Travel Eye on Joshua Tree (California, USA)

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Overview:

Joshua Tree National Park encompasses the arid mountains and high desert plateaus just east of Palm Springs, California. You can access the area through the entrance and visitors center in Cottonwood Springs near Palm Desert, California or through the high-country entrances at the Village of Joshua Tree or near the town of Twenty-Nine Palms.

There are only a few roads that wind through the monument, but there are plenty of wide-open spaces and hiking trails with spectacular scenery. It was named for the strange looking Joshua tree that flourishes in the area. Joshua Tree attracts thousands of rock climbers from around the world but attracts few sightseeing tourists. This is one of those hidden treasures that have not been spoiled by overuse.

The scenery in Joshua tree looks like something from another planet. You expect to see dinosaurs and outer space creatures roaming this desert landscape.

The high plateaus are flat sandy basins filled with a strange collection of desert plants including thousands of bizarre looking Joshua trees. Everywhere you look; you see piles of gigantic boulders strewn across the landscape like some discarded toys of giants. Barren rocky mountain peaks rise all around.

Locality:

Joshua Tree National Park is located in Southern California about 150 miles (250km) east of Los Angeles. It contains over 1200 square miles of high altitude desert with bizarre geological features and a unique ecological environment.

Entertainment/Facilities/Attractions/Things to do:

J-Tree, as rock climbers from around the world call it, contains some of the best rock climbing in the USA. The gigantic rocks are composed of rough granite with plenty of holes and cracks to make interesting climbs. There are thousands of piles of rocks around Joshua tree providing a million climbing opportunities at all levels of difficulty.

Throughout the park, you see children scampering over boulders and experienced rock climbers tackling some intensely difficult climbs. If you would like to try some rock climbing, there are several outfitters and guides in the area that offer climbing experiences for everyone from novices to experts.

Several small shopping centres supply Joshua Tree residents and visitors with fine art galleries, gift shops, beauty salons, rock climbing shops, grocery marts, health food stores, gourmet foods, cafes and restaurants, bars, physicians, dentists, a hobby and kite shop, a gas station, a hardware store, and a laundromat.  The US Post Office, The Hi-Desert Playhouse Cultural Center, MBTA (public bus service), San Bernardino County Court House, San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office, the California Highway Patrol, and the Hi-Desert Airport serve local inhabitants and guests.