Tag Archives: Joshua trees

There’s something about the sight of “trees” (even if they’re just “pseudotrees”) that I find appealing and relaxing.  For example, I think the Sonoran desert around Tucson is far more interesting and beautiful because of its giant saguaro cacti.  The same is true of the thick growth of ‘Joshua Trees’ in the high Mojave Desert of California and Nevada.

I first visited Joshua Tree in 1983 when it was still a National Monument (declared so three quarters of a century ago by FDR in 1936 & received National Park status in 1994).  The memories of broad vistas, desert vegetation, unusual rock formations and Joshua trees remained with me and I’ve returned many times since including on a two night backpacking trip …

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