Sunset in Joshua Tree National Park

Morman pioneers named the haunting, gnarled trees that this 800,000-acre national park was established to protect after the prophet Joshua.

These days the only zealous pilgrims you'll find wandering the scorched desert of the Joshua Tree National Park are devout U2 fans on a fruitless mission to track down the tree on the band's 1987 album cover.

Still, the park attracts as many outdoor types as it does music geeks. The giant granite boulders of the Wonderland of Rocks and Hidden Valley have made Joshua Tree National Park prime rock climbing country.

Peppered with abandoned gold mines, Native American petroglyphs and a handful of lush oases, Joshua Tree National Park can also be explored on foot. Keep in mind though that in the summer, temperatures can soar to 125°F or more. It is also possible to drive around the park; be sure to hang around until sunset when the desert reveals its true colours.

Situated 140 miles east of Los Angeles and 36 miles from Palm Springs