Joshua Tree National Park-75 years of inspiration

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Joshua Tree National Park celebrates 75 years this June. Rita Coolidge will perform June 15 as part of the celebrations. Photo courtesy of Joshua Tree National Park Service

Rita Coolidge to perform at celebration in the desert.

By Pamela Price / Special to The Malibu Times

More than 1.4 million annual visitors from around the world throng to Joshua Tree National Park, declared by scientists as a “hotspot” for biodiversity for a variety of reasons, from the stunning display of wildflowers to hiking amidst jumbo rocks that defy the imagination.

What began as a remote desert campsite and ultimately evolved into an internationally recognized destination for rock climbing comes together this year for the park’s 75th anniversary. As for the legendary Joshua Tree (Yucca brevifolia, a member of the agave family), this twisted, spikey tree was named by Mormon pioneers who had made their way across the Colorado River. Upon seeing the limb of the trees as “outstretched in supplication,” it symbolized to these early travelers, Joshua, a biblical figure guiding them westward.

Throughout the year Ranger Programs, a magnet for visitors, are ongoing. Until May 31 there is a variety of ranger-guided tours such as visiting Keys Ranch, where the Keys family settled in 1918 (one and a half hours and a half mile on unpaved trails), and the popular Night Sky Program (two hours), as well as an evening program with illustrated talks at Cottonwood Campground amphitheatre (45 minutes). The schedule changes monthly. When you stop by the Visitor’s Center there is a great stash of information to peruse for planning how you can best enjoy all there is to discover. The most astounding sights are the rocks arranged by nature in formations that have lured photographers since cameras first clicked. These monumental marvels were born more than 100 million years ago, thanks to molten liquid activated by the heat released by the continuous movement of the Earth’s crust. If you have a budding geologist in your family, this is the park that takes the subject to a new high.

Rock climbers are passionate about Joshua Tree, and fans camp out or check into local hotels, such as the historic 29 Palms Inn, established in 1928, or the delightful Spin and Margie’s Desert Hide-A-Way in Joshua Tree off Route 62, a cozy hacienda with five suites. The latest hideaway debuted as the Sacred Sand in Joshua Tree, found near the park entrance. This is a luxury class bed and breakfast-style inn with a Southwestern design and views that paint the sunset in a palate of desert colors. The gourmet breakfasts are the talk of this small desert town.

Back on the trails we noticed a pair of climbers from Switzerland, outfitted with the state of the art climbing gear, near Jumbo Rocks, a campground whose sign read, “We come here for the challenge, and stay a few days before heading off to the Grand Canyon.”

This year there is even more to celebrate at the park. Commemorating the 75-year milestone in the park’s history is a remarkable event organized with the Joshua Tree National Park Association in partnership with Joshua Tree National Park and featuring two-time Grammy Award-winner Rita Coolidge performing at a benefit concert on June 15 at the Indian Cove Campground Amphitheatre, one of nine campgrounds within the park. Coolidge, a Native American and member of the Cherokee Nation, will perform “An Evening with Rita Coolidge” amidst the soaring boulders and star-studded skies, a once-in-a-lifetime event.

Once you get to the park, keep in mind their 75th Anniversary Photo Contest that was planned to capture the beauty and variety of the landscape, which changes as the sun rises and sets. Check out the details at www.facebook.com/pages/Joshua-Tree-National Park-Association or at www. joshuatree.org