Joshua Tree...

After being in San Diego with Scott and Ab, Ryan and I took a day trip over to Joshua Tree National Park.  It is about 3 hours from San Diego (and honestly probably closer to Los Angeles), but it was WELL WORTH THE DRIVE!  

Joshua Tree has easily risen toward the top of our favorite national parks we have visited, and we have been to many.  It has a diverse landscape and offers lots of hiking, rock climbing, and exploring opportunities.  

The infamous Joshua Tree...

We explored and climbed some rock formations while there...

It's hard to gauge the size of the rocks in the pictures... they were mammoth, huge!

Heart Rock

Arch Rock

Skull Rock

We also hiked a ton and saw some pretty amazing sights...

Hard to believe, but back in the day, farmers had to erect a dam in the area to hold the rain back.  Looking at the landscape and terrain now, it seems silly to think a dam was ever needed.  

We visited the cactus gardens too...

We traveled to a lookout spot where it over saw the San Andres Fault (along with Coachella way in the distance).  

It's hard to tell in the picture but the San Andres Fault runs on either side of the ridge that is in the center of the picture.  

As is the case most of the time when photographing nature, the pictures don't even begin to do the beauty justice.  It is most definitely breath-taking, and definitely a park I would put on the list to visit again. Joshua Tree, you are most definitely a beauty!