Joshua Tree National Park

Shade Under The Rock

In the desert, creatures often must find shade any place it is available because the heat is oppressive.

Dried Flowers On The Desert Floor

One of the amazing things we noted on our visit was that though most of the flowers had long ago died out, they remained attached to their various stems as shown here.

'Bones' In The Shade Of The Joshua Tree

A most magnificent Joshua Tree. The 'bones' appear to be the remains of an old Joshua Tree and the shade just happen to be covering them. It is almost as if anything here in the Mojave Desert seeks shade.

Thirst

When I was a youngster I would occasionally see a cowboy movie where the characters were abandoned in the desert with little or no water. In today's world we rarely experience true thirst, but as I looked upon this scene I was just about able to realize how horrible an experience it would be.

Flower Garden In The Desert

Foreboding Hike

The real thing missing in all of these photographs is the intense heat that comes with the brutal terrain.

Oppressive Heat

The heat does not show up in the picture, but the heat was such that my wife would not get out of the car when I took many of these photographs.

Dead Tree At Keys View

Desolation

The sight from Keys View.

Rock Garden In The Mojave

From Keys View the visitor looks over these rocks to the dreadful valley below.

The Relentless Sun

Bird's Nest In A Joshua Tree

Cholla Cactus Garden

The jumping cholla is named for its tendency to attach itself to the unwary.

Melting Rocks

At the time of this photograph in Joshua Tree National Park, California, it was 117-degrees . . . it was almost as if we could see the rocks melting in front of us. [IA]

Dried Desert Flowers

We visited Joshua Tree National Park in July and the only flowers left were those drying in the desert air. [IA]