Joshua Tree

The beauty of the American West is likely more connected to the deserts than the mountains. Both, however, are places of with wild and stunning landscapes. Having already made the journey south toward San Diego, we took advantage of the opportunity to drive out into the desert and spend a day in Joshua Tree National Park. While the drive itself provided views of the desert landscape framed by snowclad mountains, it wasn't until we pulled off the main highway and climbed into into the hills, the reason for the National Park became ever so apparent. The unique granite outcrops and boulders contrasted with the funky Joshua Trees to create a unique landscape.

Having been out in Joshua Tree for the spring bloom many years ago, it was somewhat unfortunate that we arrived a few weeks early. However, with so much natural beauty it was great just to spend some time in the quiet of the off-season and scramble around on the various sized boulders, learn about the sharp prickles of cactus, and just enjoy a beautiful place.