- State: CA
- NPCA Region: Pacific
- Est. Date: 1994
Air Quality Conditions
View the Polluted Parks ReportVisibility
Unsatisfactory
Health
Significant Concern
Nature
Significant Concern
Climate Change Threats
This iconic park preserves portions of two spectacular desert ecosystems. The Colorado Desert in the eastern portion of the park features natural gardens of creosote bush, ocotillo and cholla cactus. The higher, slightly cooler Mojave Desert offers dazzling vistas of Joshua trees and yucca. The vast park also contains spectacularly sculpted formations of a type of rock known as monzogranite and is a mecca for rock climbers around the world.
Prayer Plant?
Mormon settlers may have given Joshua trees their name in the mid-1800s. The story goes that these pioneers believed the trees' limbs resembled the upstretched arms of the Biblical figure Joshua raising his hands in prayer.
-
Press Release
Tribal and National Parks Groups File Lawsuit to Defend Mojave Desert Sacred Lands, Wildlife and Water from Cadiz
Lawsuit challenges a fast-tracked decision in the final days of the Trump administration that threatens Mojave National Preserve and a deeply sacred cultural landscape for California Tribes.
-
Press Release
Desert Plan Rollbacks Threaten National Park Wildlife, Communities and Culture
Rollbacks could threaten crucial protections including for the Silurian Valley outside of Death Valley, and lands surrounding Joshua Tree National Park, Mojave National Preserve and other wildlife-rich lands.
My Park Story
Greetings from Joshua Tree National Park
I run a 19 year-old desert magazine, and this year we launched a desert show on PBS as well. I not only visit many of our national parks, monuments, and preserves every year, but I advocate for their preservation and encourage visitation. On a personal level, my wife and I…
More about Joshua Tree
Filter By
-
Read more about Don’t Drain Our Desert Water
NPCA at Work Don’t Drain Our Desert Water NPCA and our allies are working to stop a private company from building a harmful water-mining project near several beloved national park sites in California
-
Read more about California's National Parks: Struggling for Clean Air
NPCA at Work California's National Parks: Struggling for Clean Air It might come as a surprise that California’s crown jewel national parks — Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Joshua Tree and Yosemite — struggle with some of the dirtiest air of any parks in the nation.
-
Read more about Protect Eagle Mountain from Dangerous Development Proposals
NPCA at Work Protect Eagle Mountain from Dangerous Development Proposals Just outside the boundary of Joshua Tree National Park, the region known as Eagle Mountain has been at the center of controversy over inappropriate, harmful development proposals for years. Incorporating these lands into the park could help protect them from the latest threat, the Eagle Crest Pumped Storage Project. This massive energy development stands to pump millions of gallons of water from the fragile desert aquifer in and around the park.
-
Read more about 10 Parks for Every Tree Lover’s List
Blog Post 10 Parks for Every Tree Lover’s List National parks are home to some of the country’s rarest and most remarkable trees. In many cases, these spectacular plants have stood watch over centuries of history. Here are just 10 places that are sure to wow tree lovers everywhere.
-
they preserve the best of our country and they provide me with access into wilderness which I so often crave. — Shane
-
Read more about California Grants Joshua Tree Temporary Protections
Press Release California Grants Joshua Tree Temporary Protections The California Fish and Game Commission unanimously approved temporary California Endangered Species Act (CESA) protections today for western Joshua trees.
-
Read more about Celebrate Dark Skies at These 27 National Parks
Blog Post Celebrate Dark Skies at These 27 National Parks Lay out a blanket after the sun goes down and see a clearer view of the universe at these designated dark-sky parks.
-
Read more about These 10 National Parks Wouldn’t Exist Without Women
Blog Post These 10 National Parks Wouldn’t Exist Without Women From Joshua Tree to Great Sand Dunes, these 10 special places are protected today thanks to their female champions.
-
Read more about Riverside County Rejects Destructive New City Near Joshua Tree National Park
Press Release Riverside County Rejects Destructive New City Near Joshua Tree National Park Riverside County Board of Supervisors unanimously rejects city proposal that threatened Joshua Tree National Park wildlife, night skies and surrounding communities.
-
Read more about 10 California Landmarks Worth Celebrating
Blog Post 10 California Landmarks Worth Celebrating On the 25th anniversary of the California Desert Protection Act, we share a selection of the many extraordinary places that advocates have saved through years of dedication.
-
Read more about The Garage Door Opener That Almost Thwarted Joshua Tree National Park
Blog Post The Garage Door Opener That Almost Thwarted Joshua Tree National Park In 1994, the California Desert Protection Act designated millions of acres as national park and wilderness lands — but one faulty garage door opener nearly derailed the entire process.
-
Read more about California Governor Newsom Signs Bill to Protect Desert Water, Wildlife and Parks
Press Release California Governor Newsom Signs Bill to Protect Desert Water, Wildlife and Parks SB307 requires state environmental review of Cadiz Inc. and desert water mining proposals
-
Read more about California Passes Vital Legislation to Protect Desert Water, Parks, Wildlife and Tribal Resources
Press Release California Passes Vital Legislation to Protect Desert Water, Parks, Wildlife and Tribal Resources Bill halts Cadiz Groundwater Mining Proposal, heads to Governor Gavin Newsom for signature
-
Read more about Federal Court Rejects Trump Administration’s Approval of California’s Cadiz Water Pipeline
Press Release Federal Court Rejects Trump Administration’s Approval of California’s Cadiz Water Pipeline A federal court ruled that the Trump administration violated the law when it approved plans to construct a 43-mile-long pipeline through Mojave Trails National Monument and other public land in southern California.
-
Read more about What Moves Us
Video What Moves Us Why are we drawn to our national parks? What inspires us to explore them—and to return to our favorites again and again? This video reminds us all why we yearn for the paths through our most cherished places... and can't help but to put one foot in front of the other.
-
Read more about Polluted Parks: How Dirty Air is Harming America’s National Parks
Report Polluted Parks: How Dirty Air is Harming America’s National Parks “Polluted Parks” graded the pollution-related damage in the 48 national parks required by the Clean Air Act to have the highest possible air quality.
-
Read more about Comments on the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan
Letter Comments on the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan National Parks Conservation Association’s comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan
-
Read more about Comments on California Desert Conservation and Recreation Act
Report Comments on California Desert Conservation and Recreation Act Comments on the California Desert Conservation and Recreation Act
-
Read more about Comments on Draft Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan
Letter Comments on Draft Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan Comments on Draft Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan
-
Read more about Polluted Parks: Fact Sheets
Fact Sheet Polluted Parks: Fact Sheets Haze pollution limits views of our most valued national parks and wilderness areas, affecting not just how far we can see, but also the color, sharpness, and quality of the view. It also makes the air unhealthy for people, wildlife and natural resources.
-
Read more about Eagle Mountain Tortoise Habitat Projected Map
Report Eagle Mountain Tortoise Habitat Projected Map Map of desert tortoise habitat threatened by Eagle Mountain Landfill
-
Read more about Protecting and Connecting Our Nation's Treasured Park Landscapes
Fact Sheet Protecting and Connecting Our Nation's Treasured Park Landscapes National parks are key to protecting and connecting our most revered places.
-
Read more about Solar Energy, National Parks, and Landscape Protection in the Desert Southwest
Report Solar Energy, National Parks, and Landscape Protection in the Desert Southwest Solar energy is one of our country’s most promising industries for reducing America’s current reliance on coal-fired power plants that contribute to unhealthy air quality in communities across the country, as well as our national parks.
-
Read more about Eagle Mountain Landfill Case: Ninth Circuit Opinion
Report Eagle Mountain Landfill Case: Ninth Circuit Opinion Eagle Mountain Landfill Case: Ninth Circuit Opinion
Donate
Preserve Our Parks
Make a tax-deductible gift today to provide a brighter future for our national parks and the millions of Americans who enjoy them.
Donate Now