Joshua Tree National Park!
Spent the day in Joshua Tree! A stark contrast to the forests I had been growing used to. Also, Waaaaay warmer than I was used to. Kinda hit me with some whiplash, went from plant overload to dispersed survivors. Glad I am hiking these trails in the winter, I’m not sure I could do it in the summer. Or at least I wouldn’t want to lol.
The Plant focus will obviously be the Joshua tree, Yucca brevifolia. These trees are mostly found in the Mojave but have scattered populations in the surrounding areas. Supposedly, the tree gets its name from early Mormon travelers who saw the tree and were reminded of a biblical story. The trees don’t have rings, making it difficult to determine their age, but they can live for hundreds of years. They were used by natives for food, tools, and even sandals.
The Joshua trees were super cool to look at, and so were all the desert plants. Some of them, like the palms and yucca, just look so alien to me. The oasis was my first hike and was super cool; it was like something out of a movie. Hiking through the desert out of water for days, and on the horizon…An Oasis! Also hiked to some cool rock formations and a slot canyon!
The Fools Journeys 
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