Joshua Tree National Park, California

Joshua under a starry blanket. Joshua Tree National Park, California, USA

California's Joshua Tree National Park has a history that began way before it was made a national monument on August 10, 1936. Located where the Mojave and Colorado deserts meet, it has been home to various cultures for thousands of years. Its earliest known residents were people from the Pinto Culture, who lived here from 8000 to 4000 BCE. Centuries later, this land was inhabited by the native Cahuilla, Serrano and Chemehuevi peoples. The park's namesake, the Joshua tree, grows in a landscape covering 3,218 square kilometres. Despite their name, they are not really trees, but rather a kind of succulent. Native to southwest US and northern Mexico, they can grow up to 12 metres tall.

Today, Joshua Tree National Park invites adventurers to explore its terrain. Whether it's hiking through Hidden Valley, visiting the Cholla Cactus Garden or marvelling at the Skull Rock, this national park has a lot to offer. By night, it becomes a stargazer's paradise, as seen in today's image. Whether you seek adventure or a moment of tranquillity, Joshua Tree awaits with open skies.