Joshua Tree National Park

March 1 ~ March 5

We didn't know much about Joshua Tree National Park (nps/gov.jotr) until we arrived in the desert.  It is a 794,000 acre area that was proclaimed a National Park by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1936 at the urging of a local desert-lover.  It is wilderness!  And filled with  Dr. Seuss  plants! 

The park spans portions of the Colorado Desert at the elevations below 3,000 feet and the Mojave, at the upper heights.  It's signature plant and namesake is the Joshua Tree.

Actually it's not a tree at all, but a variation of a yucca plant.  It has a tree-like bark, but it's "leaves" are definitely like the cactus.  We thought we were visiting during the blooming session, but were a couple of weeks too early.  Would have loved to have seen them....big spikes chocked with milky white flowers.  These trees only branch after blossoming and can live to 500 years.

Particularly interesting to me is the way certain vegetation only grows in certain areas and where certain rock formations only crop up in specific areas.  It's almost as if it were designed as a theme park!

The Cactus Garden was probably our favorite.  This relatively small area is populated with the cholla (choyya) cactus or popularly known as teddy bears.  You can see why. They look real cuddly..but beware...the soft-looking silver bristles are not soft at all and have microscopic barbs that penetrate even shoes.  We missed the magenta flowers they sport in April.

It also appears there has been a desert fire looking at all the brown, seemingly dead cholla spines on the plants and the ground.  We learn that this is a means to natural reproduction.  The older ones simply fall off and re-root to form new plants.  Also since they attach to anything that touches them, the spines are said to "hitchhike" on unsuspecting desert animals.

Ocotillo is another extremely interesting find.  From afar it looks like a tall, willowy cactus.  

In fact, it is a deciduous tree that's covered with lush green leaves and gives off a showy display of bright pink flowers in spring and sometimes again in the fall.  They were budding when we were there.

The rock formations that a scattered about are fascinating.  Geologists believe they were formed over 150 million years ago through volcanic activity.  We find a large outcropping near Arch Rock for a picnic.  Glad we packed a lunch...there are no services in the Park, though restrooms are available at their various campsites.

To me, Arch Rock looks like a huge keeled over alien!

You could spend a whole afternoon making up names for some of the interesting formations you see. 

Driving through over 75 miles in the Park, there are  many small turn-offs they call "exhibits".  A major departure off the main road is Keys View....it's an extra 20 minutes to get there, but worth it.  From this summit you are able to see the Salton Sea (to the far left in the photo) and the Mexican border just behind it.  Unfortunately crystal clear days are very hard to get, haze usually covers the Coachella Valley.

As we near the end of the park, for some reason we decide to stop at another rock outcrop.  We find a few guys climbing that were fascinating to watch.  One had full gear, another, much older and wizened gentleman, told us he was "free-soleing"...not sure that's how you spell it..but it means he just walks up!

We've been here for well over 5 hours and could've poked around longer.  But it's a good hour back to La Quinta and we're beginning to fade. 

Encountered a very interesting sight on the way.  We've seen wind farms in California before, but this was amazing.  Looked like many thousands.  Also looked like an alien turbine invasion.

I've read you can tour the wind farm.  Rick would love that....will check it out further.