Joshua Tree NP

We are settled in enjoying a brew, watching BB on TV looking out over the canal watching golfers on the 5th green after a 180 mile scenic road trip through Joshua Tree NP. The park isn't too far from here, but we have never visited this area. So we decided a road trip was in order. We drove around through 29 Palms into the north park entrance. Most of the worthwhile sites are on the north portion of the park.

Here's Jim heading to the Skull Rock.

We drove to an elevation of 5185 to get a view of the whole valley.

We ran into a corvette club, beautiful day for a drive.

Here are the Joshua trees. It's not really a tree but a species of yucca. Joshua trees can grow over 40 feet tall at a leisurely rate of an inch a year. In the mid-19th century, Mormon immigrants had made their way across the Colorado River. Legend has it that these pioneers named the tree after the biblical figure, Joshua, seeing the limbs of the tree as outstretched in supplication, guiding the travelers westward.

 We noticed some rock climbers scaling the hugh rocks in the area.

 This gives you a perspective of how tall the trees actually get.

We made a full circle and came out the south entrance at I10 east of Indio. It was interesting, but not one of my favorite NPs. You probably need to experience it once, but that's probably enough. Enjoyed the trip and glad we got to view the area.

It will be a leisurely evening on the patio with leftovers for dinner. We are heading back to Tucson tomorrow to avoid all the traffic on Sunday. So our short trip will come to an end tomorrow morning. The weather has been beautiful, and a good time was had. But back to work.