About the CSU Desert Studies Center at Zzyzx

The Desert Studies Center is a 1200-acre field station established for the better understanding and appreciation of the Mojave Desert. Its location on Chemehuevi territory within Mojave National Preserve provides access to the broad range of habitats and landscapes of the unique Mojave Desert, from alkalai salt flats to Joshua tree forest, from sand dunes to recent lava flows.

Established in 1976 in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management , the Center is operated for the California State University by seven southern California CSU campuses: Dominguez Hills, Fullerton, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Northridge, Pomona, and San Bernardino. With the passage of the California Desert Protection Act of 1994, the Desert Studies Center was placed into Mojave National Preserve , and the National Park Service became our federal partner.

DSC facilities provide housing for up to 75 people, as well as meeting rooms, a classroom, laboratory, library, and natural history collections.