In 1994 Joshua Tree was designated a National Park, having only had Monument status since 1936.  One might wonder what the difference between the two is.  A monument usually protects a singular resource of physical, cultural or historical value.  That designation can be granted by a President.  To earn the designation of National Park it takes an act of Congress.  That later being awarded to protect land, ecosystems, habitats and vulnerable places.   In 1994, the National Park designation for Joshua Tree protects  nearly 800,000 acres and the plants and animals that make it a wondrous place.
The park's namesake, the Joshua Tree is something akin to a Dr. Seuss illustration and the perfect specimen for a "B" alien.  

Beyond book illustrators and movie directors, the Joshua tree has caught the attention of a new generation and their Instagram-able moments.  If you follow the hashtag #joshuatree you will see elopements, weddings, family outings and wilderness wanderings set against the backdrop of the mighty Joshua.  Who would have thought this giant relative of the asparagus would command such insta-fame.   Are they sought out for their spiny silhouette, their mysterious wavy arms or the you-can-overcome and thrive spirit they embody sprouting up from the harsh desert conditions?

The magic and mystery of JTNP drew 3 million visitors in 2021.  The eclectic village of Joshua Tree, which borders the west park entrance comes alive at dawn with locals and visitors hitting Joshua Tree Coffee Company for some caffeine.  Travelers join the caravan of vehicles winding the small road up to the park entrance.   After you greet the fee booth attendant, the road through Joshua Tree becomes seemingly smaller and smaller as the vistas of open land grow larger.  Waving their bristled arms up in the air, the Joshua Trees greet you like a socially distanced crowd.    While they do appear in groups,  most seem to like their personal space standing lone in the desert sands.  Their frequency and sprawl is hard to capture on camera.

 Cresting from the ground, corralling the Joshuas are huge rock and boulder formations.  They look as if giants stacked them.  Many of the outcroppings have been named due to their unusual form, indentations and shapes such as Skull Rock, Cyclops Eye and Heart Rock.

Joshua Tree at night is just as spectacular.  It is rated 10th in the list of National Parks designated as night sky parks.  Views of the milky way, asteroid showers and lunar events draw thousands.

So what does make Joshua Tree so magical?  In my personal opinion it's scale.  These amazing trees dot the landscape farther than the eye can see and boy can you see a long way.  The JTNP desert landscape while diverse on a micro ecosystem scale is rather featureless on a grand mile to mile scale.   The landscape rolls forever blurring into a shade of gray green and brown.  The trees and the earth blend into a tapestry of hard desert life.  As an individual, it reminds you how small we.  We are just a dot on the landscape dwarfed by the population of Joshuas.  It can be very peaceful and humbling.   Traveling through and seeing the dotted Joshua Trees come into view, turning from blurry shadowy forms into larger than life ornate structures of lancet leaves, blooms and curving branches is exciting.  Their distant friendly arms waving turn away from human-like form into an otherworldly coarse and rugged collections of pointed leaves and desert dried bark.  They are both threatening and delightfully whimsical.   Their beauty in whole outshines.  Heck, if you could hug one, they look as if they would hug right back.  The park entrance sign should read- "Joshua Tree, we welcome you with open arms.  Just don't take us up on it." 

My love for all things Joshua Tree, has had me inspired to create some new art and decor.  While most of my art has a travelers heart coming through, this is the first series with a single destination in mind.   And with that addition to my collections, I foresee heading towards more National Park art.  If you are a fan of my work please consider subscribing to my newsletter.  New subscribers get a 10% off coupon code.