This Joshua Tree adventure tour was a very different kind of tour, but in a great way. We were a little hesitant and excited at first getting into a Hummer, that picked us up at our hotel, to ride around Palm Desert for a few hours. It turned out to be great and very enjoyable being able to learn about the history and facts Joshua Tree and Coachella Valley had to offer in a unique way.
First stop on the tour was Coachella Valley Preserve-Thousand Palms Oasis featuring a small trail with tall, magnificent palm trees and the mysterious animals who live in them. The preserve system was once designed years ago to protect a threatened reptile, the fringe-toad lizard, and now it is a refuge for many other species of animals and plants as well. The water you will find in this oasis is part of the San Andreas earthquake fault line.
Second stop was Joshua Tree National Park. We took an off-road back entrance, that seemed as though only the locals knew about. Looters, graffiti, and trash littered the vast desert. As we drove deeper into Joshua Tree, the roads became a rocky, hazardous terrain meant only for off-road vehicles. As we laughed and thrashed around in the back of the vehicle, the tour guide told us about the many different wildlife and plants that live there.
A while later, we stopped and got out of the Hummer to take a walk around and get some photos of these magnificent trees. Joshua Tree National Park was not what I was expecting at all. I was expecting to see a few trees and that’s it, but there were millions of trees with tons of history and beautiful scenery. These trees grow about 3 inches every year for the first 10 years and then an inch and a half every year after that. They may take 60 years to fully mature and they can live for more than 500 years and some reach about 40 feet high!
Another unique plant I saw was the Creosote Bush. This bush grows in the hottest deserts in the United States. Interesting fact, when you blow hot air on the leaves, they smell like rain. Try it, you will be amazed!
Adventure Hummer Tours was a great choice for us to see a little bit of what Joshua Tree National Park had to offer. We had a blast and our tour guide was great. It was even more enjoyable having your other half with you. If you are staying in the Palm Desert area or just driving through, don’t miss out on this beautiful park.
Thank you for reading.