View source for Morongo Basin

{{Short description|Region of the inland empire in Mojave Desert, San Bernardino}}
{{Infobox valley
|name = Morongo Basin
|native_name ={{native name|es|Cuenca de Morongo}}{{disputed inline|talk=WT:CAL#Native names for landforms in California|date=March 2019}}
|photo = TwentyninePalms1.jpg
|photo_caption= Twentynine Palms and the Morongo Basin.
|photo_size=300px
|location = [[San Bernardino County, California|San Bernardino County]]
|coordinates = {{Coord|34.13|-116.27|type:landmark_region:US-CA|display=inline,title}}
|state = California
|region=[[Mojave Desert]]
}}
The '''Morongo Basin''' is an [[endorheic basin]] and valley region located in eastern [[San Bernardino County]], in [[Southern California|Southern]] [[California]].

The Morongo basin is part of the [[Inland Empire (California)|Inland Empire]] region,  and is not considered to be the easternmost portion of the [[Greater Los Angeles Area]], the [[List of United States Primary Statistical Areas|2nd largest]] metropolitan region in the United States.{{citation needed|date=January 2020}}

== Geography ==
[[File:Joshua trees.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Joshua Tree National Park]] area in the Morongo Basin.]]
The [[drainage basin]] stretches approximately from the [[Little San Bernardino Mountains]] north of [[Interstate 10 in California|Interstate 10]] in the south, to the [[Interstate 40]] area in the north. Lying within the [[Mojave Desert]], the Morongo Basin is east of the city of [[San Bernardino, California|San Bernardino]] and [[San Bernardino Mountains]], and north of the [[Coachella Valley]] and [[Colorado Desert]].

The Morongo Basin is located within the Mojave Desert and in the [[High Desert (California)|High Desert]] region of Southern California. The area's elevation can range from {{convert|1950|ft|m}} in [[Twentynine Palms, California|Twentynine Palms]], to {{convert|3000|ft|m}} in [[Yucca Valley, California|Yucca Valley]].{{Citation needed|date=December 2009}}  The higher sections of [[Joshua Tree National Park]] are within the basin.

The terrain in the area is a desert landscape of hills and [[alluvial fan]]s framed by [[mountain range]]s.

===Natural history===
The [[Yucca schidigera|Mojave yucca (''Yucca schidigera'')]] (namesake of Yucca Valley) and the [[Yucca brevifolia|Joshua tree (''Yucca brevifolia'')]] (namesake of Joshua Tree city and park) are notable native plants in the region.

The basin's habitats are home to [[Black-tailed jackrabbit]]s, [[coyote]]s, and the [[Crotalus scutulatus|Mojave Rattlesnake (''Crotalus scutulatus'')]].

=== Cities and Communities ===

==== Over 15,000 ====
*[[Yucca Valley, California|Yucca Valley]]
*[[Twentynine Palms, California|Twentynine Palms]]

==== Under 15,000 ====
*[[Joshua Tree, California|Joshua Tree]] 
*[[Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms]]
*[[Morongo Valley, California|Morongo Valley]]
*[[Landers, California|Landers]] 
*[[Pioneertown, California|Pioneertown]]

=== Climate ===
[[Image:Yucca_Valley_California_2017.jpg|thumb|200px|right|'''Yucca Valley''' with Visitor Center in background]]
The climate is arid desert. Hot, dry summers; cool winters with cold mornings and occasional snow and rain showers. Snow falls in areas above {{convert|1500|ft|m}} in elevation.
{| class="wikitable" "text-align:center;font-size:90%;"
| colspan="13" style="text-align:center;font-size:120%;"|'''Twenty Nine Palms: Monthly Normal High and Low Temperatures'''<ref name="weather">{{Cite web
  | title = Average Weather for Twentynine Palms, CA - Temperature and Precipitation 
  | publisher = The Weather Channel
  | url = http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/vacationplanner/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/92277?from=tenDay_bottomnav_vacation
  | access-date = 2009-12-06}}</ref>
|-
! style="background: #FFFFFF; color: #000000" height="17" | Month
! style="background: #FFFFFF; color:black;" | Jan
! style="background: #FFFFFF; color:black;" | Feb
! style="background: #FFFFFF; color:black;" | Mar
! style="background: #FFFFFF; color:black;" | Apr
! style="background: #FFFFFF; color:black;" | May
! style="background: #FFFFFF; color:black;" | Jun
! style="background: #FFFFFF; color:black;" | Jul
! style="background: #FFFFFF; color:black;" | Aug
! style="background: #FFFFFF; color:black;" | Sep
! style="background: #FFFFFF; color:black;" | Oct
! style="background: #FFFFFF; color:black;" | Nov
! style="background: #FFFFFF; color:black;" | Dec
! style="background: #FFFFFF; color:black;" | Year
|-
! style="background: #EFEFEF; color:#000080; font-size: 90%" | Avg high °F 
| style="background: #FB9B13; color:black; font-size: 90%" | 64
| style="background: #FB9B13; color:black; font-size: 90%" | 69
| style="background: #FB9B13; color:black; font-size: 90%" | 75
| style="background: #FB9B13; color:black; font-size: 90%" | 83
| style="background: #FB9B13; color:black; font-size: 90%" | 91
| style="background: #FB9B13; color:black; font-size: 90%" | 101
| style="background: #FB9B13; color:black; font-size: 90%" | 106
| style="background: #FB9B13; color:black; font-size: 90%" | 104
| style="background: #FB9B13; color:black; font-size: 90%" | 97
| style="background: #FB9B13; color:black; font-size: 90%" | 86
| style="background: #FB9B13; color:black; font-size: 90%" | 72
| style="background: #FB9B13; color:black; font-size: 90%" | 54
| style="background: #FB9B13; color:black; font-size: 90%" | 
|-
! style="background: #EFEFEF; color:#000080; font-size: 90%" height="16;" | Avg low °F 
| style="background: #00FFFF; color: black; font-size: 90%" | 36
| style="background: #00FFFF; color: black; font-size: 90%" | 39
| style="background: #00FFFF; color: black; font-size: 90%" | 43
| style="background: #00FFFF; color: black; font-size: 90%" | 49
| style="background: #00FFFF; color: black; font-size: 90%" | 57
| style="background: #00FFFF; color: black; font-size: 90%" | 65
| style="background: #00FFFF; color: black; font-size: 90%" | 71
| style="background: #00FFFF; color: black; font-size: 90%" | 80
| style="background: #00FFFF; color: black; font-size: 90%" | 64
| style="background: #00FFFF; color: black; font-size: 90%" | 52
| style="background: #00FFFF; color: black; font-size: 90%" | 41
| style="background: #00FFFF; color: black; font-size: 90%" | 35
| style="background: #00FFFF; color: black; font-size: 90%" | 
|-
|}

== Local attractions ==
*[[Joshua Tree National Park]] supports most of the tourism to the Morongo Basin and Morongo Valley.
*[[Sand to Snow National Monument]] surrounds the Morongo Valley on all sides.
*[[Pioneertown Mountains Preserve]]
*The [[Pacific Crest Trail]] passing through it and the [[San Gorgonio Wilderness]] area of the [[San Bernardino National Forest]], between the peak and Morongo Basin.
*[[Mount San Gorgonio]] rising above the basin on the west, the highest point in Southern California.
*[[Integratron]]

== Education ==
The Morongo Basin is home to the [[Morongo Unified School District]], which serves all of the cities and communities in the area. [[Copper Mountain College]] is the only community college serving the Morongo Basin area, located in Joshua Tree.

The nearest four year public university is [[California State University, San Bernardino]] north of the city of San Bernardino in [[University District, San Bernardino|University Heights, California]].

==See also==
*[[Morongo Basin Transit Authority]]
*[[Morongo desert snail]]
*[[Mount San Gorgonio]]
*{{C|Natural history of the Mojave Desert}}
*[[Mojave and Colorado Deserts Biosphere Reserve]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Inland Empire|state=collapsed}}
{{San Bernardino County, California}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Geography of San Bernardino County, California]]
[[Category:Inland Empire]]
[[Category:Mojave Desert]]
[[Category:Regions of California]]
[[Category:Endorheic basins of the United States]]
[[Category:Valleys of the Mojave Desert]]
[[Category:Valleys of San Bernardino County, California]]
[[Category:Sand to Snow National Monument]]
[[Category:Twentynine Palms, California]]
[[Category:Yucca Valley, California]]