updated 10/11/23
Prayer podcasts: for the city | for the officials
Location: An incorporated town that is located 17 miles west of Twentynine Palms, 27 miles north of Palm Springs, 62 miles south of Barstow via State Route 247 and 55 miles (89 km) east of San Bernardino. Bordered in the west by the San Bernardino Mountains and in the south by the Joshua Tree National Park, the town of Yucca Valley is located in the Mojave Desert at roughly 3,300 feet above sea level.
Demographics: estimated population [2022] 21,959; median age 42; M:F ratio 1:1; 58% married; 45% have children at home; 88% speak English; 8% speak Spanish; 62% white; 17% Hispanic; 6% black; 2% Asian; 3% American Indian; 10% other; 66% own; 34% rent; 88% high school grad; 12% college; $44K median household income; $27K average income per person; 2,264 veterans
Location of Yucca Valley city in SBC
Norman J. Essig was a key player in the late 1950s in working toward establishing Yucca Valley as a place for entertainment celebrities to come and live in privacy. He personally acquired hundreds of acres of land during this time and owned and ran Glenn Realty. He helped to put in the main roads that are running throughout the town off of Hwy 62. He was personal friends with Jimmy Van Heusen the composer and gave him prime real estate in Yucca Valley to build his house which can still be seen atop the highest hill in the center of the town.
In 1992, three large earthquakes occurred near the city, the magnitude 6.1 Joshua Tree earthquake on April 22, and on June 28 the 7.3 Landers and 6.5 Big Bear earthquakes. The 7.1 magnitude Hector Mine earthquake on October 16, 1999, had an epicenter 30 miles north of town.
On July 11, 2006, a wildfire started by lightning raced through neighboring Pioneertown. The blaze, named the Sawtooth Complex fire, also burned into Yucca Valley and nearby Morongo Valley and destroyed roughly 64,000 acres (26,000 ha) of desert landscape.
Yucca Valley is home to the geoglyph "Atlatl" by artist Andrew Rogers.
"When it comes to recreation, we offer something for everyone!"
Specific Prayer Points
Environmental issues: drought, in 2019 there were 72 homeless people, earthquake
Governed by: City Council; 3rd District of the County;
Schools/District: Morongo Unified school district ; Yucca Valley elementary & middle & high schools; Joshua Springs Christian school; Lo Contenta Middle; Calvary Baptist Church school; Our Lady of the Desert elementary; Grace Christian; Orange Elementary; Black Rock High; Friendly Hills Elementary; Calvary Bible Institute
Crime issues: 92284 & 92286 [2022]overall crime B-; A crime occurs every 9 hours 35 minutes (on average) in Yucca Valley; violent crime C+; property crime C+; other crime B-; top crime issues are drug crimes 9%; burglary & vandalism 7%
Poverty rate: 21% [>6% of CA avg 15%] 17% M; 28% F; 18-59 yrs 20%; 60-74 17%
Points of interest: Desert Christ Park; Video about it ; High Desert Nature Museum ; Yucca Valley Airport District
Spiritual needs: pastors connect to pray and build unifying relationships; intercessors who are residents to claim this area for Christ; to build on the many Christian schools that the children will grow up to serve the Lord; boldness in sharing their faith; laborers for the harvest; ways to help the poor that gets them out of poverty; Bible studies weekly for fellowship, transparency and accountability; prayer groups in each church that preaches the Gospel; transformed lives; reformed community
Churches & Ministries [not exhaustive]
First Christian Church of Yucca Valley
Yucca Valley Foursquare church
Desert Hills Presbyterian church
First Assembly of God
Evangelical Free church
The Well Christian Center
Yucca Valley church
Yucca Valley United Methodist
Church of Jesus Christ Latterday
Church of Religious Science
St Mary of the Valley
Church of the Nazarene
Joshua Springs Calvary Chapel
St Joseph of Arimathea
Hosanna City Church
Saint Marys of the Valley
Good Shepherd Lutheran