Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree National Park | |
---|---|
Location | Riverside County and San Bernardino County, California, United States |
Nearest city | Twentynine Palms |
Coordinates | 34°06′N 116°16′W / 34.1°N 116.27°W |
Area | 795,156 acres (1,242.4 sq mi; 3,217.9 km2)[2] |
Established | August 10, 1936 October 31, 1994 as a national park | as a national monument
Visitors | 3,058,294 (in 2022[3]) |
Governing body | National Park Service |
Website | nps |
Joshua Tree National Park is an American
History
Early
The earliest known residents of the land in and around what later became Joshua Tree National Park were the people of the Pinto Culture, who lived and hunted here between 8000 and 4000 BCE.
A fourth group, the Mojaves, used the local resources as they traveled along trails between the Colorado River and the Pacific coast. In the 21st century, small numbers of all four peoples live in the region near the park; the Twentynine Palms Band of Mission Indians, descendants of the Chemehuevi, own a reservation in Twentynine Palms.[8]
In 1772, a group of Spaniards led by
Post-1870
In 1870, white settlers began grazing cattle on the tall grasses that grew in the park. In 1888, a gang of
In 1900,[12] C. O. Barker, a miner and cattleman, built the original Barker Dam, later improved by William "Bill" Keys, a rancher.[13] Grazing continued in the park through 1945.[11] Barker Dam was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1975.[12]
Between the 1860s and the 1940s, miners worked about 300 pit mines, mostly small, in what later became the park.
The Desert Queen Mine on Keys' Desert Queen Ranch was another productive gold mine.[14] In the early 1930s, Keys bought a gasoline-powered two-stamp mill, the Wall Street Mill, and moved it to his ranch to process ore.[16] The ranch and mill were added to the NRHP in 1975[16][17] and the mine in 1976.[18] Some of the mines in the park yielded copper, zinc, and iron.[14]
Protection
On August 10, 1936, after Minerva Hoyt and others persuaded the state and federal governments to protect the area, President Franklin D. Roosevelt used the power of the 1906 Antiquities Act to establish Joshua Tree National Monument,[19] protecting about 825,000 acres (1,289.1 sq mi; 3,338.7 km2).[20] In 1950, the size of the park was reduced by about 290,000 acres (453.1 sq mi; 1,173.6 km2) to open the land to more mining.[21] The monument was redesignated as a national park on October 31, 1994, by the Desert Protection Act, which also added 234,000 acres (365.6 sq mi; 947.0 km2).[22] In 2019, the park expanded by 4,518 acres (7.1 sq mi; 18.3 km2) under a provision included in the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act.[23][24]
The Mojave Desert Land Trust (MDLT) has conserved 10,290 acres (4,160 ha) within the park. These inholdings were private ownership within the national park that they were able to purchase. They also acquire private properties bordering federally protected properties. MDLT has sold 25,801 acres (10,441 ha) of acquired private property to the national park service which is more than any other similar organization.[25]
Geography
Potential natural vegetation
According to the
Mojave Desert
The higher and cooler Mojave Desert is the special habitat of Yucca brevifolia, the Joshua tree for which the park is named. It occurs in patterns from dense forests to distantly spaced specimens. 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 among 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. Temperatures are most comfortable in the spring and fall, with an average high/low of 85 and 50 °F (29 and 10 °C), respectively. Winter brings cooler days, around 60 °F (16 °C), and freezing nights. Snows occur occasionally at higher elevations. Summers are hot, over 100 °F (38 °C) during the day and not cooling much below 75 °F (24 °C) until the early hours of the morning.[27]
Joshua trees dominate the open spaces of the park, but in among the rock outcroppings are piñon pine, California juniper (Juniperus californica), Quercus turbinella (desert scrub oak), Quercus john-tuckeri (Tucker's oak), Quercus cornelius-mulleri (Muller's oak),[28] Cylindropuntia chuckwallensis (chuckwalla cholla), and Opuntia chlorotica (dollarjoint pricklypear).[29]
These communities are under some stress, however, as the climate was wetter until the 1930s, with the same hot and dry conditions that provoked the Dust Bowl affecting the local climate. These cycles were nothing new, but the original vegetation did not prosper when wetter cycles returned. The difference may have been human development. Cattle grazing took out some of the natural covers and made it less resistant to the changes.[citation needed]
There are fewer Joshua tree seedlings surviving in the park.[30] It is forecasted that by 2099, under the high emission scenario, the park will increase in temperature by 8 °F. This would make most of the national park unsuitable for Joshua tree growth. Under the low emission scenario, 80% of suitable Joshua tree habitat could be lost.[30]
The desert tortoise population has decreased due to habitat loss and climate change. Lizards in the park are also at risk. Bird species have declined 43% according to studies conducted in 1908–1968 and 2013–2016.[30]
Colorado Desert
Below 3,000 feet (910 m), the
The only palm native to California, the California fan palm (Washingtonia filifera), occurs naturally in five oases in the park, rare areas where water occurs naturally year-round, and all forms of wildlife abound.[5]
Invasive species
Invasive plants such as
Fountain grass was introduced to the park in the 1990s. This grass competes with native grasses for water and nutrients.[31]
Climate
According to the
Climate data for Cottonwood Visitor Center, Joshua Tree National Park. Elev: 3104 ft (946 m) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 59.2 (15.1) |
61.1 (16.2) |
66.4 (19.1) |
75.3 (24.1) |
84.3 (29.1) |
92.8 (33.8) |
97.7 (36.5) |
96.7 (35.9) |
91.3 (32.9) |
80.0 (26.7) |
67.2 (19.6) |
58.6 (14.8) |
77.6 (25.3) |
Daily mean °F (°C) | 47.2 (8.4) |
48.9 (9.4) |
53.3 (11.8) |
59.9 (15.5) |
68.2 (20.1) |
76.4 (24.7) |
82.4 (28.0) |
81.7 (27.6) |
75.7 (24.3) |
64.7 (18.2) |
53.7 (12.1) |
46.5 (8.1) |
63.3 (17.4) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 35.1 (1.7) |
36.7 (2.6) |
40.3 (4.6) |
44.6 (7.0) |
52.1 (11.2) |
60.0 (15.6) |
67.0 (19.4) |
66.8 (19.3) |
60.1 (15.6) |
49.4 (9.7) |
40.1 (4.5) |
34.5 (1.4) |
49.0 (9.4) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.88 (22) |
0.84 (21) |
0.66 (17) |
0.19 (4.8) |
0.07 (1.8) |
0.01 (0.25) |
0.32 (8.1) |
0.82 (21) |
0.26 (6.6) |
0.30 (7.6) |
0.32 (8.1) |
0.78 (20) |
5.45 (138) |
Average relative humidity (%)
|
40.7 | 43.0 | 42.9 | 37.4 | 35.1 | 26.2 | 28.6 | 31.0 | 30.1 | 31.4 | 34.6 | 37.9 | 34.9 |
Average dew point °F (°C) | 24.5 (−4.2) |
27.4 (−2.6) |
31.3 (−0.4) |
33.8 (1.0) |
39.6 (4.2) |
39.2 (4.0) |
46.6 (8.1) |
48.1 (8.9) |
42.2 (5.7) |
33.7 (0.9) |
26.4 (−3.1) |
22.2 (−5.4) |
34.6 (1.4) |
Source: PRISM Climate Group[33] |
Joshua Tree is becoming hotter and drier due to climate change.[30] From 1895 to 2016 the annual precipitation has dropped by 39% and the annual temperature has increased by 3 °F.[30] Because of the hotter and drier conditions, there are more wildfires in the park.
Geology
The park's oldest rocks, Pinto Gneiss among them, are 1.7 billion years old. They are exposed in places on the park's surface in the Cottonwood, Pinto, and Eagle Mountains. Much later, from 250 to 75 million years ago, tectonic plate movements forced volcanic material toward the surface at this location and formed granites, including monzogranite common to the Wonderland of Rocks, parts of the Pinto, Eagle, and Coxcomb Mountains, and elsewhere. Erosion eventually exposed the harder rocks, gneiss, and granite, in the uplands and reduced the softer rocks to debris that filled the canyons and basins between the ranges. The debris, moved by gravity and water, formed alluvial fans at the mouths of canyons, and bajadas, where the alluvial fans overlapped.[34]
The rock
Of the park's six blocks of mountains, five—the Little San Bernardino, Hexie, Pinto, Cottonwood, and Eagle—are among the Transverse Ranges, which trend generally east–west in locations between the Eagle Mountains on the east and the northern Channel Islands, in the Pacific Ocean west of Santa Barbara, on the west. Tectonic forces along the San Andreas Fault system compressed and lifted the crust material that formed these ranges. The San Andreas Fault itself passes southwest of the park, but related parallel faults, including the Dillon, Blue Cut, and Pinto, run through the park, and movements along them have caused earthquakes. The easternmost range in the park, the Coxcomb Mountains, runs generally north–south and is part of the Basin and Range Province.[34]
Recreation
Camping
Nine established
Hiking
Several hiking trails are 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 (56 km) through the western side of the park.[39] The lookout point at Keys View, towards the south of the park, offers views of the Coachella Valley, the Salton Sea, the San Andreas Fault, the Santa Rosa Mountains, and the city of Palm Springs.[40]
Nature walks inside the park include:
Longer trails include:
- Boy Scout Hiking and Equestrian Trail[41]
- Contact Mine
- Fortynine Palms Oasis
- Lost Horse Mine
- Lost Palms Oasis
- Ryan Mountain
- Warren Peak
- California Riding and Hiking Trail[42]
Due to graffiti on at least 17 sites on trails, officials have closed them to the public. The closed sites include Native American sites, Rattlesnake Canyon, and Barker Dam. They blame the increase in vandalism on the increased use of social media.[43]
Climbing
The park is popular with rock climbers and was originally a winter practice area while
Some routes are permanently closed, while others are closed temporarily to protect sensitive wildlife in certain seasons. Climbing and bouldering routes that are permanently closed include Energy Crisis, the Schwarzenegger Wall, Zombie Woof Rock, the Maverick Boulder formation, Pictograph Boulder, Shindig, Lonely Stones Area #3, and the Shipwreck formation, Indian Wave Boulders (except for Native Arete), and Wormholes. As of March 14, 2018[update], seasonal closures include the Slatanic Area, Towers of Uncertainty, Patagonia Pile, and Jerry's Quarry.[44]
Visitation and access
The total visitors more than doubled from 2013 to 2019. Awareness of the wildflower bloom in the spring has brought increased visitation.[45]
The paved main road allows visitors to drive to major attractions and through the park. The
Birdwatching
More than 250 bird species inhabit or visit the park, including resident desert birds such as the greater roadrunner, cactus wren, northern mockingbird, LeConte's thrasher, verdin, and Gambel's quail. About 78 species nest and raise their young within the park. Many migrating species spend only a short time feeding and resting at Joshua Tree, mainly in the winter, as the park lies along an inland stretch of the Pacific Flyway. Other species descend from their usual habitats in the mountains to escape winter snow.[47]
Birdwatching spots include fan palm oases, the Barker Dam, and Smith Water Canyon. Queen Valley and Lost Horse Valley also provide good birdwatching, with a different range of species due to the lack of water, including the ladder-backed woodpecker and oak titmouse. A USGS bird checklist from 2006 contained 239 species in the park.[48]
Astronomy
Joshua Tree is a popular observing site in
The park is well known for its naturally dark
On clear nights around
Wildlife
Birds,
Animals that thrive in Joshua Tree often have special adaptations for dealing with limited water and high summer temperatures. The smaller mammals and all reptiles take refuge from the heat underground. Desert mammals make more efficient use of their bodies’ water supply than the human body. Reptiles are physiologically adapted to getting along with little water, and birds can fly to water sources when they need to drink. Nevertheless, the springs and seeps in the park are necessary for the survival of many animals. Most reptiles and many small rodents and insects go into an inactive state of hibernation during the winter. However, winter is the time of greatest bird concentrations in the park, because of the presence of many migrant species.[54]
Wilderness
Of the park's total land area of 790,636 acres (1,235.4 sq mi; 3,199.6 km2), 429,690 acres (671.4 sq mi; 1,738.9 km2) are designated wilderness and managed by the National Park Service (NPS) in accordance with the Wilderness Act.[59] The NPS requires registration for overnight camping at specific locations called registration boards. Other requirements include the use of a camp stove (since open campfires are prohibited) and employing Leave No Trace camping techniques (also known as "pack it in, pack it out").[60] Although bicycles are not allowed in wilderness areas, horses are, but a permit must be obtained in advance for travel in the backcountry. Cellular signals are weak to non-existent and should not be depended on while visiting the park.
Vandalism
On April 1, 2015, graffiti artist André was convicted and fined for vandalizing a boulder in the park.[61] André posted photos of his vandalism on social media. Casey Schreiner, of the hiking blog site Modern Hiker, and some of his readers aided the National Park Service in tracking down and identifying André's vandalism.[62] Before the conviction, André had attempted to silence the reporting with legal threats.[63]
During the
See also
- Cahuilla
- California Desert Protection Act of 1994
- Chemehuevi
- Eureka Peak
- Johnny Lang
- List of national parks of the United States
- Mojave and Colorado Deserts Biosphere Reserve
- National parks in California
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Joshua Tree National Park
References
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the National Park Service.
- ^ "Protected Planet | Joshua Tree". Protected Planet. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
- ^ a b Land Resources Division (December 31, 2016). "National Park Service Listing of Acreage (summary)" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
- ^ "Annual Visitation Highlights". nps.gov. National Park Service. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
- ^ Wikisource. . August 10, 1936 – via
- ^ a b "A Desert Park". National Park Service. Archived from the original on May 20, 2017. Retrieved May 6, 2009.
- ^ a b "Pinto Culture". National Park Service. February 28, 2015. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
- ^ Hunter, Charlotte (March 22, 2016). "American Indians". National Park Service. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
- ^ Dilsaver 2015, pp. 28–29.
- ^ Dilsaver 2015, pp. 31–33.
- ^ Eggers 2004, pp. 33–34.
- ^ a b "Cowboys". National Park Service. February 28, 2015. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
- ^ a b Chappell, Gordon (June 11, 1975). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory – Nomination Form: Barker Dam". National Park Service. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
- ^ Dilsaver 2015, p. 33.
- ^ a b c Dilsaver 2015, pp. 33–39.
- ^ a b Spoo, Melanie (February 28, 2015). "Lost Horse Mine". National Park Service. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
- ^ a b Chappell, Gordon (June 10, 1975). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Wall Street Mill" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved July 10, 2017.
- ^ Chappell, Gordon (1975). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Keys Desert Queen Ranch" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
- ^ Chappell, Gordon (1975). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Desert Queen Mine" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
- ^ Netburn, Deborah (February 14, 2019). "How a South Pasadena matron used her wits and wealth to create Joshua Tree National Park". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
- ^ Zarki 2015, pp. 75–76.
- ^ Zarki 2015, p. 92.
- ^ "Park History". Joshua Tree National Park, NPS. Retrieved December 17, 2013.
- ^ Emerson, Sandra (March 12, 2019). "Joshua Tree to expand and 716,000 acres gain protection as Trump signs lands package". The San Bernardino Sun. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
- ^ Rogers, Paul (March 12, 2019). "Trump signs largest wilderness protection bill in a decade". The Mercury News. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
- ^ Estacio, Martin (July 11, 2021). "Mojave Desert Land Trust reaches milestone: more than 100,000 acres of desert preserved". Victorville Daily Press. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
- ^ "U.S. Potential Natural Vegetation, Original Kuchler Types, v2.0 (Spatially Adjusted to Correct Geometric Distortions)". Data Basin. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
- ^ "Operating Hours & Seasons". Joshua Tree National Park, NPS.
- ^ Southern California Plant Communities 15. Joshua Tree woodland
- ^ "Cacti / Desert Succulents". Joshua Tree National Park, NPS.
- ^ a b c d e Palms, Mailing Address: 74485 National Park Drive Twentynine; Us, CA 92277-3597 Phone: 760 367-5500 Contact. "Climate Change - Joshua Tree National Park (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Palms, Mailing Address: 74485 National Park Drive Twentynine; Us, CA 92277-3597 Phone: 760 367-5500 Contact. "Nonnative Species - Joshua Tree National Park (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "USDA Interactive Plant Hardiness Map". United States Department of Agriculture. Archived from the original on June 18, 2021. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
- ^ "PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University". www.prism.oregonstate.edu. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
- ^ a b Dilsaver 2015, pp. 16–19.
- ^ "Geologic Formations". Joshua Tree National Park. January 4, 2017. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
- ^ Trent, D. D. (April 1984). "Geology of the Joshua Tree National Monument". California Geology. 37. Archived from the original on December 21, 2013. Retrieved December 10, 2013.
- ^ "Camping". Joshua Tree National Park, NPS. Retrieved February 4, 2018.
- ^ "California Resort Life". CaliforniaResortLife.com. Archived from the original on November 20, 2008. Retrieved January 1, 2009.
- ^ "Hiking". National Park Service. Retrieved May 6, 2009.
- ^ Kaiser 2010, pp. 142–43.
- ^ "Boy Scout Trail Joshua Tree: The Ultimate Hiking Guide". A Rambling Unicorn. March 29, 2021. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
- ^ https://hikingguy.com/hiking-trails/joshua-tree-hikes/california-riding-and-hiking-trail-joshua-tree/ California Riding and Hiking Trail (Joshua Tree) guide
- ^ "Graffiti Force Closure Of Joshua Tree Park Sites". AP. Retrieved April 14, 2013.
- ^ "Climbing Closures". nps.gov. National Park Service. March 14, 2018. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
- ^ "Trash, vandalism, excrement, partial shutdown. Yet Joshua Tree set visitation records". Los Angeles Times. January 17, 2020. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
- ^ "Geology Motor Tour". Joshua Tree National Park, NPS. Retrieved May 6, 2009.
- ^ a b c d "Birds". Joshua Tree National Park, NPS. Retrieved January 20, 2012.
- ^ "USGS Bird Checklist". August 3, 2006. Archived from the original on July 31, 2010. Retrieved June 20, 2010.
- ^ "Stargazing". Joshua Tree National Park. NPS. Retrieved August 15, 2011.
- ^ "Joshua Tree National Park (U.S.)". November 13, 2021.
- ^ "ClearDarkSky Light Pollution Map". ClearDarkSky.com. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
- ^ a b "Light Lollution Map". lightpollutionmap.info. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
- ^ a b c "Bortle Dark Sky Scale". handprint.com. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
- ^ a b "Animals". Joshua Tree National Park, NPS. Retrieved January 20, 2012.
- ^ "Reptiles". NPS. Retrieved January 6, 2020.
- ^ Sahagun, Louis (September 4, 2019). "California becomes first state to ban fur trapping after Gov. Newsom signs law". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
- ^ a b "Amphibians". Joshua Tree National Park, NPS. Retrieved January 20, 2012.
- ^ a b "Insects, Spiders, Centipedes, Millipedes". Joshua Tree National Park, NPS. Retrieved January 20, 2012.
- ^ "Wilderness - Joshua Tree National Park (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
- ^ "Backpacking". Joshua Tree National Park, NPS. Retrieved May 6, 2009.
- ^ Spiers, Katherine (April 15, 2015). "Artist "Mr. Andre" Pays Fine For Vandalizing Joshua Tree National Park". KCET.org. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
- ^ Schreiner, Casey (February 27, 2015). "Is Mr. Andre tagging in Joshua Tree?". Modern Hiker.
- ^ Schreiner, Casey (March 10, 2015). "Mr. Andre issues legal threat to Modern Hiker". Modern Hiker.
- ^ Chiu, Allyson (January 11, 2019). "'A Travesty to This Nation': People Are Destroying Joshua Trees in Joshua Tree National Park". Washington Post. Retrieved January 12, 2019.
- ^ Diaz, Andrea (January 12, 2019). "National Park Visitors Cut Down Protected Joshua Trees during Partial Government Shutdown". CNN. Retrieved January 12, 2019.
- ^ Wong, Julia Carrie (January 10, 2019). "Joshua Tree National Park Announces Closure after Trees Destroyed amid Shutdown". The Guardian. Retrieved January 12, 2019.
- ^ Shrikant, Aditi (January 10, 2019). "Joshua Tree National Park has been trashed in the shutdown. Now visitors are cutting down trees.". vox.com. Vox Media, Inc. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
- ^ Shane Newell & Kristin Scharkey (February 3, 2019). "That viral photo of a cut-down Joshua tree? The damage was pre-shutdown, experts say". desertsun.com. The Desert Sun. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
Works cited
- Dilsaver, Lary M. (March 2015). Joshua Tree National Park: A History of Preserving the Desert (PDF). National Park Service. OCLC 912308073. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
- Eggers, Margaret (2004). Mining History and Geology of Joshua Tree National Park. San Diego Association of Geologists. ISBN 978-0-916251-70-3.
- Kaiser, James (2010). Joshua Tree: The Complete Guide (4th ed.). Destination Press. ISBN 978-0-9825172-3-9.
- Zarki, Joseph W. (2015). Images of America: Joshua Tree National Park. Charleston, South Carolina: ISBN 978-1-4671-3281-7.
Further reading
- Birds, Joshua Tree National Park Association
- "Joshua Tree" (2001), OCLC 655384402
External links
- Official website of the National Park Service
- Map of Joshua Tree National Park (archive)
- Geologic Travel Guide: article by the American Geological Institute
- "Keys Ranch: Where Time Stood Still", a National Park Service Teaching with Historic Places (TwHP) lesson plan
- Joshua Tree National Park Bird Checklist with seasonal info.
- U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Hidden Valley
- Geographic data related to Joshua Tree National Park at OpenStreetMap
- Black Rock Canyon Hiking Trails Map - File:Black Rock Hiking.jpg
- Indian Cove Hiking Trails Map - File:Indian_Cove.jpg