"Drive" around here a little bit and you may find something just as good...
Richard
Joshua Trees aren't just in Joshua Tree NP --
If you drive the main desert roads, you'll find some nice stands mixed with broken down cabins/homes/shacks, many unoccupied -- try these roads.
Note that each of these areas has some sections of good Joshua trees but then there are the long sections of just Creosote bushes....
1) 62, but only east of 29 Palms.
2) 247, between Yucca Valley and Apple Valley
3) 138 from Phelan Rd to just east of Palmdale (and roads off this), but this area hasn't run down as much
4) 14 from North and west of Mojave (along 58, and 14)
5) around red Mountain-Johannesburg
6) The best stands of Joshua Trees I've ever seen are Walker Pass along 178. But this area has zero cabins or shacks. But last summer it had really interesting grass mixed in the hillsides on the south side of 178 where fire had burned and extinguished in some prior year - leaving long fingers of different colored grasses
I sure others can point you to other places with good Joshua trees mixed with shacks but I've not been there...
regards
Don
PS let us know if you find this one. I'm betting on the area east of 29 palms as there is a large flat (lakebed?) area in the background....
Thanks very much for this , Don! I'll let you know if I find THAT one...
I seem to recall seeing some nice stands NW of Kingman? I actually lived in Scottsdale for 4 months back in '87 when on sabbattical, so I did travel all through Arizona, Southern California, Utah, New Mexico...and then went to Australia for 4 months...
When I was 16 I thought my father the stupidest man in the world; when I reached 21, I was astounded by how much he had learned in just 5 years!
-appropriated from Mark Twain
I second the recommendation for Enchadas in Joshua Tree. Get the enchiladas and a pitcher of midori margaritas. Make sure you bring a jacket -- forecast for the Park is for snow on Monday. As for the picture, I'm guessing somewhere off Hwy 395 in California between Adelanto and Kramer Junction.
If you find out, Richard, give me a shout; it would suit me fine...
Don's list of six joshua tree spots are all great. I also love:
7) Cima Dome, in Mojave Nat'l Preserve.
8) Lee Flat, up above Death Valley. Some of the tallest known trees are there. Not as "perfect" looking, but up to 30' and taller. (Note: if you camp there like I did, it's well over 5000' elevation and will be a LOT colder at night than in the valley. brrr)
They say that part of the desert used to be the shore of a large, inland sea. You know what's funny? That tree was there then, too.
It's scientifical.
--Darin
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