Desolation to the max and other Joshua Tree National Park, CA Things to Do Tips

Joshua Tree National Park is vast and desolate, covering about 800,000 acres. Two ecosystems come together - one at 3,000 feet dominated by the creosote brush and cholla cactus - the other, slightly higher place is the home of the Joshua Tree. A third ecosystem is located at the westernmost part of the Park above 4,000 feet. This third ecosystem is moister and is the home of five desert fan palm oases, 5 of only 158 in all of North America.

Bleakness has its own kind of beauty, and this was a nice escape from Los Angeles. We put our camping gear in the back of the Jeep, U2 on the car stereo and headed, as they say, for the hills.

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Phone: 760-367-5500
Directions: 140 miles southeast of Los Angeles.
Website: http://www.nps.gov/jotr/

A must see in Joshua Park is, of course, the Joshua Tree. There are other pockets of Joshua Trees in other places in Southern California, but the National Park does have one of the largest concentrations.

This odd plant can grow 45 feet high and live for over 900 years.

They won't provide much shade in the scorching desert, but they do catch your eye. Look for them in the higher part of the Park.

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Joshua Tree has miles of hiking trails, mostly from moderate to strenuous. The more adventurous types will be pleased to know this is a top spot for mountain climbing. I'm sure we would have done more of both, but it was well over 90 degrees F. It probably would have constituted child abuse to make the kids trek across the desert in the blazing heat.

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Directions: See link below for hikes in Joshua Tree National Park
Website: http://www.joshua.tree.national-park.com/hike.htm#hike

You might see a desert tortoise in Joshua Tree National Park. These amazing reptiles can live for over 100 years!

We encountered one right in the middle of the highway that runs through the park. After swerving around it, we turned around and went back. I just couldn't bear the thought of Yertle the Turtle, who probably just celebrated his 100th birthday, becoming roadkill.

We helped old Yertle to the side of the road, where he nodded his head in gratitude, turned and made his way into the creosote brush.

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These granite monoliths can be see in the higher elevations of Joshua Tree National Park.

Were these really formed by nature, or are they the creation of some extraterrestrial being??

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Cacti are blooming in April.

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