Joshua Tree National Park is a vast protected area in southern California. It’s characterized by rugged rock formations and stark desert landscapes. Named for the region’s twisted, bristled Joshua trees, the park straddles the cactus-dotted Colorado Desert and the Mojave Desert, which is higher and cooler. It is an important part of the Mojave Desert ecosystem, providing habitat for numerous birds, mammals, insects, and lizards. Their range is within the Mojave Desert of California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona. They only grow between elevations of 2,000 and 6,000 feet. The average lifespan of a Joshua Tree is said to be about 500 years.