes
Fort Mojave Indian Tribe
Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla & Cupeño Indians
Morongo Band of Mission Indians
Ramona Band of Cahuilla Indians
Santa Rosa Band of Cahuilla Indians
Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians
Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians
Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians
Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation

In 2017, Joshua Tree National Park was designated as an International Dark Sky Park (IDSP). Part of this designation is related to the quality of night sky at Joshua Tree National Park, but another important component is how well the park educates about light pollution and advocates for preservation of a naturally dark night sky.

It is now estimated that one third, or 80% of Americans live in a place where they cannot see the Milky Way. Joshua Tree National Park is one of the last refuges in Southern California where the spectacular Milky Way can be observed. As communities grow, so too does the amount of light radiance being emitted into the sky. Communities that surround Joshua Tree National Park are growing, and the light domes being emitted by these communities are measurable and growing more intense. This trend line makes our efforts to reduce light pollution and preserve dark night skies within the park more important than ever and requires that neighboring communities take appropriate steps to reduce light pollution.

Preserving the naturally dark night sky is not only beneficial to stargazers and astronomers, but also critical to nocturnal wildlife species that depend upon a naturally dark nocturnal landscape for survival.

Light Pollution:

Light pollution is the illumination of the night sky caused by artificial light. It decreases the visibility of stars and other natural sky and space phenomena (meteors, nebulae, galaxies, the Milky Way, zodiacal light, etc), and is sometimes called “sky glow.” Light pollution can also refer to obtrusive aspects of outdoor light such as glare, trespass into areas not needing light, disturbance of natural nighttime landscapes, and disruption of ecological processes.

Light pollution originates from outdoor lights, is scattered by various particles in the atmosphere, and affects nocturnal landscapes near and far from the light source. The biggest source is outdoor lights that direct light upward or sideways, and lights that are too bright for their application. A minor amount of light comes from light that reflects off the ground and then into the atmosphere. Light pollution may come from large cities, small towns, roadways, industrial facilities, and the park’s own facilities.

Light pollution is a problem in many parks, and potentially has natural, cultural, and visitor impacts.
Light pollution is caused by sources outside the park boundary, near and far, small and large, as well as from sources inside the park to a lesser degree.
Stargazing and other visitor activities related to natural viewscapes are increasing in popularity in parks.
Starry skies are appreciated by a wide spectrum of the public, being an important respite for city dwellers and embodying a part of the rural West.
The forecast for the growth in light pollution is alarming, yet there are easily identifiable solutions and a growing number of success stories in protecting and restoring night skies.
The potential for artificial light to impact ecosystems is a cause for concern, and there is a substantial amount of research that needs to take place for this problem to be understood.
Night sky friendly lighting typically saves energy, reduces glare, improves nighttime visibility, and thereby improves safety.

Geology is the study of the materials that make up the earth and the forces that shape the landscape. Since the landscape is constantly changing, geology is the study of dynamic processes that involve the building of mountains, their destruction, and subsequent rebuilding. Joshua Tree National Park’s rugged mountains, granitic monoliths, and exposed fault scarps reveal how geologic processes have shaped and continue to shape the desert landscape.

The modern landscape of Joshua Tree National Park was created more than 100 million years ago. Molten liquid rock, heated by intense pressure from movement of Earth’s crust through tectonic plate movement, oozed upward and cooled while still below the surface. This developed into plutonic intrusions of granitic rock called monzogranite.

While still below ground the rock developed systems of joints or cracks. Ground water percolated down through the joint fractures, transforming hard mineral grains into soft clay. This process slowly erodes away and rounds the corners of the rock.

Southeastern California is in a rain shadow desert. The rain shadow effect is produced by the high mountains on the west that block the movement of wet winter storms. Coastal storms that are moving east collide with Mount San Jacinto (10,804 ft.) and Mount San Gorgonio (11,502 ft.) dropping most of their moisture on the western side of these mountains. The eastern side receives significantly less moisture forming a desert landscape.

The process of turning into an arid climate, flash flooding began to wash away the protective ground surface. The monzogranite formations were slowly exposed, creating huge, eroded boulders that settled one on top of another.

The dynamic process of water erosion and weathering had the most impact in this arid environment. It is only partially responsible; the present landscape is essentially a collection of relict features inherited from earlier times of higher rainfall and lower temperatures.

Joshua Tree National Park is on the eastern end of a broad mountainous belt called the Transverse Ranges. Within the park there are several distinct mountain ranges: the Little San Bernardino Mountains in the southwest; the Cottonwood, Hexie, and Pinto Mountains in the center; and the Eagle and Coxcomb Mountains in the east. Much of the park lies at elevations above 4,000 feet.

The Joshua Tree (Yucca brevifolia), a yucca tree, is symbolic of the Mojave Desert. Known amongst the Kawiya (Cahuilla) as Humwichiwa which translates to spiky dagger. The Southern Piute, specifically the Nüwü, call it Sovarampi/tsoarömp^ö and the Maara’yam (Serrano) refer to it as Choor-martsh.

The name Joshua originated in the 1850’s, during Mormon settlements in Utah. The name represented the Mormon conquest of the desert with the sharp-leaved trees the arrayed forces of Joshua’s army from the Bible.

The Joshua Tree is a flowering plant that is part of the Agave family. They are located area of the park, the southeastern Sierra, Death Valley NP, Mojave National Preserve, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona. Our best estimate from monitoring data is that there are approximately 870,000 Joshua trees in the park.

Joshua trees are an indicator species of the Mojave Desert. The preferred elevation is between 2,800 and 5,800 feet (853-1767 meters) in elevation. They grow approximately 1.5 cm to 10 cm per year on average, it will depend on precipitation and temperature. Mature Joshua trees usually grow to 12 meters (39 feet) in height, and even can reach over 15 meters (49 feet). The average life span of a Joshua tree is about 150 years, with some living up to 300 years.

Yuccas, including Joshua trees, are an excellent source of food, fiber, and soap.

The roots contain detergent-like compounds that create suds to wash hair, clothes, and ritual cleansing.
The fiber produced in the leaves could be twisted together to form threads. This was used to make sandals, rope, mats, nets, and mattresses, and baskets.
Flower stalks, blossoms, and seeds are all consumed. They can be eaten raw, baked, dried or ground into meal. A remaining pulp is crushed into a paste and sun-dried, then kneaded into cakes that could be stored for winter use.

Climate Change:

Within Joshua Tree National Park, Joshua trees reach their southern-most distribution. This makes them especially vulnerable to warming temperatures. Fewer Joshua tree seedlings are sprouting, growing, and surviving at lower, warmer elevations (data from long-term monitoring). Mature trees will slowly die off and succumb to drought and/or fire as habitats become unsuitable. Trees at higher, cooler elevations with greater annual rainfall may persist and survive, but this area is limited to a small percent of current habitat. Park efforts focus on this distribution as the likely “last stand.”

A tortoise is a land-dwelling turtle with high domed shell and columnar, elephant-shaped hind legs. Tortoises go to water only to drink or bathe. Tortoises do not have bodies designed for swimming. They do not have webbed feet, rather their feet are round and stumpy for walking on land, and they are not able to swim.

There has been a dramatic population decline of the Mojave Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii). It was listed on the California and Federal Endangered Species Act as “Threatened” in 1990. As of April 2024, it was moved up the list in California to “Endangered.”

Habitat:

Mojave and Colorado (Sonoran) Deserts
North and West of the Colorado River - in California, S. Nevada, SW Utah, and N Arizona
Valleys, flat areas, fans, bajadas, and washes to about 3,500 ft.
Joshua Tree, Mojave Yucca, creosote bush communities

Activity:

Most active from March to May (spring, and again from September to October; then go into “brumation,” the reptilian equivalent of hibernation, from October-February
During hot summer months – may only come out of burrow early morning or late afternoon, or as little as only once every 3 weeks – this period is called “aestivation”
Spend most of their lives (about 95% of their time), below ground in burrows
Have a home range – an area they travel, feed, court, sleep, and burrow. Males have a larger home range than females.

Major Threats:

Human contact and direct mortality: vehicle collision, off and on roads, collection for food, pets and commercial trade, gunshot, and poaching
Habitat destruction, degradation, and fragmentation: mining, grazing, development (housing, commercial, and agriculture), off road vehicles, urbanization, landfills and illegal dumps, construction activities, military activities.
Disease: Upper Respiratory Tract Disease (URTD); prevalent in captive tortoises and has been found in individuals in the wild, shell disease; causes lesions in shell, probably caused by toxicants in environment
Predation (dependent on size): raven populations increasing due to increases in urbanization, Golden Eagles, Roadrunners, snakes, Kit foxes, badgers, bobcats, coyotes, feral dogs

Climbing history

The earliest recorded evidence of recreational rock climbing in the Joshua Tree landscape began in 1936. The types of climbs used were traditional roped climbing, performed in both “aid” and “free” styles, bouldering, top roping, and free solo climbing. At that time there were approximately 100 routes and boulder problems developed, primarily in the Hidden Valley Campground area.During the 1970s Joshua Tree National Monument had the status as a stand-alone destination for desert climbing. “Free climbing” became the prominent style that gained national and international recognition. By 1982, the total number of traditional routes documented numbered over 500.Social status was based primarily on climbing achievement. The next ten years was an unprecedented expansion of rock climbing from thousands of visitors per year to tens of thousands. Climbers from all over America, Europe, Australia, and Asia visited the Monument. By 1993, the approximate number of routes increased to 4500. There was an introduction of “sport climbing,” a style that necessitated the placement of bolts along the entire route, enabling climbers to focus on the technical, physical process of ascent. The increase of routes and visitors was pivotal for the development and emergence of local professional climbing guide services.The last 30 years were an emergence of new climbing activities corresponding to changes in technology and the elevation to “Park” status. The first Climbing Management Plan was generated in response to the increasing number of route development and the various adverse effects on wilderness areas in the park.

Today

Joshua Tree National Park is surging in visitation and in 2021 the park began collecting information through Public Engagement on climbing issues to improve the management of rock-based recreation.

8,000 climbing routes
2,000 boulder problems
100+ natural gaps

Impacts on Wildlife

The primary causes of species decline in North America are the loss, fragmentation, and degradation of habitat. At Joshua Tree National Park, an ongoing threat to raptor populations has made an impact, primarily due to the highly utilized cliff faces used during rock climbing activities. Many species use these cliff faces during breeding periods and early development stages of juveniles. It is of management concern to implement and maintain closure of climbing areas during nesting and fledging periods to mitigate impacts to the populations of these unique creatures.

Joshua Tree is home to two deserts: the Colorado Desert and the Mojave Desert. These areas are occupied by different combinations of vegetation. The Colorado Desert, a western extension of the vast Sonoran Desert, occupies the southern and eastern parts of the park. It is characterized by stands of ocotillo plants, ironwood trees, palo verde trees, and teddy bear cholla cactus. The southern boundary of the Mojave Desert passes through the park. It is the habitat of the park’s namesake: the Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia). The Little San Bernardino Mountains provide habitat for a community of California juniper, Muller’s oak, and pinyon pine.The Vegetation Branch of the Resource Management Division at Joshua Tree National Park seeks to preserve, restore, and protect for present and future generations the native flora.

Numbers:

194 Woody shrubs/trees – 24% of flora
231 Herbaceous Perennials – 29% of flora
384 Annuals/biennials – 50% of flora
Non-Native species – 7% of flora
46 Rare plants
145 Lichen recorded

Dominant Vegetation:

Large “trees” and “tree-like” shrubs: Single Leaf Pine, California Juniper Muller’s Oak, Bigberry Manzanita, California Fan Palm, Desert Ironwood, Smoke tree, Palo Verde
Yuccas and Nolinas: Mojave Yucca, Joshua Tree, Parry’s Nolina, Bigelow’s Nolina
Cacti: Teddy Bear Cholla, Silver/Golden Cholla, Pencil Cholla, Barrel Cactus, Cottontop Cactus, Hedgehog/Calico Cactus, Mojave Mound, Beavertail Cactus, etc.
Common Grasses: Needle Grass, Indian Rice Grass, Big Galleta Grass
Common Shrubs: Creosote bush, Cheesebush, Paperbag bush, Brittlebush, Ocotillo, etc.

Threats to Vegetation:

Urban expansion leads to habitat fragmentation and increased threat of invasives.
Elevated soil nitrogen is increasing non-native grasses at the expense of native vegetation. Decreasing availability of water and increasing fuel loads and the risk of a fire.
Many native plant species are not adapted to fire, and recovery is slow to nonexistent.
The threat of invasive plants will likely increase from the cumulative effect of several other resource stressors: increased boundary encroachment, regional development, climate change, and social trailing vectors.
Climate change compounds the effects of most stressors on native vegetation. Increased mortality of Joshua trees, pinyon pine, and other sensitive vegetation in the park is expected with a hotter and drier climate.

Visiting the Park

With a little planning, you can shorten your time in the entrance station line.

Shorten your wait time by using the North Entrance in Twentynine Palms or South Entrance off Interstate 10.
Purchase your entrance pass ahead digitally at https://www.recreation.gov/sitepass/74286, and be prepared to show your pass when you pull up to the entrance station.
The entrance stations do not accept cash, please have credit/debit/tap ready
Visit the park on a less-crowded weekday.
Plan to arrive at the entrance station before 8 am if visiting Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.
Visit nps.gov/jotr before your visit to plan and prepare!

Visitor Distribution (How/When to Visit):

To avoid crowds, access key attractions early in the day and explore the park’s less-traveled areas.

Plan to visit popular sites, such as Barker Dam, Hidden Valley, and Lost Horse Mine, before 8 am. Weekdays can be less crowded than weekends.
Sunset: Sunset is stunning from most parking lots and pullouts park-wide. Cap Rock can be a great spot to enjoy rock formations, Joshua trees and the sunset.
Don’t mention Keys View unless asked specifically about it. If you are asked - Sunset at Keys View is extremely crowded. There is no parking available the hour leading up to sunset and the road may be closed due to congestion on busy days.
Explore palm oases, mining history, interesting rock formations, and expansive views in the Cottonwood area.
Take a driving tour through the Pinto Basin. Stop at Cholla Cactus Garden and pull outs along the road to explore this interesting transition between the Mojave and Colorado deserts.
Do not set up stoves or BBQs outside of designated camping or picnic areas.

Parking:

Park only in designated parking spots or on graded shoulders and along the road if there is an unpainted curb, rocks, or berm between you and nature. Do not get creative with parking or park next to red curbs, in campgrounds, or in areas that will damage soil or vegetation. Driving off road will lead to a citation of up to $180.

Choose your hike based on where you find existing parking by trailheads.
Find additional parking for Barker Dam at Echo T. The Echo T Trail to Barker Dam Trail is 0.7 miles (1.1 km) one way over a sandy trail. The last section requires walking up boulders, which will not be easy for less-agile visitors.
Find additional parking for Hidden Valley at Minerva Hoyt Trailhead. The Minerva Hoyt Trail is 1.5 miles (2.4 km) one way over a sandy trail and through a valley filled with Joshua Trees.
Consider parking at Juniper Flats wilderness backpacking board and hiking the Big Trees Trail 2.1 miles (3.4 km) one way to the Lost Horse Mine Trail junction.
Parking for Arch Rock is located at Twin Tanks Trailhead. Look for the Arch Rock Trail sign north of White Tank Campground.
Find additional parking at Black Rock in the overflow lot across from the California Riding and Hiking Trail trailhead.

Campers

Take advantage of hiking opportunities near your campground. Walk from your campground to hike!

Non-campers cannot use campgrounds for parking.
At Jumbo Rocks Campground, explore Skull Rock Trail, Discovery Trail, Face Rock Trail, or Split Rock Trail.
At Belle and White Tank campgrounds, explore the Arch Rock Nature Trail or California Riding and Hiking Trail.
At Indian Cove Campground, explore Indian Cove Nature Trail or Boy Scout Trail.
At Ryan Campground, explore California Riding and Hiking Trail, Ryan Ranch Trail, Big Trees Trail.
At Black Rock Campground, explore Hi View Nature Trail, Westside Loop, or Panorama Peak.
At Cottonwood Campground, explore Lost Palms Oasis, Cottonwood Spring, or Mastadon Trail.
At Hidden Valley Campground, explore Hidden Valley Nature Trail, the Minerva Hoyt Trail, and the Echo T Spur Trail.
At Sheep Pass Campground, explore Ryan Mountain Trail and Sheep Pass Trail.
During extreme visitation times, the park may become drive-through-only due to all parking lots being at capacity; do not park off road or in undesignated areas when this occurs.

Overnight Use:

Visitors must camp in one of the park’s nine designated campgrounds or possess a valid wilderness backpacking permit obtained from Recreation.gov or from the Permit Office and follow regulations to camp in wilderness. It is illegal to camp in any other location.

The majority of campsites in the park are reservation only. Reservations can be made at recreation.gov and are highly recommended as first-come, first-serve sites are frequently full throughout the week.
Belle, White Tank, and Hidden Valley campgrounds are first-come, first-served year-round; they fill most weekends Oct-April, during holiday weeks (holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas), and most weekdays in the spring.
Black Rock, Indian Cove, Jumbo Rocks, Cottonwood, and Ryan campgrounds can be reserved at recreation.gov; campgrounds book up early so plan ahead!
Group Campgrounds: Sheep Pass, Cottonwood, Indian Cove offer group campsites. Reserve group sites at recreation.gov.
Additional camping is available in private campgrounds in Joshua Tree, Twentynine Palms, Yucca Valley, Desert Hot Springs, and Chiriaco Summit.
Dispersed camping is available on Bureau of Land Management land south of the park’s South Entrance, and north of Interstate 10.
Backpacking – wilderness camping, you must park at one of the 13 designated wilderness backpacking boards and register for a permit before entering the park. Camping is not allowed in the parking lot at the trailhead. Wilderness backpacking is allowed more than 1 mile (1.6 km or around 30-minute walk) from roads, 500 feet (152 m or 3-minute walk) from trails and water sources, and not in day-use only areas.

10 Summer Hiking Essentials

Water - plain and some with electrolyte replacement.
Food - especially salty foods. Eat twice as much as normal.
First Aid Kit - band aids, ace wrap, antiseptic, moleskin, etc.
Map - while many trails are well-marked, maps are helpful tools.
Pack - to carry the essentials.
Flashlight/Spare Batteries - allows you to hike out during the cool of the evening.
Spray Bottle - fill with water for your own personal air conditioning system.
Sun Protection - hat and sunscreen to keep the sun off you and protect your skin.
Whistle and/or Signal Mirror - for emergency use.
Waterproof Clothing - poncho or jacket; especially useful during monsoon season (mid-July to early September).

Prep for Your Visit

Extra summer desert preparation considerations before leaving home.

Tell someone where you are going and when you will be back; there is no cell service.
Check the weather forecast, stay flexible and change plans if the weather is dangerous.
Check the air quality index (AQI) and limit outdoor activity if it’s over 100: AirNow.gov: Joshua Tree National Park, Twentynine Palms, Coachella Valley, Yucca Valley.
Bring extra water and snacks for the entire day. Water is not available inside the park.
Bring and wear sunglasses, long sleeves, loose-fitting clothing, a hat, and sunscreen—the already high UV index increases due to the light color of the sand and stone in the park.
Arrange for pet sitting. Do not bring your pet in summer. Do not leave your pet in the car or tied to an object—it can be deadly for them.
If you have a bee allergy, consider changing your visit to the winter season.
Check on campfire bans before arriving.

Things to Do

What to do and where to go.

Hike short trails, such as Bajada Nature Trail, Barker Dam Nature Trail, Cholla Cactus Garden, Hidden Valley Nature Trail, Keys View, Cap Rock, or Oasis of Mara.
Avoid trails longer than 2 miles, including Boy Scout Trail, Fortynine Palms Trail, Lost Palms Oasis Trail, Ryan Mountain Trail, Panorama Loop, and Warren Peak.
Check out the visitor centers when it’s hot!
Take a driving tour on the park’s paved roads with the air conditioning on when it is hot.
- Save unknown dirt roads for the cooler winter season. It might be deadly if your car breaks down or gets stuck on a dirt road in the summer.
Enjoy some stargazing! The Milky Way Core is visible and beautiful in the summer.
- Visit Quail Springs, Hidden Valley, Echo T, Ryan Mountain, roadside pullouts, and wilderness backpacking boards at night to enjoy stargazing.
- Pinto Basin Road has the least traffic and the darkest skies.
- Registered campers can enjoy these views from their campground.

Heat

Summer heat and extreme heat warnings from the National Weather Service mean taking extra precautions to ensure safety as some activities become more hazardous than usual.

Drink water when thirsty and rest and eat often. Short hikes can feel strenuous in the heat.
Hike in the morning before 9 am and in the evening after 5 pm. Do not hike between 9 am and 5 pm.
There is limited shade in the park. If you find shade, rest, hydrate, and eat snacks.
Heat evaporates sweat quickly; keep yourself hydrated.
Bring extra water on your hike to help keep yourself cool; consider applying a wet bandana around your neck to drip down onto the rest of your body.
- Find water at JTNPVC in 29, BR Campground, CW Campground, CWVC, Indian Cove Ranger Station, Park Headquarters, and West Entrance.
Heat exhaustion/stroke signs: unusually pale OR flushed face, nausea, vomiting, cool and moist OR dry skin, headache and/or cramps, weak and rapid pulse, high body temperature, confusion, poor judgment or inability to cope, unconsciousness and/or seizures.
Heat exhaustion/stroke treatment: Drink electrolytes, eat high-energy foods with fats and sugars, rest in the shade, cool the body by getting wet, and get medical attention.
Emergency phones are at CWVC, Indian Cove Ranger Station, and Intersection Rock.

Floods

Flash floods in the park are most common from July-October.

Flash floods are unpredictable and can be deadly, and you cannot outrun a flash flood.
Stay flexible and be prepared to change your plans if there is a potential for flooding.
Turn around, don’t drown! Do not attempt to cross or enter moving water.
Rushing water is incredibly powerful. A few inches of rapidly moving water can move a car or knock you off your feet. A mere 6” of fast-moving water can knock over an adult.
Flash floods happen quickly, so react quickly. Head for higher ground immediately.
Be patient; flooding is dangerous but may subside within a matter of hours.
Don’t camp during a storm. Campsites may flood during extreme rain events.
Canyons and washes are particularly dangerous.

Wildlife

The heat effects the park’s wildlife, including rattlesnakes and bees. oth highly active in the summer.

Stay on trails and watch where you walk to avoid stepping on rattlesnakes. Take great care to avoid placing hands and feet in any nooks or cracks around vegetation or in rocks.
Look under your car before driving out of a parking space, animals may use your car for shade. As gentle as possible encourage the animal to leave that shady spot.
Bees look for water in the summer and are attracted to any moisture source, including your sweat, do not swat at them; they might sting you.
Close vehicle windows and use caution when exiting your vehicle.
Areas that typically have a high concentration of bees include campgrounds (particularly Jumbo Rocks), Keys View, and the Cholla Cactus Garden.

Fire

The park is susceptible to wildfires, and most Joshua trees do not survive fire.

Keep campfires small, and in campsite fire rings, use extra caution when windy.
No fireworks: do not smoke near vegetation and dispose of cigarette butts in garbage bin.
Make sure nothing is hanging beneath your vehicle and dragging on the pavement like tow chains.

Fire is a natural process and Joshua Tree National Park has seen centuries of lightning-caused fires. Historically, fires in this area of the Mojave Desert were limited in extent because of shrubs and trees are widely spaced in deserts and grasses are not abundant. However, human activities may be contributing to increased frequency and severity of fires.

The number and intensity of lightning fires has increased over the past 50 years. Before 1965, most lightning fires burned less than 0.25 acres. After 1965, more large fires and more frequent fires have been recorded. In 1979, the Quail Mountain fire burned 6,000 acres; in 1995 the Covington fire burned 5,158 acres; and in 1999, the Juniper Complex fire, the largest fire in Joshua Tree’s history, burned 13,894 acres of slow-growing California junipers, pinyon pines, and Joshua trees. Recently, in 2022 the Elk Fire burned a few hundred acres in the park and then in 2023, the Geology Fire burned 1,033 acres.

Desert plants do not need fire to reproduce, and many are highly susceptible to fire. These plants do grow back, but recovery after a fire is slow. Joshua trees frequently resprout after a fire, but because they are very susceptible to drought and rodents eating their bark, the young trees often die. Even small shrubs like blackbrush may require fifty years to return to pre-fire densities. Also, non-native grasses are quick to invade burned areas, crowding out native vegetation.

During periods of high fuel loads and hot, dry, windy weather conditions, Mojave Desert wildfires, especially those in Joshua tree woodlands, have the potential to grow large quickly, exhibiting extreme fire behavior. Joshua tree woodlands are not fire-adapted systems, but invasive plants and other Mojave Desert vegetation often fuel fires that can drastically alter the landscape especially during summers following high winter precipitation.

Firefighters are encouraged to safely and aggressively suppress wildfires to reduce total acres burned, while minimizing impacts from suppression actions. Agency Administrators (AADMs) must provide guidance to incident commanders on resource values, goals, and constraints through pre-season planning, the Wildland Fire Decision Support System (WFDSS), and Resource Advisors (READs).

Firefighter and public safety are the number one fire management priority in every decision and action. Secondary is ceasing habitat damaging tactics as soon as no longer required and avoid spreading non-native organisms.

Creatures in the Park:

Mammals – 52 species: rodents, bats, coyotes, Big Horn Sheep, rabbits, fox, bobcats
Birds – over 250 species: major migration corridor
Reptiles – Desert Tortoise, 18 lizards, 25 snakes (7 venomous)
Amphibians – 2 species: California Tree Frog and Red Spotted Toad
Insects, Arachnids – Harvester ants, stink beetles, tarantulas, scorpion, bees, dragonflies, 75 variety butterflies

Fast Facts:

Animals can get their water from water sources (guzzlers, springs, reservoirs), but when water is scarce, most desert animals normally get moisture from the food they eat.
The Greater Roadrunner belongs to the cuckoo family, spending most of its time on the ground rather than flying. It is an opportunistic feeder with a diet consisting mainly of insects and small lizards, but it will eat small mammals, carrion, millipedes and centipedes, small birds, and eggs. It will even eat rattlesnakes!
Rattlesnakes are important members of the natural community. They will not attack, but if disturbed or cornered, they will defend themselves. Reasonable watchfulness should be sufficient to avoid snakebites. Give them distance and respect.
The biggest lizard in the park is the Western Chuckwalla (5-9” from snout to vent).
Tortoises are endangered. They spend 95% of their time underground in burrows – most of this time is during the summer and winter months. They can live up to 60-100 years and have been known to live to 120 in captivity. A fully grown tortoise can reach up to 15” in length. The population of desert tortoises in the park is estimated at around 13,000.
Bighorn Sheep prefer a habitat of steep, rocky terrain within open corridor conservation areas. It is estimated that 100 to 200 bighorns live within the park.
Kangaroo Rat: named for their ability to leap up to 10 feet when pursued. To survive hot and arid desert conditions, they have adapted to use their food as a water source.

Protecting desert wildlife:

Desert Tortoise Recovery Plan, a multi-agency project that is aimed to identify the threats of the desert tortoise and suggest ways to reduce or eliminate those threats.
Mitigation measures with construction activities: installation of special tortoise fencing in and around tortoise habitat, and presence of biological monitors ensure no wildlife are harmed.
Raven-proof trash receptacles have been installed in order to reduce food sources for ravens and eventually curb the raven population explosion.
Education and outreach programs to inform the public of wildlife issues (particularly tortoises), and what they can do in the community to help.

The Wildlife branch actively conducts research on desert tortoise movements and dietary preferences. Survey climbing areas for possible raptor nesting sites and suggest closures if needed, conduct surveys for bats before mines are closed, and keep track of visitor impacts on sensitive wildlife areas using remote wildlife cameras and direct observation.

A boulder pile — Come for the trees, stay for the rocks!
NPS / Carmen Aurrecoechea

Images

Public domain images can be found on our Flickr.

Last updated: November 25, 2025

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