You are here

Home » Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park

Illegal Camping In Death Valley National Park, Anonymous Ranger Fears For Yosemite

Beautiful desert views. No crowds. What's not to like about camping in Death Valley National Park, especially when there are no rangers about to ticket you for camping illegally? Meanwhile, as the partial government shutdown continues to show the ugly side of keeping national parks open without adequate National Park Service staff, one Yosemite National Park ranger voiced concerns about managing crowds with a skeleton staff.

UPDATED | Traveler's View: Keeping Parks Open During Government Shutdown Is Bad Idea

Keeping most units of the National Park System open during the partial government shutdown is a bad idea, as accumulating human waste and garbage poses sanitation issues and some visitors are taking advantage of the lack of presence of rangers to do what they want, regardless of regulations.

UPDATED: Yosemite National Park Closes Hetch Hetchy Area, People Entering Closed Areas Being Cited

Like a slowly toppling row of dominoes, areas around the National Park System are closing to the public during the ongoing government shutdown because of the absence of maintenance crews to deal with garbage and human waste. At Joshua Tree National Park, officials also said resources were being damaged "by driving off road and other infractions."

Study: National Parks Bearing The Brunt Of Climate Change Impacts

Yellowstone National Park escaped the summer without any large conflagrations in its forests, but that could be an anomaly under the current pace of climate change. Pikas could vanish from parks such as Lassen Volcanic and Great Basin. Glaciers and Joshua trees could be seen only in photographs and paintings in their namesake parks, and Virgin Islands and Hawai'i Volcanoes national parks could see diminished rainfall.

INN Member

The easiest way to explore RV-friendly National Park campgrounds.

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

Here’s the definitive guide to National Park System campgrounds where RVers can park their rigs.

Our app is packed with RVing- specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 national parks.

You’ll also find stories about RVing in the parks, tips helpful if you’ve just recently become an RVer, and useful planning suggestions.

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

FREE for iPhones and Android phones.