If you’ve been wondering what’s going on with that BIG SIGN on Highway 62 near the “Welcome to Joshua Tree” pull-off, you aren’t alone. I think about it every day. The western-facing rectangular black void has sat blank since it’s installation in October of 2025.
I’ll be honest, I thought the sign was installed facing the wrong way because it wouldn’t be able to inform visitors of wait times to get into Joshua Tree National Park, for instance. From time to time a smaller portable sign can be seen on the side of Highway 62 if there are abnormally long wait times to get into the National Park, or to alert people that the desert has a “bee season.”
However, the BIG SIGN is a California Department of Transportation (CALTRANS) project, which means the information eventually provided on it will most likely pertain to state highways rather than county roads or federal parks.
Z107.7 News was informed of the signs last August and Caltrans said that additional BIG SIGNS will be placed at the top of the westbound lanes at the top of the yucca grade and eastbound on the eastside of Twentynine Palms.
Those signs haven’t popped up yet and the single sign that has been installed hasn’t been used yet. Public Information Officer Jaspender Hampal gave us the lowdown on the BIG SIGN. He says that the project remains under active construction without a final “activation date” set. The BIG SIGN still needs to be hooked up to utilities and once suppliers get past some “industry-wide material delays,” the BIG SIGN will come online and provide info on incidents, road closures, weather advisories and emergency alerts. Theoretically it could provide information on conditions for SR247 as well.
When I asked Jaspender what outstanding materials were in short supply, he told me that the information he provided was all he could tell me. I get it, Jaspender.
BIG SIGN is watching.
