A Walk in the Park

-Joshua Tree National Park, CA-

When I first started this site back in December, my goal was to inspire people to get out there and try something. I wanted to remind people that there's so much more to life than the work and entertainment confined within our computers, classrooms, and office spaces. I've shared some of my craziest adventures and immersive theatre experiences, but you don't need to seek out the extreme to experience something new. National Parks are a great place to start!

There are 58 national parks spread across the United States, each offering unique vistas and rewarding hikes ranging from simple walks to demanding climbs. Each park contains something for everyone, regardless of experience or fitness levels. One such park that I recently explored is Joshua Tree National Park, a desert wilderness in southern California with unexpected beauty.

To be completely honest, Joshua Tree had never ranked very high on my list of national parks that I wanted to visit. There were no particularly challenging hikes, the colors certainly weren't eye-catching, and the Joshua trees themselves seemed small and unremarkable. Yet, in the few hours I was there, I fell in love with the park.

Spending a fulfilling day in Joshua Tree required very little planning or difficult trekking. Along with my fellow spring-breakers Ben and Jona, I only spent a few hours in the park, hiking a short but scenic loop before driving the whole way from the northern entrance to the southern entrance.

The Hidden Valley Trail, despite only being a mile long, offers both sweeping views of wilderness spotted with cacti and Joshua trees as well as hidden rocky passages for those adventurous enough to leave the trail proper. Despite the large number of hikers on the trail, there were ample opportunities to find solitude among the rocks. Several large rock walls seen from the trail featured cracks perfect for climbers looking for something a little more challenging than the more accessible trails.

Although I would always encourage one to get out of the car and do some hiking, driving through the park is a rewarding experience by itself. Taking the road down from the North Entrance Station all the way down south to the Cottonwood Visitor Station takes a little over an hour and provides breathtaking views of open desert and distant mountains. The south side of the park was erupting with beautiful wildflower blooms when we visited in mid-March. Never once did I feel bored during the drive. Keeping my eyes on the road and not the scenery was a very real challenge.

Simply put, visiting Joshua Tree National Park was a joy. I missed this: breathing in the fresh air of a national park, the silence only occasionally broken by the chirp of a bird or a gust of wind. Months of life back in the suburbs of Chicago have left me missing my time working in Rocky Mountain National Park. There is a mental and, I'd dare say, spiritual healing unique to the wilderness that I am consistently drawn to. Solitude. Beauty. Challenge. National parks offer all of these things I truly believe that every single person should get out and visit a national park. Or two. Or all of them. Go enjoy something real.