Where to See Desert Tortoise in Joshua Tree National Park

Sighting map

Desert Tortoise sightings in Joshua Tree

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Where Desert Tortoise has been reported, from 413 sightings. Not a live tracker: animals move, and an empty area doesn’t mean there are none. Locations are adjusted to protect the animals, so the pattern is approximate.

Keep this map with you offline in the Parkwolf app

Timing

When to look

12 AM0% of the busiest hour1 AM0% of the busiest hour2 AM0% of the busiest hour3 AM0% of the busiest hour4 AM4% of the busiest hour5 AM14% of the busiest hour6 AM41% of the busiest hour7 AM82% of the busiest hour8 AMBusiest hour9 AM82% of the busiest hour10 AM65% of the busiest hour11 AM47% of the busiest hourNoon35% of the busiest hour1 PM29% of the busiest hour2 PM29% of the busiest hour3 PM41% of the busiest hour4 PM71% of the busiest hour5 PMBusiest hour6 PM88% of the busiest hour7 PM47% of the busiest hour8 PM18% of the busiest hour9 PM6% of the busiest hour10 PM2% of the busiest hour11 PM1% of the busiest hour

Desert Tortoise is most seen 8 AM and 5–7 PM. Bars compare each hour with the busiest one.

Desert Tortoise sightings by hour, as a share of the busiest hour
Hour	Share of busiest hour
12 AM	0%
1 AM	0%
2 AM	0%
3 AM	0%
4 AM	4%
5 AM	14%
6 AM	41%
7 AM	82%
8 AM	100%
9 AM	82%
10 AM	65%
11 AM	47%
Noon	35%
1 PM	29%
2 PM	29%
3 PM	41%
4 PM	71%
5 PM	100%
6 PM	88%
7 PM	47%
8 PM	18%
9 PM	6%
10 PM	2%
11 PM	1%

Audio tour

Hear about Desert Tortoise on the drive.

Parkwolf’s Tour Guide plays stories like this one as you drive Joshua Tree, triggered by GPS and read through your car’s speakers.

Joshua Tree Tour Guide

The Tortoise Underground

0:00 / 0:31

“A desert tortoise spends about ninety-five percent of its life underground. That helps explain why you can visit good tortoise habitat and never see one.”

Plays as you drive near Mastodon Mine in Parkwolf’s Joshua Tree Tour Guide.

4.7 from 8,600+ ratings

Where to look

Joshua Tree spots that mention Desert Tortoise

Compare with the sightings

Places and trails whose Parkwolf guides talk about Desert Tortoise. A good start, never a guarantee.

Places

Visitor centerCottonwood Visitor CenterMaps, drinking water, and ranger advice make this a useful first stop.

SightEureka PeakA steep dirt-road detour to a wide 360-degree summit view.

CampgroundIndian Cove CampgroundCamp among boulders with climbing and a half-mile nature loop nearby.

Trails

ChallengingEureka Peak Trail9.6 mi · 7 hrA long sandy climb to a 360-degree summit view.

ModerateMaze Loop Trail5 mi · 2.5 hrA five-mile boulder maze through sandy washes and Joshua trees.

EasyLucky Boy Loop3.3 mi · 2.3 hrDesert views, old mine remains, and a final road stretch.

ModerateShort Loop Trail4 mi · 2.5 hrA four-mile loop through washes, ravines and pinyon hills.

Wolf sightings in Yellowstone on Parkwolf’s Find Wildlife map, brightest around Lamar Valley — Wolf sightings in Yellowstone, in the app

Find Wildlife in Parkwolf

Every sighting map, in your pocket.

16 sighting mapsfor Joshua Tree, on the same park map as your route
Works offlineout where the animals are and the signal isn’t
89 audio storiesplay as you drive Joshua Tree, wildlife included

4.7 from 8,600+ ratings

Wildlife

More wildlife in Joshua Tree

All 16 sighting maps

129 sightingsBighorn SheepOvis canadensisMost seen 7 AM & 5–8 PMSighting map

15 sightingsGolden EagleAquila chrysaetosMost seen 9 AM–1 PM & 2–6 PMSighting map

275 sightingsCoyoteCanis latransMost seen 5–7 AM & 6–8 PMSighting map

47 sightingsBobcatLynx rufusMost seen 6 AM & 6 PMSighting map

32 sightingsMule DeerOdocoileus hemionusMost seen 5–7 AM & 6–8 PMSighting map

34 sightingsGray FoxUrocyon cinereoargenteusMost seen 5–7 AM & 5–7 PMSighting map

78 sightingsCooper's HawkAstur cooperiiMost seen 7–9 AMSighting map

187 sightingsRed-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisMost seen 9 AM–3 PMSighting map

Where to see Desert Tortoise in Joshua Tree