The Yucca Palm — known as “Joshua tree”
Nicknamed “J-Tree” by locals or “Dessert dagger” as it’s called in Spanish , this is none other than the Joshua tree, found in abundance just two hours east of LA at one of the famous getaway vacation spot, Joshua Tree National Park which lies beautifully at an ecological crossroads, where the high Mojave Desert meets the low Colorado Desert. That marriage results in amazing desert flora, including those wacky namesake trees (a type of yucca), and leafy groves of palm trees. Joshua Tree’s beauty shines around the clock, with vibrant sunrises falling on the big boulders to sunsets melting into nights filled with uncountable stars perfect for stargazing adventures.
Big, climbable rocks are like catnip to active kids, and Joshua Tree offers a natural playground full of them, with more than 400 climbing formations and 8,000 established climbing routes.
Originally home to the Cahuilla, Chemehuevi, Mojave, Serrano, Western Shoshone peoples, the park’s borders contain nearly 800,000 acres, more than a third of them designated wilderness, and many of those trail-free, a siren call to anyone who might enjoy a little desert solitaire.
But this is no lonely swath of sand. The whole place is riddled with snaking canyons, hidden oases, and bulbous rocks hosting a variety of wildlife, including bobcats, coyotes, jackrabbits, and the threatened Mojave Desert tortoise. In addition, the Southern California park receives nearly three million visitors a year who fan across its dual regions — the more arid and remote Colorado Desert, to the east, and the higher-elevation and more heavily developed Mojave Desert, to the west. The latter is where you’ll find the highest concentration of the park’s Seussian namesake, which is not a tree at all but a monocot, a flowering plant that’s related to yucca.
Even though it’s a desert and the place gets less than a month rainfall, we got lucky to have not rain but snowfall which completely changed the views within a matter of hours. We got to capture the surreal views of the park covered in white blanket with some Joshua trees bend over due to the heaviness of the snow. We spent some great time (the next day) along the trails which were unrecognizable, playing snow fights though my hand couldn’t stop taking pictures of the beautiful blue skies with the white snow covering the Joshua’s. No words can describe this sight.
The whole national park is a vast ocean full of geographic information. Even If you never liked learning about dry climates and deserts, this is one place you will fall in love with. The beauty of the park is a well mix of various cacti, the unique rocks and the interesting hikes which can give you a quick snapshot of this park if you are short on time. Ryan Mountain hike gives spectacular views of the park (and a great workout). Cholla Garden (pronounced as choy-ah) hike is an easy one but spiky (read about Cholla cactus- it’s interesting). Explore the Lost Palms Oasis and check out the desert wildflowers and ghost town ruins near Mastodon Peak. Be sure to get lost in the Maze or take a break from the crowds on the Panorama Loop.
No matter what kind of hike you’re looking for in Joshua Tree National Park, there’s something for everyone here. Just make sure to pack a lot of water, don’t forget your layers for the sun and the cold (it can get pretty chilly here in the winter months!), and do check with the park rangers for the most up to date weather and trail conditions.
