Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Joshua Tree N.P.–Day 1

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Park entrance sign

Today, we took a drive through the southern end of the park.  It is 30 miles from the southern entrance to the northern entrance. 

All of the Joshua trees are in the northern part, so we did not see any today.  Our main goal was to visit Cottonwood Spring.  The spring is located just behind the southern welcome center.

Cottonwood Spring

We are parked just on the other side of the mountains behind this spring.  You would never know such a beaurtiful place existed in this dry and unforgiving desert.

There are beautiful bright green Cottonwood trees and dark Palm trees all along the sandy wash.  Just under the sand, there is an abundance of water to keep them green.

Cottonwood Spring

Cottonwood Spring

Cottonwood Spring

Cottonwood Spring  Cottonwood Spring

We then drove about 18 miles down over the mountains and into the Colorado Desert.

Colorado Desert

Off to the north across the desert, we could see Pinto Mountain coming closer as we drove north.

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Our journey into the park today stopped at the Cholla Cactus Garden.  I have never seen so many Cholla in one place before.  They are beautiful.

Cholla Garden

Cholla Garden

Cholla Garden

Cholla Garden

That is enough for one day.  The next time, we will drive to the northern end of the park and see the Joshua Trees.

Beautiful full moon tonight.  Dolly took a beautiful photo with the 300 mm zoom lens.

Ful moon

See you later.

3 comments:

  1. I love the cottonwood area. We need to return there this spring. Also like the northern area, too, with all the joshua trees and rock formations. Be sure you stop at the intersection where the rocks are. You are likely to see climbers!
    ~Cheryl Ann~

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  2. I was pleasantly surprised with Cottonwood Spring. Very pretty.

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  3. I was pleasantly surprised with Cottonwood Spring. Very pretty.

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