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Encyclopedia > Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree National Park
IUCN Category Ib (Wilderness Area)
Location California, USA
Nearest city Palm Springs
Coordinates 33°47′18.22″N 115°53′53.60″W / 33.7883944, -115.8982222
Area 789,745 acres (3,196 km²)
Established October 31, 1994
Total visitation 1,256,421 (in 2006)
Governing body National Park Service
Double Cross on The Old Woman Rock
Double Cross on The Old Woman Rock

Joshua Tree National Park is located in south-eastern California. Declared a U.S. National Park in 1994, it had previously been a U.S. National Monument since 1936. It includes 1,234 mi² (3,196 km²) of land. A large part of the park is designated wilderness area; some 914 mi² (2,367 km²). The World Conservation Union or International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) is an international organization dedicated to natural resource conservation. ... Broadly, a wilderness area is a region where the land is left in a state where human modifications are minimal; that is, as a wilderness. ... Image File history File links Red_pog. ... Image File history File links US_Locator_Blank. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... Palm Springs is a famed Riverside County, California, USA, desert resort city, approximately 110 miles (177 km) east of Los Angeles and 140 miles (225 km) northeast of San Diego. ... is the 304th day of the year (305th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... The National Park Service (NPS) is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 486 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (590 × 728 pixel, file size: 272 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Photographed by Doug Dolde in Death Valley, California, 2007 Arca Swiss 4x5 view camera, Fujichrome Provia 100F transparency film. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 486 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (590 × 728 pixel, file size: 272 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Photographed by Doug Dolde in Death Valley, California, 2007 Arca Swiss 4x5 view camera, Fujichrome Provia 100F transparency film. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... The parks of the United States National Park system are one type of protected area in the United States and are operated by the National Park Service. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... Navajo National Monument Devils Tower National Monument Statue of Liberty National Monument Fort Matanzas National Monument A National Monument is a protected area of the United States that is similar to a national park (specifically a U.S. National Park) except that the President of the United States can quickly... To help compare orders of magnitude of different geographical regions, we list here areas between 1,000 km² and 10,000 km². See also areas of other orders of magnitude. ... Broadly, a wilderness area is a region where the land is left in a state where human modifications are minimal; that is, as a wilderness. ...


Straddling the San Bernardino County/Riverside County border, the park includes parts of two deserts, each an ecosystem whose characteristics are determined primarily by elevation. Below 3,000 feet (900 m), the Colorado Desert encompasses the eastern part of the park and features natural gardens of creosote bush, ocotillo, and cholla cactus. The Little San Bernardino Mountains run through the southwest edge of the park. San Bernardino County is the largest county in the United States by area, containing more land than 9 states. ... Riverside County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of California, stretching from Orange County to the Colorado River, which is the border with Arizona. ... This article is about arid terrain. ... A coral reef near the Hawaiian islands is an example of a complex marine ecosystem. ... The Colorado Desert (yellow) showing Joshua Tree National Park The Colorado Desert is a large arid depression in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of California and the northeastern portion of the Mexican state of Baja California. ... Binomial name Larrea tridentata (Sessé & Moc. ... Binomial name Fouquieria splendens The ocotillo, Fouquieria splendens, is a curious desert plant of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. ... Species Many, see text Opuntia is a genus in the cactus family Cactaceae. ... Subfamilies Cactoideae Maihuenioideae Opuntioideae Pereskioideae See also taxonomy of the Cactaceae A cactus (plural cacti, cactuses or cactus) is any member of the succulent plant family Cactaceae, native to the Americas. ... Little San Bernardino Mountains The Little San Bernardino Mountains are short peninsular range in southern California in the United States. ...


The higher, moister, and slightly cooler Mojave Desert is the special habitat of the Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia), from which the park gets its name. In addition to Joshua tree forests, the western part of the park includes some of the most interesting geologic displays found in California's deserts. The dominant geologic features of this landscape are hills of bare rock, usually broken up into loose boulders. These hills are popular amongst rock climbing and scrambling enthusiasts. The flatland between these hills is sparsely forested with Joshua trees. Together with the boulder piles and Skull Rock, the trees make the landscape otherworldly. Five Washingtonia fan palm oases in the park are the few areas where water occurs naturally and wildlife abounds. For the indigenous American tribe, see Mohave. ... Binomial name Yucca brevifolia Schott ex Torr. ... Species many, see text Yucca filamentosa in New Zealand Yucca decipiens in Zacatecas, Mexico Joshua Trees growing in the Mojave Desert. ... Climbers on Valkyrie at the Roaches. ... Scrambling on Crib Goch, Snowdonia, Wales Scrambling is a method of ascending rocky faces and ridges. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... Species Washingtonia filifera Washingtonia robusta Washingtonia (named for George Washington, 1st U.S. President) is a genus of palms, native to the southwestern United States (in southern California, southwest Arizona) and northwest Mexico (in northern Baja California and Sonora). ...


At least 240 species of birds have been observed in the park. A good place to view wildlife is at Barker Dam, a short hike from a parking area near Hidden Valley. Desert Bighorn Sheep sometimes stop by the dam for a drink. Tours of the Barker Dam area are available.
Barker Dam Barker Dam is a water-storage facility located in Joshua Tree National Park in California. ... Trinomial name Ovis canadensis nelsoni The Desert Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) is a subspecies of Bighorn Sheep that occurs in the desert Southwest regions of the United States. ...

Contents

Recreation in Joshua Tree National Park

Barker Dam Lake
Barker Dam Lake
Sunset at Black Rock campground
Sunset at Black Rock campground

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1200x1600, 821 KB)Lake in Joshua Tree National Park, USA taken February 13, 2004 by Jim Harper. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1200x1600, 821 KB)Lake in Joshua Tree National Park, USA taken February 13, 2004 by Jim Harper. ... Sunset at Black Rock campground, Joshua Tree National Park 2004/08/11 (August 11, 2004) Samboy took this picture and releases this version of the picture (400x302 pictures) under the GFDL. File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old... Sunset at Black Rock campground, Joshua Tree National Park 2004/08/11 (August 11, 2004) Samboy took this picture and releases this version of the picture (400x302 pictures) under the GFDL. File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old...

Camping

Nine established campgrounds exist in the park, only two of which (Black Rock Canyon and Cottonwood) provide water and flush toilets. A fee between $10-15 is charged per night for each camping spot. Backcountry camping, for those who wish to backpack, is permitted with a few regulations. Campers must park at one of the twelve backcountry boards and leave their car information and camping itinerary. Backcountry campsites must be at least one mile from any road and 500 feet from any trail. Fires are only permitted within the established campgrounds and only in the provided fire rings. A campsite (or campground) is a place used for camping. ... A backcountry area in general terms is a geographical region that is: isolated remote undeveloped difficult to access The term particularly applies to mountainous regions that are reasonably close to urban areas but are: not immediately accessible by road at relatively high altitude not frequented by human visitors While the... Backpacking in the Grand Teton National Park, United States Backpacking (also tramping or trekking or bushwalking in some countries) combines hiking and camping in a single trip. ...


Hiking

There are several hiking trails within the park, many of which can be accessed from a campground. Shorter trails, such as the one mile hike through Hidden Valley, offer a chance to view the beauty of the park without straying too far into the desert. A section of the California Riding and Hiking Trail meanders for 35 miles through the western side of the park. The lookout point at Keys View, towards the south of the park, offers views of the Coachella Valley and Salton Sea. Geology road is a dirt road in the south of the park which provides a self-guided tour for those visitors with a four-wheel drive vehicle. There are seventy two stops on the tour showcasing the region's geology. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For the film, see The Salton Sea. ... Dirt road is a common term for an unpaved road. ... This article is about the class of vehicles. ...


Climbing

Looking North from Jumbo Rocks, a popular rock-climbers' destination within the park.
Looking North from Jumbo Rocks, a popular rock-climbers' destination within the park.

The park is extremely popular with rock climbers (who often refer to it as "JT" if they are locals). It was originally a winter practice area while Yosemite Valley and other parts of the Sierra Nevada were snowbound, but later became an area of interest in its own right. There are thousands of named climbing routes, at all levels of difficulty. The routes are typically short, the rocks being rarely more than 70 m (230 ft) in height, but access is usually a short, easy walk through the desert, and it's possible to do a number of interesting climbs in a single day. The rocks are all composed of quartz monzonite, a very rough type of granite made even more so as there is no snow or ice to polish it as in places like Yosemite. Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Yosemite National Park (pronounced Yo-SEM-it-ee, IPA: ) is a national park located largely in Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties, California, United States. ... This article is about the mountain range in the Western United States. ... Southern and northern Mount Everest climbing routes as seen from the International Space Station. ... Quartz monzonite is a felsic igneous rock that has an approximately equal proportion of orthoclase and plagioclase feldspars. ... Close-up of granite from Yosemite National Park, valley of the Merced River Quarrying granite for the Mormon Temple, Utah Territory. ...


Birding

There are over 250 species of bird in the park including resident desert birds such as the Greater Roadrunner and Cactus Wren as well as Mockingbirds, Le Conte's Thrasher, Verdin and Gambel's Quail. There are also many transient species that may spend only one or two seasons in the park. Noted birding spots in the park include: fan palm oasiss, Barker Dam and Smith water Canyon. Queen Valley and Lost Horse Valley also provide good birding but with a different range of species because of the lack of water. These are often good places to see Ladder-Backed Woodpecker and Oak Titmouse. For other uses, see Species (disambiguation). ... This article is about arid terrain. ... For other meanings of bird, see bird (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Geococcyx californianus (Lesson, 1829) The Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus) is a large, long-legged bird in the cuckoo family, Cuculidae. ... Binomial name Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus Lafresnaye, 1835 The Cactus Wren or Saguaro Wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) is the largest North American wren, and is 18-23 cm (7-9 inches) long. ... For other uses, see Mockingbird (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Toxostoma lecontei (Lawrence, 1851) The Le Contes Thrasher (Toxostoma lecontei) is a pale bird found in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. ... The Verdin (Auriparus flaviceps) is a species of penduline tit. ... Binomial name Callipepla gambelii Gambel, 1843 The Gambels Quail, Callipepla gambelii, is a small ground-dwelling bird in the New World quail family. ... For the English rock band, see Oasis (band). ... Barker Dam is a water-storage facility located in Joshua Tree National Park in California. ... Binomial name Baeolophus inornatus (Gambel, 1842) The Oak Titmouse, Baeolophus inornatus, is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. ...


External links

Joshua tree
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Joshua Tree National Park
  • Official site: Joshua Tree National Park
  • Joshua Tree National Park travel guide from Wikitravel

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 2426 KB) Summary This image was created by me, Boris D.; I release all rights to it. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 2426 KB) Summary This image was created by me, Boris D.; I release all rights to it. ... Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Wikitravel is a project to create an open content, complete, up-to-date, and reliable world-wide travel guide. ...

References

  • Birds, Joshua Tree National Park Association


 

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