Seasons change the facade of the land at Joshua Tree National Park. Spring presents carpets of yellow flowers, and summer shows a shimmering landscape of rising heat waves. Winter, with its occasional sprinkling of snow, can change that same landscape into a fantastic science-fiction scene, dominated by Joshua tree arms.
Joshua Tree National Park in southeastern California, set aside in 1936 to preserve a variety of animal and plant life including the unique Joshua trees, became a National Park in 1994.
Delcie Vuncannon holds graduate degrees from the University of California, Berkeley. She has lived next door to Joshua Tree National Park for 24 years while teaching archaeology at College of the Desert, Copper Mountain Campus. Exploring the park is just stepping into Delcie's backyard.