Pinto Basin Road, Other Facilities Reopen

Joshua Tree National Park (CA)
Pinto Basin Road, Other Facilities Reopen

The park continues to recover from the torrential rains and severe flooding that seriously damaged the park on September 13th. Park Route 11, the Pinto Basin Road, was reopened for visitor use on Tuesday. The Cottonwood Visitor Center also reopened. The Cottonwood Campground and Cottonwood Springs Oasis will remain closed, though, as repairs to the campground and area trails have not yet been completed. Other visitor facilities that reopened on Tuesday included the following four-wheel drive roads that intersect the Pinto Basin Road - Old Dale Road (from Route 11 north to the park boundary), Black Eagle Mine Road (from Route 11 east to the park boundary), and Pinkham/Thermal Canyon Roads (from Route 11 southwest to the park boundary). Two self-guided natural trails, the Botanical Nature Trail located adjacent to the visitor center and the Bajada Nature Trail near the park's south boundary just north of Interstate 10, have also reopened for public use. The Pinto Basin Road is open for two-lane travel along its entire length, but several short unpaved sections remain where travelers should reduce speeds and exercise caution. For further information about Joshua Tree National Park facilities and services, the public can call 760-367-5500, or visit the park's website at: http://www.nps.gov/jotr.