Joshua Tree National Park expecting crowds through holidays

Joshua Tree National Park is gearing up for the huge crowds drawn to the Southern California desert during the holidays. The National Park Service says late December through Jan. 1 brings some of the busiest days, and campgrounds and parking lots will likely be full. At times, the park becomes drive-through-only because there are no more parking spaces. Visitors are advised to avoid driving in between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. because entrance station lines are at their peak. Recent years have seen a big increase in attendance at Joshua Tree National Park, which straddles the Mojave and Colorado deserts 140 miles east of Los Angeles.