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Joshua Tree National Park offers stark beauty with rock
formations that some suggest contain the souls of the dead.
Whether you believe that rocks are living entities in which
the spirits of the departed are permanently cast into these edifices, with a bit
of imagination you can see what seem to be the faces and shapes of people in the
rock formations in Joshua Tree.
Who would think that as you drive down a long stretch of
dusty road
in the Mojave Desert that you would arrive at a building packed with people who
are talking, walking, looking and buying souvenirs from the Joshua Tree National Parks journey? The place is
very busy on weekdays, weekends...you name it.
One of the most interesting stops on a Southern California
desert visit or in my case, a girlfriend
getaway, the national park includes miles upon miles of desert trees,
plants, flowers, animals, rocks and boulders galore.
Camping, picnicking and a SoCal favorite, rock climbing, are
a few activities that will surely get you out of your car to enjoy in the national park
with the matching name to the city of Joshua Tree.
Just an hour and a half from L.A. (approx.) you're on your
way to an awesome journey that simply can't be bottled or preserved in a jar
like a jam. National parks wear the badge of "unique" in California. When you
enter California's National Parks,
such Lassen Volcanic National Park,
or Joshua Tree, there's absolutely nothing ordinary about these U.S. treasures. Shown in the
photographs above a bicyclist in Joshua Tree National Park, plus rock climbers
who like to "hang" out.
A perfect day trip as part of a visit and stay at Palm
Springs (that was our itinerary, anyway,) there may not be as many colorful
flowers in bloom at the park in comparison to the springtime blooms on the hills
above Palm Springs, but the joshua trees, themselves, are well worth parking your
car and getting out for a walk or a leisurely picnic (bring your own).
The weather gets pretty toasty in the summer (and it begins to heat up
around Feb./Mar.) but don't let any doubts creep into your brain to dissuade you
from taking some of the best pictures and being "wow"ed by some of the best
scenery around.
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