National Park to Expand

Joshua Tree National Park could be expanded by 20,000 acres.

The National Park Service is recommending adding a combination of federal, state and private land to the park in the Eagle Mountain area of Riverside County, according to a recent statement on the park service’s website.

A report by the park service and the Bureau of Land Management found that enlarging the park – which could require Congressional approval – would have no significant impact on the park or its surroundings. The report studied approximately 31,500 acres.

Eagle Mountain is heavily populated by bighorn sheep and the desert tortoise.

Joshua Tree National Park is the 15th largest national park in the United States, according to the statement.