Joshua Tree National Park

 Jason Photographs Joshua Tree National Park

 February 2014 

There is nothing in these photographs or this writing that can transmit the experience of walking in this desert.  Jason’s landscape photos follow.  If you have never been there and these photos intrigue you, start planning the trip!  Or if you have, I hope they make you want to return.

 

  One of our great hikes was free lance up this large arroyo.  Using the GPS allowed us to go off trail, almost essential because the trails in the park are sometimes obvious and marked, sometimes not so much.  That turned into a fun challenge, and was cause for awareness too.

Over and again humbled by landscape.  Micro landscapes next.

 

The cholla cactus, below, looks almost fuzzy and soft from a distance, but has a harsh barb that makes it painful to remove.  Lots of warnings to leave it alone. First a close up photo of mine and then three of Jason’s cholla photos.

 

  I’m not the prickly thing, that’s the cholla! I’m here only for scale.  “Jason, I could learn something about prickly here.”  In less than a fraction of a millisecond he responds, “Honey, you could teach here.” :)

  We spent six nights at a perfect for us campsite, hiked every day.  From our site 

under huge rocks, we had unobstructed desert views in 3 directions and no close neighbors.   The next two photos are mine taken from our campsite first early and then late into sunset.

Our last morning in the park we took a shorter hike before traveling and I climbed my biggest rock.  It’s higher than it looks, really it is!  Not sure Paul could handle it without ropes. 

Thank you Joshua Tree.  We’re coming back!