Joshua Tree National Park is most famous for its gigantic rock formations, naturally carved into peculiar shapes, the cacti fields and of course the Joshua tree which grows here. One can spend days here or just a few hours driving through the park and stopping here and there.
Depending on where you enter the park, north or south, you will be greeted by a very different scenery.
I started at the north gate from Yucca Valley and was quite glad I did because I only had one day to spend in the park itself and this way I started in the area with the most stops and trails.
Before the entrance there is the visitor center where the staff was super nice and informative. As with all National Parks your ticket comes with a very handy detailed map.
As soon as I passed the north entrance I was met by the picturesque landscape of the Joshua Trees and gigantic rocks, mountains of gigantic rocks actually! I wanted to stop every two minutes for pictures!
The tallest Joshua Tree
On a future visit I would love to camp be overnight in the park. I got to see the sky after the sun set, but I think it would be even more amazing in the full darkness of the night when the day visitors are gone and there are no cars driving around with headlights on.
Here are some of the rock shapes I found most interesting:
This one ⬆ looks like a skull but it’s not the one officially named Rock Skull
This is ⬆Rock Skull
One spot you really don’t want to miss when you visit Joshua Tree National Park is Keys View. From its 5185 elevation there is a splendid 360 view of the area, including the San Andreas Fault, the Coachella Valley and on clear days even Salton Sea. The wind up here is mighty strong. I had a warm winter jacket on, hat, scarf and I was still freezing!
Heading toward the south of the park the flora and landscape change dramatically. The terrain becomes flat and instead of the gigantic piles of rocks and Joshua trees there are fields of Ocotillo and Cholla cacti. The later were in bloom when I visited and looked absolutely beautiful. The sun was setting by the time I got to this area and it was one of those moments where my entire mind was engulfed in the beauty surrounding me. Nature’s majesty is my greatest catharsis.
Enjoy life! Stay curious ;)
