A report of nascent wildflowers dancing in my head, I coaxed my husband, Kirk, into an impromptu day trip to nearby Joshua Tree National Park on a glorious end-of-March spring day here in the Coachella Valley desert.
Exactly 30 miles door-to-door from our La Quinta home to the huge park’s south entrance, the easy trip there was itself a treat—the craggy Little San Bernadino Mountains flanking the park’s southwest border and the Interstate 10 garishly decked in spring flowers.
It was as if Johnny Appleseed had strewn wildflower seeds along the shoulder and meridian. The entire spectrum of yellow hues dominated—Brittlebush, Desert Dandelion and Desert Sunflower, accented by the purple stalks of Mojave Lupine. At day’s end, the humble ribbon of asphalt would earn the showier-display award over the famous park itself.
I wanted to snap a photo of the vibrant landscape but Kirk advised against pulling over on the roaring highway. I really wasn't too keen on the idea anyway!
Joshua Tree, famous for its wildflowers, was initially conceived by Franklin Roosevelt in 1936 and elevated in status from national monument to park in 1994. Annual precipitation determines the quality and quantity of the flora and this year is garnering good marks. An expected bout of rain tomorrow should ensure a longer-lasting season. Not good for the just-started Dinah Shore golf tournament in Rancho Mirage but good for the flowers!
Bajada Nature Trail lies just inside the park's Cottonwood Spring entrance and offers an easy, quarter-mile informative loop with brushed-aluminum trail markers denoting a wide array of desert flora. The sandy flats flaunted low carpets of spiky, deep-purple Chia and lemon-yellow Desert Dandelion. And, the first of many active lizards I would see throughout our day.
Even a dead Ironwood tree—which can stand intact for centuries in the arid conditions–looked starkly beautiful against the blue-sky backdrop.
The southern portion of Joshua Tree—from Cottonwood Spring through the Pinto Basin—offers the richest display of wildflowers and the two-lane macadam was doted with the vivid yellow blooms of big-bushed Desert Senna.
I noticed that the yellow-flowered Brittlebush—the most abundant plant I see on my Coachella Valley hikes—had not yet joined the March calvacade but its plentiful appearance on the mountain slopes promises a heady show very shortly.
Joshua Tree’s 800,000 acres actually encompass portions of two distinct deserts, a dichotomy of harsh yet fragile terrain. Each ecosystem results from its elevation: the higher Mojave Desert and the lower Colorado Desert. Our trip—which commenced with an Abracadabra-like vista after a serpentine pass through the Cottonwood and Eagle Mountains—explored the flatter Colorado terrain but climaxed with the park’s unique rock formations found in the Mojave appellation.
After slowing down to admire the Ocotillo Patch—a span of desert dotted with the distinctive orange-tipped spiny fronds looking like upside-down octopus—we stopped for a brief hop-out at the Cholla Cactus Garden, a stunning field of the white-needled cacti.
Named for its tendency to attach itself to the unwary, the Jumping Cholla is truly impressive and I made the mistake of making contact with one of the bristly pods stealthily awaiting my sticky shoe sole. Took several shakes for the stubborn plant to reluctantly detach itself from my hapless hiking shoe.
We're 26 miles into the park now and have been climbing steadily. When we spot multi-hued rocks rising dramatically from the desert floor, we know we've crossed into yet another distinct ecosystem.
Here in the Mojave desert, the terrain resembles an imaginative artist's interpretation of wilderness and I'm reminded of an original Disneyland attraction—Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland—with its precariously perched boulders and fantastic carved terrain. One thinks the Disney Imagineers made up such fanciful rocks; presented with the originals you realize they, too, made a Joshua Tree trek!
White Tank is one of the dramatic groupings of massive boulders thrusting upwards from the sandy loam.
We enjoy a wonderful half-mile loop through the unbelievable landscape and I capture one of the vistas with the panoramic photo shown at the beginning of this story.
According to geologists, Joshua Tree has been 100 million years in the making, an inexorable process which continues to this day. It is humbling to realize our insignificance in the vast timeline of planet Earth.
A lone Desert Rock Pea plant unfurls its two-petal flowers atop a sandy ridge overlooking a tilting backdrop of wondrous rocks.
This water-eroded boulder reminded me of an ancient predatory bird even as it beckoned me into its beak!
Fifteen campsites are nestled among the boulders of White Tank and pup tents sprout like colorful flowers among the dun-colored boulders.
I'm no camper but suddenly felt the urge to rush out and purchase a tent and grill to capture the thrill of overnighting-it in such a magical place. Even Kirk appears intrigued by the notion of a camp-out.
In the interim, we "borrow" an unattended campsite and spread our picnic goodies. The dog towel is retrieved from the trunk to become a tablecloth and we savor our simple repast amidst the remarkable setting.
The red flowers—the first and only such plant I've seen—were spied tucked into a crevice of the White Tank rockscape. A friend tells me it might be Indian Paintbrush, a plant I'd overlooked on my guide because it didn't look like the picture and is supposed to only occur at higher elevations. The yellow Checker Fiddleneck graced the campsites.
Packing up the picnic, we turn the car around and retrace our route south. I dart in and out of the car upon spying bursts of roadside color while Kirk patiently awaits my return. Here are a few of my finds:
The roadsides along the Pinto Basin were covered with carpets of the delicate white Desert Alyssum (above) and Brown-eyed Primrose. i only spotted one stretch of pretty blue Heliotrope Phacelia.
And, one final screeching pull-over to capture the flaming-red bushes of Chuparosa, a common plant throughout the desert Valley and a veritable favorite of hummingbirds.
Resolved. Kirk and I will return again soon to further explore the nether regions of this wondrous park and see more of the iconic Joshua Trees. Next visit we plan on entering the park via the north end at the eponymous town marking the entrance. You can be sure I'll bring my camera!
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