Joshua Tree National Park

Where the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts Meet.

Overview - Description - Things To Do - Maps - Where to Stay - Nearby - Videos

 

Joshua Tree Visitor Center

Within the boundaries of eastern California's Joshua Tree National Park, the Sonoran and Mojave deserts meet. In the higher Mojave portion of the national park, a forest of the strange Joshua Trees and a number of unique rock formations called Inselbergs are protected. In the lower Colorado portion, the Pinto Basin exhibits the typical plants of this hotter Sonoran Desert.

For all its harshness, the desert is a land of surprising variety and complexity, a land of extreme fragility. Viewed from the roadside, Joshua Tree National Park only hints at its hidden vitality. To the close observer, however, a tiny flower bud or the lizard's frantic dash reveals this desert park as a place of beauty and life.

Joshua Tree Wildflower Updates
Camping-Lodging
Books and maps on Joshua Tree

 

 

General Information

Rates & Fees

Entrance Fee: The park entrance fee will be $30 for a single-vehicle permit, good for 7 days. The entrance fee for motorcycles will be $25. The fee per person on foot or bicycle will be $15.

More on fees

Backcountry use is available, contact the park for more information. Vehicles are restricted

Activity Fees

Camping fees vary by campground.
Keys Ranch Guided Walking Tour fees The tour costs $10.00 per Adult. Closed in the summer.

Seasons / Hours

Joshua Tree National Park is open every day, year round. Oasis and Joshua Tree Visitor Centers are open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily. Cottonwood Visitor Center is open from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The Black Rock Nature Center is open October through May, from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM except on Fridays, when the hours are noon to 8:00 PM.

Visitor Centers

Oasis Visitor Center (north): At Route 62 in Twentynine Palms, just outside the park.

Joshua Tree Visitor Center

Joshua Tree Visitor Center
Open All Year 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Located one block south of Hwy 62 (Twentynine Palms Highway) on Park Boulevard in Joshua Tree Village. Picture at top of this page

Cottonwood Visitor Center (south): Just north of I-10 inside the park.

Cottonwood Visitors Center

Black Rock Nature Center: Located in Black Rock Campground.

Facilities/Features

Stores/Museums
The Visitor Centers in have a museum and bookstore featuring books, maps cards and gifts.

Programs & Events
A variety of hikes, birding events, campfires, tours and other activities are conducted by park rangers regularly. Check with the Visitor Centers for schedules.

Food/Supplies
There are no services within the park. Food, gas and other supplies are available in Twentynine Palms, Joshua Tree, and Yucca Valley.

Accessibility
The Visitor Centers are wheelchair accessible.

 

The Rocks

Articles about the park and things to do.


Rules, Regulations, Precautions

Natural Resources

  • Because the park resources belong to all, no one may collect or disturb any animal, plant, rock, artifact or fossil within park boundaries.
  • Joshua Tree National Park is a wildlife refuge. Do not feed or bother wild animals. They often carry diseases; some can also bite; others may be harmed by handling or moving. Do not reach into holes or burrows, and do not place hands or feet where you cannot see them.

Vehicles

  • All vehicles -- four-wheel-drive, motorcycles, off-road and bicycles -- must remain on designated roads or parking lots. All motorized vehicles and their drivers must be properly licensed. All vehicles must have a muffler.

Firearms and Weapons

  • Hunting is illegal. Use of weapons is prohibited within the park. Possession of a firearm or air-gun is prohibited unless it is unloaded and cased or otherwise packed to prevent use. Any implement designed to discharge missiles in the air (bow and arrow, crossbow, etc.) is also illegal.

Camping

  • Camp only in designated locations. Be sure to make your camping plans well before sunset, for roadside camping is not permitted.
  • Campfires are allowed only in fireplaces and portable stoves. Wood collecting -- dead or alive -- is prohibited throughout the park so bring or buy your own.
  • Trash and waste must be placed in proper containers. Place a container under camper or trailer drains. Dump liquid waste, including dishwater, only at stations or restroom camper sinks.

Pets

  • Pets must be leashed or confined at all times. Owners are responsible for picking up animal litter and depositing it in proper trash receptacles. Pets are not allowed in the backcountry, park trails, the Visitor Center or other public buildings.

Safety Precautions

  • Never travel alone. Always tell someone where you are going and when you plan to return.
  • Be alert for flash floods when it looks stormy. Do not ford low places when water is running. Flood waters can undercut pavement or sweep a car from the road.
  • Abandoned mines can be dangerous. Do not explore them without assurance they are safe. Forgotten caches of explosives are sometimes found; do not touch them, but report them to park rangers immediately. Vertical shafts are invisible from within dark tunnels, and wooden supports can give way at any time, both of which could be fatal.
  • Carry plenty of water -- one gallon per day per person -- and drink it!
  • Wear comfortable, sturdy footwear and a hat; use sunscreen.
  • If your vehicle breaks down, stay with it. It is much easier to find a vehicle than a wandering person.

Want to learn more aobut Joshua Tree National Park?

Overview - Description - Things To Do - Maps - Where to Stay - Nearby - Videos


Joshua Tree National Park
74485 National Park Drive
Twentynine Palms, CA 92277
760-367-5500

 

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