Lessons Learned From Living and Working in Joshua Tree National Park

Tucked away in Southern California, Joshua Tree is where harsh desert beauty meets endless sky. Working for the National Parks Service, I have lived in this high desert environment for a few years now, documenting the remarkable desert environment for my own personal and professional work.

I was first drawn to the area, like many visitors, by Joshua Tree National Park, renowned for its singular flora and otherworldly rock formations. Named for the twisty, spiky trees that take root in its sandy soil, the park is stark and captivating. Against vast emptiness and distant mountains, these foreground elements feel surreal, almost ancient.

Living in the Mojave desert requires respect for nature’s rhythms. Summers are scorching, with temperatures often exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Flash floods, caused by rapidly forming monsoon storms, can sweep through the arid terrain. Winters can be equally brutal, with occasional frost and snow storms that require road closures.

The area’s isolation, while peaceful, can also prove a challenge. Distractions are minimal. Unless you seek stimulation, you spend a lot of time with your thoughts. Amenities can be limited; the nearest movie theater might be an hour’s drive away. Quality restaurants are few and far between, though I’m fortunate my partner works as a private chef.

To thrive, you learn to consider the sun. Early mornings and late afternoons are the most comfortable times to be outside, making them ideal for photography. If you can brave the intense midday sun, the desert texture comes alive in sharp shadows.

It’s a perfect environment for creative work, a place of solitude and reflection. The silence, punctuated only by wind and bird song, creates a meditative atmosphere that almost mandates focus and introspection.

Attempting to be present enough in the moment to capture all these contrasts has made me grow so much as a person and artist. The Mojave desert has made me a more patient and resilient person. I can only hope that my photos serve as a testament to the desert’s enduring beauty, if not just a record of my own journey within it.

It is no wonder to me that countless artists, musicians, and writers found inspiration here. The ones who stay find a strong community among others, forged by shared experiences and mutual appreciation of the land. They recognize it as a great privilege to experience the everchanging area firsthand.