In a summer packed with coursework and commuting and heart-stopping humidity, it truly felt as though we would never make it to a true summer vacation. This trip was a huge step for us as vacations are sprinkled with a lot of responsibilities (rental cars! hotels! damage insurance???) but it was well well worth it. Because we were able to plan ahead, we managed to pack a lot of awesome hiking spots, plant-related destinations, and some beach time into our trip. I am so excited to share the first part of this miniseries that will cover our first visit to Southern California!

Joshua Tree National Park

In order to maximize our days on the west coast, we took a 6AM EST flight out of Boston and landed in LAX by 10AM PST (time difference was on our side here!) From there, we picked up our rental car, bought a ton of water/snacks/sunscreen, and drove about 2 hours to Joshua Tree. Of course, there was also an obligatory In-N-Out stop ($2.45 for a milkshake?? sign me up!!) On the first day, it was around 90 degrees and Connor and I were like pfft, what heat? Coming from Boston, it felt like nothing. We loaded up on trail mix, water, and sunscreen, and entered the park from the west entrance. Due to flooding, the road was blocked around the area where the north gate would lead into the main road, so we basically covered the Mojave desert section of JTNP on day one. The desert is truly incredible and if you have limited time here, I would recommend this section. The Mojave desert is the only section of the park that can sustain Joshua trees, a type of Yucca, that cannot reach very far because its primary mode of dispersal was from the dung of giant sloths (my favorite fact). Connor and I drove around to each pullover site and were amazed by how vast, flat, and different each area was. Joshua Tree has been described to be a composition of microworlds, and I don't think I would have realized this if I had previously imagined a desert in my head. In Hidden Valley, we decided to do the Barker Dam Nature Trail before heading up to Keys View, the highest point in JTNP- perfect for the sunset. From Keys View, we were able to make it out of the park before it got dark. The only animals we were able to observe were the lizards, as the heat made it unbearable for the sheep or rattlesnakes to make it out in the daytime.

On our second day in Joshua Tree, we entered the park through the North Entrance, and intended to drive through the rest of the park, exiting through the South Entrance. First on the itinerary was a trail from the North Entrance's Visitor Center that led to the Oasis of Mara that was accompanied by the story of Mara. We learned that due to the extreme drought, the oasis can no longer sustain itself, so it is artificially sustained by irrigation systems. From there, we visited the skull rock, the cholla cactus garden, and the ocotillo patch. All of these sites were right off the side of the road, which was convenient considering how excruciatingly hot it had become. Since we were now exploring the Colorado Desert section of JNTP, there was not a Joshua Tree in sight due to the extreme heat. This excursion covered more than half of the park, but the environment was mostly desolate. It only took a few hours to finish the rest of the park and then we were off to Palm Springs!

Chollo Cactus Garden! These were unlike anything else you could see in the Colorado Desert and the sheer concentration of them was breathtaking.

Ocotillo Patch! These plants reminded me of a giant centerpiece.

All in all, Joshua Tree Park was something special. As the late summer months do not receive a lot of traffic and the campsites are closed, the emptiness of the desert was more apparent than usual, but it felt more authentic this way. In the hustle and bustle of life, such loneliness is quite rare. I would love to revisit when the flowers are blooming and the temperature is more tolerable (in hopes of seeing some bighorn sheep?) Another special treat would be stargazing in the park as the gates do not close at night. These are all things that we will have to return to experience one day!

Joshua and His Trees

Joshua Tree National Park