The western or “Joshua Tree” entrance into Joshua Tree National Park reopened today after the first closure in the construction process of the new entrance which will move the booths further inside the boundaries of the park and will be able to accommodate more cars entering and exiting.
That’s good news for visitors who can find themselves in bumper to bumper traffic if they choose to use the West Entrance on a weekend. It’s also good news for those who live on Quail Springs Road, who have had to contend with the weekend traffic heading into the park. In the last decade there has been a 194% increase in traffic through that entrance, and in 2023 over half a million vehicles passed through the west entrance alone. That’s approximately 1.2 million visitors according to the National Park Service.
Public Information Officer Sasha Travaligio says that visitors can expect some new asphalt on the road and some modified traffic patterns as construction continues. The National Park Service has a page just for updates on the construction.
And if you are reading this and are thinking about heading into the National Park this weekend, try and get in as early as possible and think about using the north entrance in Twentynine Palms which almost never has a wait to get in.
You’ll be able to take the same loops and see the same features, but you may find yourself with more space on the road and more time in the park.
