Joshua Tree National Park

It has been reported that various indian tribes (including Serrano, the Chemehuevi, and the Cahuilla) inhabited the area hundreds of years ago.

In the 1800's miners migrated to the desert in search of gold. At one time there were approximately 300 mines in the area today known as the Joshua Tree National Park. The most famous mine (because alot of gold was found there) was the "Lost Horse Mine" which was active between 1894 to 1931.

In 1910, William F Keys, came to the desert in search of gold. He was hired on as the custodian of Desert Queen Mine but the mine soon ran dry and when the mine closed he claimed the site as his own for wages unpaid while he was working the mine. In 1917, he homesteaded acreage adjoining the mill for a total of 160 acres which became the Desert Queen Ranch. You can take guided tours of the ranch today.

On August 10, 1936, this vast desert area became a National Monument thanks to the efforts of Minerva Hoyt, to preserve the fragile desert vegetation.

And on October 31, 1994, thanks to the California Desert Protection Act passed by congress, 794,000 acres of desert land became known as Joshua Tree National Park.

There are many things to do and see when visiting the Joshua Tree National Park.

Backpacking - with about 794,000 acres to this NP, there are many place to visit including: Berdoo Canyon Road, Black Eagle Mine Road, Covington Flats, Geology Tour Road, Old Dale Road, Pinkham Canyon-Thermal Canyon Roads and Queen Valley Roads.

Bird Watching - in conjunction with the National Audubon Society there is an Annual Christmas Bird Count held during the last weeks of December into the first week of January.

Camping - there are 9 different camp grounds to choose from. Be prepared as the weather can change rapidly here in the desert.




Guided tour of Keys Ranch - take a tour of the ranch house, school house built for the children, store and workhouse that are still standing today.
While taking a community photography class through the local college, we got a private tour early one October morning. It was interesting to see how they lived before all our modern technology.

Hiking - Joshua Tree offers an extensive network of trails of varying length and difficulty.

Horseback riding - a popular way to explore this national park. Be sure to bring your own horses and plenty of water.

Mountain Biking - there are approximately 29 miles of trails for bike riders.

Nature Walks - there are 12 different self guided trails to choose from.

Ranger Programs - throughout our country's national parks, there are ranger programs to help young and old alike learn more about these national treasures.

Rock Climbing - people from all over the world venture to JTNP to go rock climbing. There are 7 main places to go climbing within the park.

Stargazing - you have never seen so many stars than on a clear night from JTNP. Attend a Star Party hosted by the Andromeda Astronomical Society on the Saturday closest to the new moon. Its an amazing universe out there!

Wildflowers - come spring the desert comes alive with a beautiful display of wildflowers. A sight not to be missed.

Known as the park namesake, the Joshua tree, Yucca brevifolia, is a giant member of the lily family. Like the California fan palm, Washingtonia filifera, the Joshua tree is a monocot, in the subgroup of flowering plants that also includes grasses and orchids. Don't confuse the Joshua tree with the Mojave yucca, Yucca schidigera. This close relative can be distinguished by its longer, wider leaves and fibrous threads curling along leaf margins. Both types of yuccas can be seen growing together in the park. The Joshua tree provides a good indicator that you are in the Mojave Desert, but you may also find it growing next to a saguaro cactus in the Sonoran Desert in western Arizona or mixed with pines in the San Bernardino Mountains.

Years ago the Joshua tree was recognized by American Indians for its useful properties: tough leaves were worked into baskets and sandals, and flower buds and raw or roasted seeds made a healthy addition to the diet. The local Cahuilla have long referred to the tree as "hunuvat chiy'a" or "humwichawa;" both names are used by a few elders fluent in the language.

By the mid-19th century, Mormon immigrants had made their way across the Colorado River. Legend has it that these pioneers named the tree after the biblical figure, Joshua, seeing the limbs of the tree as outstretched in supplication, guiding the travelers westward. Concurrent with Mormon settlers, ranchers and miners arrived in the high desert with high hopes of raising cattle and digging for gold. These homesteaders used the Joshua tree's limbs and trunks for fencing and corrals. Miners found a source of fuel for the steam engines used in processing ore.

Today we enjoy this yucca for its grotesque appearance, a surprising sight in the landscape of biological interest. The Joshua tree's life cycle begins with the rare germination of a seed, its survival dependent upon well-timed rains. Look for sprouts growing up from within the protective branches of a shrub. Young sprouts may grow several inches in the first five years, then slow down, averaging one-half inch per year thereafter. The tallest Joshua tree in the park looms a whopping forty feet high, a grand presence in the Queen Valley forest; it is estimated to be about 300 years old! These "trees" do not have growth rings like you would find in an oak or pine. This makes aging difficult, but you can divide the height of a Joshua tree by the average annual growth of one-half inch to get a rough estimate.

Spring rains may bring clusters of white-green flowers on long stalks at branch tips. Like all desert blooms, Joshua trees depend on just the perfect conditions: well-timed rains, and for the Joshua tree, a crisp winter freeze. Researchers believe that freezing temperatures may damage the growing end of a branch and stimulate flowering, followed by branching. You may notice some Joshua trees grow like straight stalks; these trees have never bloomed-which is why they are branchless! In addition to ideal weather, the pollination of flowers requires a visit from the yucca moth. The moth collects pollen while laying her eggs inside the flower ovary. As seeds develop and mature, the eggs hatch into larvae, which feed on the seeds. The tree relies on the moth for pollination and the moth relies on the tree for a few seeds for her young-a happy symbiosis. The Joshua tree is also capable of sprouting from roots and branches. Being able to reproduce vegetatively allows a much quicker recovery after damaging floods or fires, which may kill the main tree.

Many birds, mammals, reptiles, and insects depend on the Joshua tree for food and shelter. Keep your eyes open for the yellow and black flash of a Scott's oriole busy making a nest in a yucca's branches. At the base of rocks you may find a wood rat nest built with spiny yucca leaves for protection. As evening falls, the desert night lizard begins poking around under the log of a fallen Joshua tree in search of tasty insects.

You may be at ease with pine or hardwood, or find shade under the domesticated trees in your city park, but in the high desert, Joshua is our tree. It is an important part of the Mojave Desert ecosystem, providing habitat for numerous birds, mammals, insects, and lizards. Joshua tree forests tell a story of survival, resilience, and beauty borne through perseverance. They are the silhouette that reminds those of us who live here that we are home. Like the Lorax we speak for the trees, but often the trees speak to us.

by Vegetation Specialist Jane Rodgers

Days are typically clear with less than 25% humidity. Temperatures are most comfortable in the spring and fall, with an average high/low of 85 and 50°F.

Winter brings cooler days, around 60°F, and freezing nights. It occasionally snows at higher elevations.

Summers are hot, over 100°F during the day and not cooling much below 75°F until the early hours of the morning.

And beware of summer storms known as desert monsoons. They occur from late June or early July into September, originating over Mexico and spreading into the southwest United States. A desert monsoon is just a seasonal shift in wind direction, the thunderstorms occur because of the moisture moving over the state from the south. Heavy rainfall can occur over a short period of time causing flash floods in the desert. And lightning strikes have been known to cause many fires over the years in JTNP.

One thing I personally love about the desert is the summer storms at night. To feel the thunder rumble overhead and hear the crackling of lightning strike the ground is a sight to see. A show only mother nature could provide.

UPDATE: As I review my Lens today, I am reminded of the Summer Monsoons. They don't always wait until summer before they appear. As I type this (May 29, 2009) the skies outside are grey and cloudy and thunder rumbles overhead. So please remember to always be prepared when you visit our desert oasis Joshua Tree national Park.

In May there is Turtle Days and the JT Musical Festival in May in downtown Joshua Tree.

Yucca Valley has their annual Grubstakes Days Events held on Memorial Day weekend which includes a parade and a Pony Express re-enactment.

Come October there is plenty to do: Wild West Coyote Fest in Joshua Tree as well as the annual Gen & Mineral Show held at the Sportsman Club in Joshua Tree.

And also starting in October you can attend The Open Studio Art Tours. It is the Morongo Basin's largest art event and growing! The Art Tours feature more than 100 artists from Morongo Valley to Wonder Valley.

Oasis of Murals you can experience any time of the year. It is a collection of currently 20 murals painted on various buildings throughout 29 Palms.

Visit California Today: Book flight + hotel together and save!