Joshua Tree National Park Association, Desert Institute

Photo Credit: Paul Moeller

Exploring Nature through Education

The Desert Institute at Joshua Tree National Park is an adult education program offering an in-depth exploration of the park’s natural wonders. Learn from highly qualified instructors who are passionate about sharing their expertise and committed to providing a personal and fun learning experience. The Desert Institute is sponsored by the Joshua Tree National Park Association and operates with the full endorsement of the National Park Service. Join us this season for an educational adventure.

This season of Desert Institute classes is made possible by the generous sponsorship of Visit 29 Palms. Check out Visit29.org to learn about all the great shops, restaurants, lodging and attractions in Twentynine Palms and start planning your visit.

If you are a member of JTNPA you will get a $10 discount off every Desert Institute class. Visit joshuatree.org to learn more.

ALL CLASS INFO: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/desert-institute-at-joshua-tree-national-park-6203433177

Geology and Geomorphology of Death Valley
Fri, Dec 2, 9:00 AM – Sun, Dec 4, 3:00 PM / $235
In this below-sea-level basin, steady drought and record summer heat make Death Valley a land of extremes. Yet, each extreme has a striking contrast. Towering peaks are frosted with winter snow, but the valley bottom can reach almost 130°F in summer. While rainstorms may be uncommon, they bring many dramatic changes to the landscape. Join instructor Alessandro Grippo in the exploration of the geology and landscape of Death Valley. This course takes the students through the geologic highlights of Death Valley National Park. The class meets at Furnace Creek Visitor Center on Friday morning. After an introduction to the geology of the Basin and Range desert and its natural physical processes, students will travel south by car to hike the Natural Bridge trail. They will then head back to the valley bottom to explore the playa lake at Badwater, with further stops at Devils Golf Course and Artists Palette during the day. On Saturday the class will visit Devils Cornfield and then wander through the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. After lunch at Stovepipe Wells, students will hike and explore Mosaic Canyon. Finally, on Sunday the class will drive to the westernmost part of the park by entering the Panamint Valley and later go for an easy hike at Darwin’s falls to complete their exploration.
Please note that the registration does not include accommodations or meals. We have reserved campsites in Death Valley for this class for those who wish to camp. This class earns 2 college units from University of California, Riverside Extension.

Winter Light: Photographing Desert Preserves
Sat, Dec 3, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM / $95
Join us for a day of photography in two special desert places off the beaten track: Whitewater Preserve and the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve. Winter is an excellent season to photograph the low desert, with its cool temperatures, longer shadows, and views of distant peaks.
The day consists of photographic field sessions, group instruction, and one-on-one assistance from your instructor. Your questions will be answered! You’ll learn tips and techniques for controlling sharpness, exposure, making panoramic photographs, and using lenses, along with creative exercises in photographing the desert landscape. Class begins in the morning close to the rugged cliffs of Whitewater Preserve. After lunch, we relocate to Big Morongo Canyon Preserve for afternoon field sessions among the cottonwoods. Hiking at each preserve is easy – to moderate; we’ll be walking on trails that are mainly level. Participants are encouraged to bring a tripod with their camera(s).

Hiking My Feelings: Trail of Life – Self Reflection Workshop
Fri, Dec 9, 3:00 PM – Sun, Dec 11, 2:00 PM / $180
What have you survived and celebrated on your Trail of Life so far? How can you connect the dots in your lived experience to move into the new year with intention? Sydney and Barry Williams have been hiking and brainstorming for years, and it has revolutionized the way they live their lives and the way they do business. By combining mindset techniques acquired as a Division 1 athlete, competitive skydiver, and corporate executive, incorporating playful techniques from improv (“yes, and!”), and encouraging mindful movement, they’ve developed a self-reflection format to help you unlock your best ideas, open the flow of creativity, and bring your best self to life, love, and work. Join us for a judgment-free weekend where transformational healing is possible. We introduce participants to mindfulness and the healing power of nature, and the results are lasting improvements to mental, physical, and spiritual health. Hike Level: Moderate

From Our Partners

Discover the Lost Horse Mine
Sun, December 11, 7:30 AM – 12:00 PM / $55
Join us for a trip back to the California Gold Rush, Joshua Tree style. This class will explore the Lost Horse Mine, a classic Western mill and mining site. The moderate 3.8-mile out-and-back hike follows an old freighter road to the remains of the wooden structure that once housed a 10-stamp mill. Our instructors will discuss the geologic forces that formed the area and we’ll find out how that gold got deposited there in the first place. We will learn about the history of the Lost Horse mine, some of its colorful characters, and about gold mining and processing as it was typically done in the American West.
The area that now comprises Joshua Tree National Park attracted cattle ranchers in the mid-1800s as a place to graze cattle. Mining activity began in the region around the 1870s reaching its peak during the 1920s and 1930s. Gold was the main objective but quantities of silver, copper, lead, and other metals were also mined. A few active claims lingered into the 1970s before mining activity ceased. Approximately 288 mining sites are located within the current park boundaries. Some consist of small exploratory digs while other sites still have extensive shafts, abandoned mining and milling equipment, tanks, concrete, wood, and stone structures. Hike Level: Moderate

The Old Schoolhouse Lecture
History and Change on the Old Spanish Trail:
Mountain Springs to Salt Creek by Steve Brown
Friday, December 9 at 7 PM
Mexican pack mule trains, Manifest Destiny, mountain men, horse thieves, and the slave trade– during its brief history, the Old Spanish Trail, which was neither old nor Spanish, had a significant impact on the changing landscape of the West. “History and Change on the Old Spanish Trail: Mountain Springs to Salt Creek” will discuss the Old Spanish Trail, with special attention focused on the section of the trail from Mountain Springs, Nevada, over Emigrant Pass into Tecopa, China Ranch, and south through the Mojave to Salt Creek, the last stop for water before the treacherous Jornada del Muerto. The multimedia presentation will present information on the history of the trail as well as the changing landscape of historical trails, with video presentations from historians and naturalists featured in the PBS/FNX television documentary of the same name. The presentation will be conducted by journalist, historian, and media producer, Steve Brown, who served as writer and producer of the 2021 documentary, produced for the Amargosa Conservancy and the Oregon-California Trails Association with funding from California Humanities. The documentary was recently screened at the Yucca Valley Film Festival and continues to be broadcast nationally on the FNX (First Nations Experience) network.
This event is sponsored by the Desert Institute at Joshua Tree National Park and the Twentynine Palms Historical Society. The lecture will be held at the Old Schoolhouse Museum at 6760 National Park Drive in Twentynine Palms on Friday, December 9.
Doors open at 6:15 and the lecture begins at 7 pm. The donation for the presentation is $5 paid at the door.
Steve Brown photo by Kevin Marcus.

JTNPA members receive a $10 discount for all Desert Institute courses.
Become a member of the Joshua Tree National Park Association Member’s Circle and join a loyal group of individuals and businesses dedicated to the protection and preservation of Joshua Tree National Park. Our members support the work we do through their annual membership. Join us and show your favorite park some love!
Join today at www.joshuatree.org.
Contact membership@joshuatree.org or call 760-698-2776 for more information.

JTNPA members receive a $10 discount for all Desert Institute courses.
Become a member of the Joshua Tree National Park Association Member’s Circle and join a loyal group of individuals and businesses dedicated to the protection and preservation of Joshua Tree National Park. Our members support the work we do through their annual membership. Join us and show your favorite park some love!
Join today at www.joshuatree.org.
Contact membership@joshuatree.org or call
760-698-2776 for more information.

From Our Partners