Joshua Tree National Park consists of nearly 800,000 acres of Southern California desert and is located about 140 miles east of Los Angeles. The park is home to some of the most varied and fascinating vegetation found in the deserts of the West. Powerful and abundant rainstorms this past winter caused a profusion of brilliantly colored wildflowers to bloom this spring creating a veritable carpet of hues, tones and shades. Generally thought of as wasteland, this desert contradicts the stereotype of desolation with its multitude of plant and animal life.

From the ubiquitous Joshua tree to the plentiful creosote bush to the spidery ocotillo and the spiny cholla cactus, the park is host to dozens of incredible plant species. Common forms of animal life include the roadrunner which acquires its moisture from its prey; the sidewinder snake which efficiently moves sideways across sand dunes and washes; the jackrabbit whose muted colors allow him to blend into his surroundings; and the yucca night lizard that may live its entire life under the protective bark of a decaying Joshua tree.

During the later portion of the 19th century explorers, miners, and cattlemen came to this part of the desert to seek fortune and prosperity. They left a legacy of abandoned gold mines and water tanks which dot the landscape of the park. White Tank dam is featured in these images as is Cottonwood Spring which both helped to sustain human life in the desert.

Joshua Tree National Park, some might think it to be a wretched and harsh land but these photographs demonstrate the amazing and unforgettable beauty and life found there. For more information on Joshua Tree N.P. and the national park system, please visit www.nps.gov/jotr.