In Joshua Tree National Park, heavy rains resulting in washed out road conditions have closed the Pinto Basin Road from White Tank Campground to Cottonwood Springs. Park maintenance crews expect to have the roadway cleared by tomorrow. Box Canyon Road from Mecca is currently open and is the only way to reach Cottonwood Springs. The Cottonwood Visitor Center and Campground will remain open. Park Superintendent David Smith said, “Although we hope to have all of the paved roads open in the next 24 to 48 hours, it will be awhile before all of the dirt roads are cleared of mud.” Visitors are reminded not to drive through fast moving water on roadways and to be vigilant for desert tortoises who venture on to the roads to drink from puddles.
