Joshua Tree National Park

Our next stop was Joshua Tree National Park.

While hiking through the desert I was completely surprised when a Joshua Tree leaped out onto the trail.

Fortunately I can run faster than a tree so I escaped without harm.

It is difficult to comprehend this amazing land.  Here is an arid environment, and yet you find  many species of plants thriving.

As we travel around I am continuously amazed at the ingenuity of man and efforts that have been put forth to thrive in a harsh area.  Because of the lack of water some cowboys built a dam in a small canyon and created their own lake.  Due to the drought that is besieging the area the lake is way below normal levels, but still there. Take notice of the water lines in this small lake.

And every where in this region is evidence of those who went before.  What motivated these people to leave there mark upon the land, yet wherever we go, we find similar pictographs.

And how in the world did Mother Nature get these rocks stacked like this?