"Garden of Praying Pilgrims " a Joshua Tree National Park Travel Page by mht_in_la

Just came back from a day-trip to Joshua Tree National Park. I took some photos this time. It's one of those places that I visit casually and regularly, but never paid too much attention to. Heck, I even did most of the hiking on flip flops today. However, in the past 2 years I didn't go as often because my car is getting too old for the grueling desert. Besides, the Park's road construction project has been going for 2 years; some sections are still unpaved. But I will try to throw some photos on VT as I continue to visit.

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Joshua of different shape and form

As to the Park, it's named after the distinctively shaped Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia) that spread all over the western half of the Park (Mojave Desert). Joshua actually belongs to the lily family. When it grows too big its branches often fall on its own weight and start bowing in all directions as shown in the above photo. With its biblical reference, it's as if God created Joshua to show us the proper form of praying.

The eastern half of the Park, however, belongs to the hotter and lower Colorado Desert (elevation 3,000 ft or below). Here the vegetation changes to predominantly bush and cactus. Just drive down Pinto Basin Road that connects the Park's northern and southern entrances and you'll notice the difference.