Community vision continues at Desert View Conservation Area

More than 15 years ago, Morongo Basin residents shared a vision for their community: More opportunities to get outside, explore the desert and enjoy the place they call home.

Today, San Bernardino County Public Works – Special Districts is continuing to turn that vision into reality at the Desert View Conservation Area (DVCA) in Joshua Tree.

The approximately 605-acre conservation and recreation area is managed by Public Works – Special Districts on behalf of County Service Area 20 Joshua Tree. Planning for recreational improvements grew from community engagement beginning in 2010, when residents identified additional recreational opportunities as a priority for the Morongo Basin.

Rather than expanding DVCA or turning the natural desert landscape into a traditional park, the county pursued grant funding to thoughtfully improve recreation within the existing conservation area.

Phase I, completed in September 2020, created the foundation. Improvements included parking, a restroom, an informational kiosk, trail routes and signage, giving visitors better access to the area while preserving its natural character.

Now, Phase II will complete the planned recreational improvements. On Nov. 3, the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors approved the construction contract and related actions needed to begin construction. Work is anticipated to begin in November 2026 and, weather permitting, be completed in late spring 2027.

The project will enhance existing trails with informational kiosks and maps, directional and mileage signs, shade structures, picnic tables, benches and rest areas. Visitors will also find educational displays highlighting desert habitat, geology, native plants and wildlife, and Native American history and culture, along with viewing areas for enjoying the surrounding landscape. Worn or eroded sections of existing trails will also be rehabilitated.

Protecting the desert remains central to the project. Following environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the project includes required protections such as biological monitoring, pre-construction wildlife surveys, safeguards for desert tortoises and western Joshua trees, nesting bird protections and designated construction areas to limit habitat disturbance. Phase II does not add new trails or expand DVCA. The approximately $2.7 million project is supported by grant funding from the California Wildlife Conservation Board.

When Phase II is complete, DVCA will remain what it was intended to be: a place where conservation and recreation work together.

DVCA also represents something larger — a community idea carried forward through years of planning, partnerships and grant funding to create a lasting outdoor resource for the Morongo Basin.

Additional County Update News – November 12, 2026