Joshua Tree

In the Mojave Desert, boulders and tangled granite seem to rise from the earth.

Although the ruggedly beautiful Joshua Tree National Park receives more than a million visitors each year, only a handful of those venture more than a mile from the parking lot. Count yourself as one of the lucky few as you enjoy a rare, up-close view of the rich Joshua Tree ecosystem. Experience the landscape firsthand, alongside the birds and animals and amidst the park's namesake Joshua Trees, cholla cactus and palms. Both demanding and beautiful, the desert pushes you to challenge your personal limits and develop leadership skills in an extreme, natural environment.

Native Land Acknowledgment

At Outward Bound California, we work with hundreds of students in and around Joshua Tree National Park. When we share, protect, and learn from a space, it’s important to understand and acknowledge the place’s past, present, and future, and to understand our place within that history. The Joshua Tree Course Areas are on the unceded ancestral homeland of the Yuhaviatam/Maarenga’yam (Serrano), Ɂívil̃uwenetem Meytémak (Cahuilla), Newe Segobia (Western Shoshone), Chemehuevi, Nuwuvi (Southern Paiute) and Xawiƚƚ kwñchawaay (Cocopah) nations who have cared for this land since before California was a part of Spain, Mexico, or the United States. We pay our respects to these peoples for their commitment to Mother Earth and its peoples, and for their work restoring their land and revitalizing their culture.

The Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians is a federally recognized Native American tribe located in Southern California. The Tribe has a strong relationship with the California Desert, particularly in the Twentynine Palms area including the Joshua Tree National Park, where OBCA’s basecamp is located. Learn more about how the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians have impacted the surrounding communities with growth and support.