Joshua trees may be the namesake of this park, but their close relative, the Mojave yucca (Yucca schidiger) is even more widespread. The plants are both in the yucca family; Joshua trees grow taller and branch while Mojave yuccas stay fairly short and grow in clumps. Indigenous people used the fibrous leaves for many applications including rope and textiles. Members of these tribes still hike these trails and steward of the rich legacy of living in harmony with the desert.