A drive along Park Boulevard in Joshua Tree National Park takes you up close and personal through one of the most famous 'Yucca brevifolia' strands in the World. Traveling Mormons in the 19th century named the trees after Joshua in the bible because they seemed to raise their hands in prayer and guide. This legendary name stuck and has been an iconic desert symbol ever since.
#305 Keys View
Keys View offers a stunning panoramic vista of the desert from Joshua Tree National Park. Located on the edge of the Little San Bernardino Mountains, endless views of Palm Springs, the Coachella Valley, San Jacinto Peak, San Andreas Fault, Salton Sea and Mexico on a clear day can all be enjoyed from this must-see point.
#295 Cima Ghost Town
Cima is a ghost town located in the Mojave National Preserve. Founded in 1900 with the opening of a store and later post office in 1905, H.C. Gibson's made the town famous because he did not pump gas for his customers making this the original self-service station. The Union Pacific Railroad passes the lazy town each day on its historic route. Cima is also the heart of the largest and densest Joshua Tree grove on Earth.
#290 Noah Purifoy Outdoor Desert Art Museum
The Noah Purifoy Outdoor Desert Art Museum is a sculptural museum in Joshua Tree. Noah Purifoy was an artist born in Alabama but spent most of his working life in California. He was the first African American to attend the Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles and graduated with a BFA in 1956. He used debris and found objects from the desert to sculpt over 100 mesmerizing art installations created during his final years from 1989 to 2004.
#274 Wonderland of Rocks
Wonderland of Rocks features 12 square miles of amazing granite rock formations at Joshua Tree National Park. These monzogranite rocks formed 100 million years ago when molten liquid heated and traveled up from the Earth's crust. As the landscape changed to desert, flash floods caused the ground to wash away exposing rocks that piled into stacks of fascinating arrangements. This wonderland can be accessed from Barker Dam and Indian Cove trails.
#201 Desert Christ Park
Desert Christ Park features brilliant sculptures depicting the life of Jesus Christ in the Mojave Desert. They were sculpted by Antone Martin in the 1940's as a way to promote World Peace. Dedicated on Easter Sunday in 1951 and featured in LIFE Magazine that same year, the park is open to all visitors everyday from sunrise to sunset.
#197 Teutonia Peak
Teutonia Peak is an amazing trail in the heart of the Mojave National Preserve. This 3 mile round-trip hike to the top winds through the largest and densest Joshua Tree forest on Earth. Sweeping views of Mojave Desert terrain including the symmetrical Cima Dome soar for miles as this peak tops out at 5,755 feet.
#191 Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park
Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park preserves one of the last remaining strands of Joshua Trees in Antelope Valley. Native Americans used the trees as a source of food and material. During the Spring, Joshua Trees contain gorgeous blooms and provide a striking sight.
#154 Cholla Cactus Garden
The Cholla Cactus Garden in Joshua Tree National Park is a strikingly beautiful natural garden that wraps a quarter mile. Nicknamed the 'teddy-bear' cholla, these cacti look soft and fuzzy but are extremely sharp and pointy. Cholla grow between 1 and 5 feet tall and bloom in the late spring.
#115 Hidden Valley
Hidden Valley is in the heart of Joshua Tree National Park. It has beautiful Joshua Trees as well as the jumbo boulders which make the park famous. An easy 1 mile interpretive stroll takes you around the valley and makes a great first stop in the park.
