About 5,000 people have descended on Joshua Tree this weekend for the second annual Joshua Tree half-marathon night race tonight at the Joshua Tree Lake campground. A race expo will be held at the campground today from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The race is set to start at 6:15 p.m. from the campground, where 3,100 runners from 45 states and five countries will run on the dirt roads around the campground south of the highway. There will be a temporary road closure on Sunfair Road for about 20 minutes as runners begin the race. The race is expected to be over by 10:30 p.m. as runners return to the campground. Runners have raised more than $12,000 for the National Park Foundation. In addition, the race is a “cup-free” and “zero-waste” event. Residents should expect increased traffic in the area and increased visitors in Joshua Tree National Park this weekend.
