Jessica L Bryant

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Joshua Tree National Park - Artist in Residence Day 6


Dream Beneath the Desert Sky...

What an amazing evening I just spend, driving through the park, through the more remote Bighorn Pass Road and back on the Queen Valley Road.  I was all alone on the dirt roads, it was marvelous.  There were clouds today, the first I've seen this trip, which made for a spectacular sunset.  

Earlier in the day, I drove down to Palm Desert with a ranger to buy supplies for my visit to a local school later this week to teach art.  We managed a quick stop at In and Out Burger, always a treat, something I miss from my couple years living in Palo Alto.  I always love driving into the Coachella Valley, it's beautiful.  Today there was significant moisture coming over from the ocean, and a strong haze, likely a contributing factor to the amazing sunset.

While out in the park, I saw several cottontail, birds, and lizards, but the wildlife highlight today was a red tailed hawk perched at the top of a Joshua Tree.  I wasn't quick enough with my zoom lens to catch him before he flew to a far away tree.

As I sit in my room tonight, the only sound is that of the howling wind...


A short hike on the Cap Rock Trail this afternoon.

Along the Cap Rock Trail.

Cap Rock Trail.

Likely rhizome growth, all these little Joshua Trees.

Monzogranite boulders.

A deceased tree.

A boulder pile near Cap Rock Trail.


A downed branch, that's still managing to live.


Mistletoe on a juniper.  Mistletoe is a parasitic plant that absorbs nutrients from the host plant through its roots, choking off the branch beyond and eventually causing its death.  Enough mistletoe on a tree can cause the whole tree to die.

Driving along the Queen Valley Road.





Ryan Mountain and the moon in the distance.

There were virtually no cars out where I was, allowing the time to pause as I crossed the road for photos.

Climbers atop this mound, watching the sunset.

Near Hidden Valley.


Ryan Mountain.