Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Joshua Tree National Park




It is downright cold in Joshua Tree National Park in December. That makes it a good time to go because the park and campgrounds are not crowded at all. Plus if you are like me, cold weather is perfect hiking weather. My camping buddies and I spent four days in the park at Jumbo Rocks Campground, and while we enjoyed the sunny days, we would have appreciated warmer nights. The coldest low was 22.
Joshua Tree is an especially interesting park because it encompasses two types of desert. The Joshua Trees are a dominant form of vegetation in the Mojave Desert section of the park, but are replaced by creosote shrubs, ocotillo, and cholla cactus as one desends into the Colorado Desert area of the park. The Colorado Desert is a part of the Sonoran Desert and is dryer, hotter, and lower in elevation than the Mojave.

No comments: