CA Adventure - Part IV

My photo assignment covered a variety locations throughout SoCal and eventually led to the High Desert region of San Bernadino County—the largest county in the continental USA covering over 20,000 square miles. 

After our shoot was finished, my host, Andy, treated me to a an unplanned side-trip to visit Joshua Tree N. P.  Visiting national parks is a regular part of my "List" agenda and having the surprise chance to visit this desert jewel was fantastic.  It was also interesting to contrast a desert environment with the coastal experience I just had at  Channel Islands N.P.

We arrived mid-afternoon with temps in the low 100s and the sun near its zenith—not the best time for photography, but anytime is fine be in a special location like Joshua Tree.  Mid-week and mid-afternoon the park was ours.


Joshua trees, Yucca brevifolia, were named by the Mormon pioneers that crossed the desert in the mid-19th century.  The tree's form reminded them of biblical Joshua reaching his hands up to the heavens in prayer.  


When my construction client encounters a Joshua tree on the job site, they must contact a specialist for transplanting this protected plant.  Although it's a hardy survivor of the harsh high desert and can withstand extremes of temperature and wind, it is not easily moved.  Special care is taken in measuring it's exact orientation to north and the azimuthal angle and inclination of its trunk and branches, all key to the plants survival in the move.


We entered the park at the West Entrance on Highway 62 where the Mojave Desert extends south into the park and is habitat to the park's namesake, Joshua trees. Unfortunately, due to climate change, Joshua trees may, one day, not survive within Joshua Tree National Park. However, they aren't the only special plants found in the park.  Interestingly, the original suggested name for the park in 1930s was Desert Plants National Park for the over 800 varieties of vascular plants found there.   

Driving towards the center of the park we found some other special residents in the Cholla Cactus Garden, including "Teddy Bear" Cholla, Cylindropuntia begelovii,  and "Jumping" Cholla, Cylindropuntia fulgida.  Very photogenic!


Besides the botanical features, I was equally drawn to the wide variety of geologic formations found within the park.  Volcanic extrusions of pillow basalt and monzogranite monoliths created a surreal landscape and fantastic shooting.

JOSHUA TREE NP Gallery