This is Joshua Tree National Park, about 150 miles east of Los Angeles. It offers wonderful desert scenery, hiking and camping and is a world class rock climbing destination. Portions of both the Mojave and Sonoran deserts share the park, offering a perfect place for desert lovers to enjoy. Come in summer if you like the sun! Severe clear skies and day time temperatures almost always well above 100 degrees F. It’s one of my favorite parks!
Since I have some time on my hands at the moment, I went back through some old images and resurrected them for this post. Most of these shots were taken in 2008 – 2011.
Mt. San Gorgonio from Joshua Tree National Park
Snow covered Mt. San Gorgonio, the highest peak in Southern California - 11'500 feet.
Rock formations in the vicinity of White Tank campgrounds
Lots of things out here that prick, stick, stab and bite!
According to Wikipedia, “The name Joshua tree was given by a group of Mormon settlers who crossed the Mojave Desert in the mid-19th century. The tree's unique shape reminded them of a Biblical story in which Joshua reaches his hands up to the sky in prayer.” But that may be more myth than fact. Here’s an interesting link with some insight and background on how the park’s namesake might have gotten its name.