In March 2007 I was fortunate enough to spend a day with my friends Scott, Phil and Eric at this 800,000 acre (323,748.5 hectare) national park. Instead of the 100 degree F. (37 C.) temperatures that had been predicted, we enjoyed perfect conditions with wispy clouds, a refreshing breeze and temps in the mid-80s (29 C.).

Joshua Tree National Park is a unique blend of desert, oases and mountains. The Mojave and Colorado Deserts meet here and several mountain ranges are within the park's boundaries, among them the San Bernadino Mountains, Pinto Mountains, Cottonwood Mountains, Eagle Mountains and Coxcomb Mountains. Congress has designated 558,000 acres (225,814.5 hectare) as wilderness where hiking is allowed but no roads can be built. In all areas, the National Park Service has done a fine job of protecting the integrity of the land while offering educational and comfort services. As a woman with a disability, I was delighted to find wheelchair accessible trails and washrooms.

Besides having perfect weather, we were fortunate that our visit coincided with the spring blooming of the Joshua trees. In this gallery you will follow our explorations into the wonders of the desert and even up into the massive granite boulders that my friends climbed. I'm happy to say that, even though it was not wheelchair accessible, my scooter--who on this day earned her new name "Cholla" (pronounced Choy ya)--allowed me to wander the sandy trail through the Cholla Cactus Garden in the Pinto Basin bordering the Mojave and Colorado Deserts. Yes, there were times when I needed my nice strong friends to pick me and my scooter up bodily and carry us over some particularly rocky parts, but we made it through with photos to prove it!

Enjoy your journey...