Joshua Tree National Park

History/Geology:

Two deserts, two large ecosystems whose characteristics are determined primarily by elevation, come together at Joshua Tree National Park. Below 3,000 feet, the Colorado Desert encompasses the eastern part of the park and features natural gardens of creosote bush, ocotillo, and cholla cactus. The higher, moister, and slightly cooler Mojave Desert is the special habitat of the Joshua tree. In addition to Joshua tree forests, the western part of the park also includes some of the most interesting geologic displays found in California's deserts. Five fan palm oases also dot the park, indicating those few areas where water occurs naturally and wildlife abounds.

During the Pleistocene, one of the Southwest's earliest inhabitants, members of the Pinto Culture, lived here, hunting and gathering along a slow moving river that ran through the now dry Pinto Basin. Later, Indians traveled through this area in tune with harvests of pinyon nuts, mesquite beans, acorns, and cactus fruit, leaving behind rock paintings and pottery ollas as reminders of their passing. In the late 1800s explorers, cattlemen, and miners came to the desert. They built dams to create water tanks and dug up and tunneled the earth in search of gold. They are gone now, and left behind are their remnants, including the Lost Horse and Desert Queen mines and the Desert Queen Ranch.

In 1936 Joshua Tree was proclaimed a national monument and in 1984 was designated an International Biosphere Reserve. On October 31, 1994, President Clinton signed the Desert Protection Bill which added 234,000 acres to the already existing national monument boundaries and elevated Joshua Tree to national park status.

Geology Tour
Information on the geological landscape of Joshua Tree National Park.

A Tour of Joshua Tree National Park
Geologic and botanical highlights from Andrew Alden, the About Guide to Geology.

Park History
Historical summary from the National Park Service.

Joshua Tree National Park
General Information	Lodging in the Park
Getting to the Park	Photographs and Maps
Camping	Nearby National Parks, Forests & Scenic Roads
Educational Opportunities	Things to Do
History and Geology	Travel & Tourism Offices
Jobs and Volunteering	Weather