Visiting Joshua Tree National Park

We visited the Joshua Tree National Park and loved it! It is sure a gorgeous place!
It is very hot in the summer so we decide to go in February and the temperature was in the 70s and cooler in the evening.

The desert was blooming!

Joshua Tree is a species of yucca. Like other desert plants, its waxy, spiny leaves expose little surface area, efficiently conserving moisture. Joshua Trees can grow over 40 feet tall.

By the 19th century, Mormons 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.

This place is full of Joshua Trees everywhere

We were told that people come from different parts of the world to do rock climbing here

Look careful and there are some people climbing the rock mountain behind Gordon

We did not do the rock climbing thing. We did the flat trails and enjoyed seeing the people that were climbing the rocks

Getting back in the car and going back on the road to our next stop.


Joshua Trees all along the road here. Very enjoyable ride!



Also gorgeous rock hills along the road


Parking areas at many of the stop were full. It's a very well attended park.
Can't believe we only live about an hour and a half from here and have not visited before.

Hiking the Hidden Valley

Hidden Valley is an enclosed flat area surrounded by rocky hills. You could choose to stay on the valley trails or climb the rocky hills surrounding the valley. The main trail wines around massive boulder hills. Pretty neat valley:-)

Joshua Trees along the hiking path

Beautiful cactus and desert plants everywhere in this hidden valley



The lizards we saw were feasting on some tiny bugs

At the Barker Dam and Key View

The trail to the dam, Joshua Trees all around the trail everywhere....just beautiful!

We hiked to Barker Dam
This dam was build around 1900 to hold water for cattle and mining use.
The dam today holds forms a small rain-fed reservoir used by park wildlife.

We were told that usually this dam does not have much water, but because of all the storms this year it has water. Love the combination of the rocks and the water:-)

We drove to Key View. Since Joshua Tree Park is at high elevation (5,185 feet), here at Key View can overlook a stunning expanse of valley mountains, Salton Sea and the rest of the lower land below. We were planning to bring our chairs out and stay a while and read but it was very windy and cold here so we did not stay long.

Hiking the Skull Rock Area

Us hiking the skull rock area here at Joshua Tree National Park.
Here there is this kind of rocks for miles.
We had a lot of fun hiking/climbing through this rocky paths!

Us having fun with our shadows on the rocks.....so fun!!!!!!

A close up of our shadow on a rock

We felt like dancing and jumping at the top of one of the rocks of our hike!
It fills good to be high on this high rocks here. We wanted to jump higher:-)
Everything seemed so clean and clear up there. The view of beautiful rocks for miles and the clear blue sky was fantastic!

Cholla Cactus Garden

We visited the Cholla Cactus Garden. It is located on the western rim of the Pinto Basin at Joshua Tree National Park. This garden provides a habitat for a variety of plants and animals whose complex relationships with the environment and with one another makes their survival possible. This place only gets about four inches of rain a year. In the summer this basin pulsates with heat. The plants and animals of this Pinto Basin are well adapted to survive in such a hot and arid environment. But visiting in February was perfect and it was not hot. The weather was perfect at int he mid 70s. We even had to wear a sweater around sundown.

We did the tails among this gorgeous the cactus. The Cholla Garden was just breath taking!

We have never been in a hike in such a unique place like this one!

There were Cholla Cactus there for miles and miles!

Us in our hike among the Cholla Cactus

Zulita loved this place. She wanted to stay here longer. But it was getting dark and we needed to start making our drive back home.

The Cholla Cactus Garden was blooming! Beautiful!!!!!

The day ended with dinner at Las Casuelas Nuevas reataurant in Rancho Mirage.
Gordon gave Zulita this valentine card with the greatest message sweetest and most appropriate message to where we are right now. Getting and reading the card brought Zulita the greatest joy.

Life is like a path,
At times it is straight ans smooth
at other times it turns and becomes uneven.

It takes us to the heights
and through the valleys.

It leads us to the coolness of a shade tree
and bathes us in the warmth of the summer sun.

As travelers we stay upon it,
not just because we know that road will lead us
to our desired destination
but also because of the joy of the journey.

I thank God that He has allowed me to travel life's path with you.
Every step has been a step with love.

I love you very much,
Gordon

The food was great at this restaurant. Then dinner ended with Zulita's favorite desert,....flan. It was the most delicious flan she had in a long time!
It was the most amazing Valentine's Day ever!!!!!!!!