High View

If one word could sum up the view from High View, it might be “transitions.” That is, transitions between the Mojave and Colorado deserts, and between fast-growing desert cities and Joshua Tree National Park.

Stand here long enough and you’ll feel that you’re straddling two very different worlds. The higher Mojave Desert – with its shaggy-headed Joshua trees, pinyon pine, and juniper – gives way here to the lower, hotter Colorado Desert with its creosote flats, ocotillo, and cholla cactus. Biologists call it an ecotone; I call it nature’s line of demarcation, the desert’s version of a “you are now leaving” sign.

Spin around and the contrast sharpens. To the north and west, the park’s sculpted hills roll into wilderness. To the south, the checkerboard of development spreads from Yucca Valley and Palm Springs, growing faster than creosote after a flash flood. The park, thank heavens, isn’t keeping pace – it remains a sanctuary where the pace of growth is measured in centuries, not shopping centers.

High View is one of those small trails that packs in big perspective. It’s short enough for families, enlightening enough for plant lovers, and scenic enough for those who simply want a quiet bench and a sweeping view. At day’s end, the sun sets right behind the San Gorgonio massif, casting a warm light over Joshua Tree’s rugged backcountry. Not bad for a little loop trail!