Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree
Joshua Tree National Park is a vast protected area in southern California. It’s characterized by rugged rock formations and stark desert landscapes. Named for the region’s twisted, bristled Joshua trees, the park straddles the cactus-dotted Colorado Desert and the Mojave Desert, which is higher and cooler. It is an important part of the Mojave Desert ecosystem, providing habitat for numerous birds, mammals, insects, and lizards. Their range is within the Mojave Desert of California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona. They only grow between elevations of 2,000 and 6,000 feet. The average lifespan of a Joshua Tree is said to be about 500 years.
Ryan Mountain
Ryan Mountain is a 5,456-foot-high mountain in Joshua Tree National Park. The trail to the peak is a strenuous hike, ascending 1,050 feet in 4.5 miles. The sun-exposed trail crowns impressive panoramic views of the jumbled rock formations and Joshua tree forests that surround the peak. The summit of Ryan Mountain is the best place to get a top-down view of the heart of the park. As the trail continues to climb, you will wrap around the west side of the mountain. Enjoy an excellent view to the northwest toward the Wonderland of Rocks, jumbled rock formations that define the classic Joshua Tree landscape. Farther to the west and southwest, the Little San Bernardino Mountains rise over the park.
Rock Formations
Plate tectonics and volcanic activity are responsible for what we see today. Over 200 million years ago, the North American Plate collided with the Farallon Plate that sat under the Pacific Ocean. The friction from the subduction caused the surrounding underground rocks to melt and form magma plutons. These magma chambers eventually cooled underground into granitic rock. Ground water then seeped into these cracks and turned the nearby rock into a soft clay which was eventually washed away. The result was individual spherical pieces of granite. Above ground, the top soil began to erode away. As the granitic rocks made their way to the surface, they settled into piles on top of each other creating the extraordinary rock shapes.
Cholla Cactus Garden
Cholla Cactus Garden is one of Joshua Tree National Park’s one-of-a-kind features. Located at the merger of the upper Mojave Desert and the lower Colorado Desert, this level quarter-mile loop provides access to an intense concentration of cholla cacti. The cactus is covered in spines that will latch in to your skin on the slightest touch. This defense mechanism is effective for desert survival but can create an unpleasant experience for those who don’t stick to the trail.
