NPS / Brad Sutton Joshua Tree National Park is building a new entrance station on the border of the park in the community of Joshua Tree to replace the current entrance. The new entrance will be built less than one half mile south of the current one and further inside the park. The station will include two inbound lanes, one outbound lane, and one bypass lane in each direction. The project is expected to be completed in early 2026. The project is funded by fee dollars collected at park entrance stations. Construction of this $5 million capital improvement project has been awarded to L&J Building Co. LLC based out of Missouri. Vehicles will continue to use the existing west entrance station while the new station is under construction. Visitors should expect occasional but minimal traffic delays. The existing entrance station will be demolished and the area rehabilitated once the project is completed. West Entrance Construction Updates3/25/25 - The west entrance of the park will be closed to inbound and outbound traffic beginning 6 a.m. Monday April 7 through 6 p.m. Thursday April 10. Visitors must enter or exit the park via Twentynine Palms or Cottonwood using the north entrance station in Twentynine Palms or the Cottonwood entrance at the park’s south boundary. The north entrance station is 25 miles east of the west entrance station and is the most accessible for visitor traveling on Highway 62, adding an additional 17 minutes of driving time. Visitors will not be permitted to enter the park via Park Boulevard through the town of Joshua Tree. Park staff will place signs along Highway 62, along Park Boulevard, and within the park alerting visitors to this temporary change in traffic pattern. Exiting vehicles may turn around at Quail Springs Picnic Area and entering vehicles may turn around at the current west entrance station; however, this is not advised due to an expected backup of traffic. This closure is necessary for crews to prepare the area for paving as the new entrance station is constructed. Crews will be cutting into the road to run utilities to the new entrance station location and to adjust the grade of the road. All other park roads are expected to remain open. Park rangers encourage visitors to recreate responsibly in their vehicles by observing posted speed limits and driving only on designated roads. Visitors can prepare for their visit by:
For more information check out the full news release. 3/5/25 - The bypass lane is currently being constructed. Frequently Asked Questions The new entrance will be able to better serve the Park’s growing visitation and improve local access for residents living in the adjacent neighborhoods. There has been a dramatic 194% increase in vehicle traffic at West Entrance over the last 10 years. In 2023, 515,603 vehicles passed through the entrance, which is approximately 1.2 million visitors. This project will improve the visitor experience and local community experience by reducing wait times at West Entrance and the length of entry lines along Park Boulevard.
This project was funded by Joshua Tree National Park fee dollars to meet visitor needs and improve the visitor experience. The construction will not cause an increase in fees.
Public Scoping for this project occurred 8/18 - 9/17/21. Public Scoping is the first phase of a formal planning process in which the public is engaged. The park notified the public of the proposed action and a range of alternatives, and the public was invited to comment. This allows the public an opportunity to provide information regarding concerns and to provide additional information that they believed should be considered during the planning process. Public comment period on the Draft Environmental Assessment occurred 2/09 - 3/11/22. After public scoping, the park developed a Draft Environmental Assessment, on which the public commented. The Finding of No Significant Impact was signed by the Regional Director on 3/25/2022.
More information can be found on the NPS Park Planning website using project ID 83105
B-roll of the groundbreaking ceremony is avaliable upon request by emailing jotr_public_affairs@nps.gov.
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Last updated: March 31, 2025