Which desert gives Joshua Tree National Park its western desert section?

Joshua Tree National Park’s western desert section is the Mojave Desert. The park lies where two distinct desert ecosystems meet, making its landscape unusually varied for a single protected area.

The Mojave occupies the park’s higher, cooler western half, while the Colorado Desert—an extension of the Sonoran Desert—covers much of the lower eastern portion. Elevation helps explain the contrast: the Mojave supports Joshua trees, whereas the Colorado Desert is better suited to drought-adapted plants such as ocotillo and cholla cactus.

Joshua trees are especially associated with the Mojave because they generally grow at elevations and temperatures found in that desert. The park’s name comes from these distinctive yucca plants, which early Mormon settlers reportedly likened to the biblical figure Joshua raising his arms toward the sky.

A common mix-up is choosing the Sonoran Desert because it is famous for desert vegetation, but Joshua Tree National Park is generally described as divided between the Mojave and Colorado deserts—not the Sonoran Desert proper.