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.
#320 Zabriskie Point
Zabriskie Point is a must-see stop in Death Valley National Park. Its colorful badlands and erosional cliffs started forming 5 million years ago from an ancient lakebed. The vista was named after Christian Brevoort Zabriskie, manager of the famous Pacific Coast Borax Company. A short walk will bring you to the top of the lookout: the best in the wild west.
#318 Willis Palm Oasis
Willis Palm Oasis, located in the Coachella Valley Preserve, is a great place for solitude. A half-mile hike takes you to the base of the oasis which can be explored by hiking the cliffs and springs. Climbing to the top provides sweeping views of Palm Springs, the Coachella Valley and the San Jacinto Mountains making it the perfect spot to watch the sunset.
#314 Elmer's Bottle Tree Ranch
Bottle Tree Ranch is a famous stop along California's Route 66. These stunning bottle trees were constructed by Elmer Long using found objects collected with his Dad over the years. Upon arranging bottles onto poles, Elmer noticed the mirage of colors projected by the sun shining through so created 200 more. Visit at sunset when the colors and shadows are their most vibrant.
#310 Borrego Springs
Borrego Springs is a beautiful desert community surrounded by Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Named after the town's most famous residents, Borrego means 'bighorn sheep' in Spanish. The town is an International Dark Sky Community, one of only a few in the country, making it the perfect place to watch the stars and a meteor shower. If winter rains allow, springtime brings the most stunning desert bloom on the continent with miles of explosive bloom.
#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.
#301 Scotty's Castle
Scotty's Castle is a Mission/Spanish Colonial Revival architectural wonder in Death Valley National Park. It was created with the vision of Walter E. Scott, famous gold mine con man. Walter convinced Chicago investor Albert Mussey Johnson to invest in his fake mine. The investment turned out to be a fraud but Albert enjoyed Scott's enthusiasm and constructed the property anyway. The National Park Service purchased the property in 1970 and has led tours of the interior ever since which contains all original furnishings.
*Due to a 2015 flood, the castle is currently closed and estimated to reopen in 2019
#296 Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve
The Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve is a Spring wildflower showstopper. Located in the Mojave Desert outside of Los Angeles, poppies carpet rolling hills to create a stunning mirage of orange. Bloom is generally February through May though can vary each season depending on winter rains. One look of at the massive fields of California's State Flower will be an experience you will never forget.
#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.
