By the end of the century, possibly sooner, a hotter climate likely will wipe out Joshua trees from 90 percent of their current range, which includes Joshua Tree National Park, according to U.S. Geological Survey researchers.

If you've ever sat back in El Capitan Meadow in Yosemite National Park to watch climbers ascending that massive granite wall from which the meadow takes its name, odds are you never noticed the "hundreds" of fixed anchors climbers have over the years drilled into that monolith. And yet, they're there.

Deserts are fascinating places, but they also can be harsh and deadly if you're not prepared. With that in mind, a series of programs coming to Desert Institute at Joshua Tree National Park next month can give you the information and tools to enjoy, and survive, the desert.

When Bill and Frances Key homesteaded in the rugged Mohave Desert of Southern California in the early 1900s, they couldn't possibly have imagined that a century later, visitors to a national park would be taking tours of their ranch. The tours in Joshua Tree National Park have become so popular that as of January 1, 2011, reservations will be needed for the guided walks.