Joshua Tree National Park
Explore Joshua Tree National Park through original photographs, place guides and stories that explain what you are seeing. Start with the meeting of two deserts, then follow the park’s boulders, plants, ranching and mining history—and choose an outing that fits your day.
Start with the story
Two Deserts, One Park: Why Joshua Tree Changes as You Drive Through It
A useful first read for the drive from Cottonwood into the higher country: why the scenery changes, and where the Joshua trees begin.
Read the story →
Why Joshua Tree’s Rocks Look Like That
Follow fractures, underground weathering and erosion into the boulder landscapes seen in Mark’s photographs.
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The Woman Who Helped Save Joshua Tree: Minerva Hoyt’s Desert Campaign
Meet the conservation advocate whose campaign helped protect the desert landscape.
Read the story →Keep exploring
Ranching, mining and desert history
- Keys Ranch: How a Family Built a Life Among Joshua Tree’s BouldersLook beyond the homestead label at the work of building, repairing and making a family life in the desert.
- Barker Dam: Why Cattle Ranchers Built a Reservoir in Joshua TreeWhy ranchers built a reservoir among the boulders, and how water shaped the site.
- Lost Horse Mine: How Gold Was Pulled from Joshua Tree’s MountainsUse the surviving mill to understand how miners worked ore in this remote landscape.
- Gram Parsons and the Joshua Tree LegendA cultural-history story separating the musician’s work from the desert legend around Cap Rock.
Plants and their hidden relationships
Plan an outing
- Coachella Valley & Joshua Tree Hiking: Compare 38 TrailsCompare the Joshua Tree routes within our regional trail guide, then open a route’s arrival information.
- Scenic Drives from the Coachella Valley: Where to Stop Along the WayFollow the Joshua Tree drive from Cottonwood toward the western park within a guide to five regional outings.
- Great Views Without a Big Hike: Coachella Valley & Nearby EscapesFind Keys View among the choices for scenery with less walking.
- Stargazing Near Palm Springs: Where to Go, When to Look, and What You’ll SeeCompare Joshua Tree with other regional night-sky options and plan around the experience you want.
Places, landscapes & plant profiles
Browse Cottonwood, Keys View, Hall of Horrors, Cholla Cactus Garden and the Little San Bernardino Mountains, together with identification profiles for Joshua trees and teddy bear cholla. Regional planning guides above identify their Joshua Tree connections rather than treating every stop as part of the park.
Original photography and field observations by Mark Miller. Open a location or subject below for its full gallery and guide.
Cottonwood Region
Tucked into the park’s southeastern corner, the Cottonwood region offers a quieter side of Joshua Tree. This lower-elevation Colorado Desert landsc...
Keys View
Keys View brings the Coachella Valley into focus from the crest of the Little San Bernardino Mountains in Joshua Tree National Park. Mountain ridge...
Hall of Horrors
Hall of Horrors is a group of granite formations in Joshua Tree National Park, on the northwest side of Park Boulevard between Ryan Campground and ...
Cholla Cactus Garden
What it is A stunning natural garden of thousands of “teddy-bear” cholla cacti, clustered in the lower Pinto Basin of Joshua Tree National Park. Th...
Little San Bernardino Mountains
The Little San Bernardino Mountains are one of the most important but often overlooked mountain ranges in Southern California. To many people in th...
Joshua Tree
An iconic species native to the Mojave Desert, including the high desert edges of the Coachella Valley. Botanical Profile: Family: Asparagaceae (...
Teddy Bear Cholla 🧸
One of the most visually striking and infamous cacti of the Coachella Valley and surrounding desert regions. Despite its soft, fuzzy appearance, th...