Joshua Tree: One of the most Unusual Trees in the United States

---

The Joshua Tree Forest highway is also part of the US Scenic Byways, from the little town of Wikieup a small community in the Mohave country starts the Joshua Tree Forest scenic drive. The backdrop of the rugged mountains ranges of the Hualapai and the Aquarius cliffs. A beautiful drive indeed; from Tucson to Las Vegas, we drove through the southwestern desert landscape. During the 400 plus mile drive, the country- side changed from the fairly flat typical desert terrain to the more rolling area and then the hillier landscape with its canyons around Lake Mead. But the most beautiful of the landscape came with the Joshua Tree Forrest, the rolling and winding road ahead, and the beautiful mountains in the distance.

The Joshua tree National Park is named after the 'Joshua Tree', it is a Mohave desert plant with spiky leaves. The name Joshua tree was given to the plants by a group of Mormon settlers who crossed the land to settle in Southwestern Arizona. The botanical name is Yucca Brevifolia. I have seen many of them in other parts of Arizona including Saguaro National Park. They grow in patches across most south western states where there are favorable conditions to support their growth. Beside the Joshua Tree National Park, Joshua trees are known to occupy the Mohave desert which is the southern part of the state of Nevada. Some parts of the southwest of Utah and northeastern Arizona, the place where the photos below were taken (along US highway 93), which is between the towns of Kingman and Wickenburg, Arizona. The section of the highway where the Joshua tree national park is, is also known as the Joshua Forrest Parkway.

Entrance to the Forest park requires a park entrance fees. Mark and I, purchased a one year all National Parks entrance for $89. It is worth it is you will be traveling to different parks during the year. However a daily pass is $5. Of course we did not enter the park to hike or tour, we just made an impromptu stop along the highway to admire the unusual trees.

---