The park is mostly known for its groves a Joshua trees (surprise!). I asked the ranger for a suggested camera-friendly tour route and took that. As with Death Valley, a highlight was seeing another begging coyote (which is loaded on a separate page).
Perversely, I'm a little embarrassed to admit that another highlight involved taking a nature trail in the Cholla Cactus Garden. These are cactus which appear to be covered by soft, silvery bristles, which gives them the common name "teddy bear" cholla. In actuality, however, the bristles have sharp points as well as hairs with tiny hooks in them. If you touch the cactus, they touch back and stick into you. If you yank the piece that sticks into you, it hurts. It's said that even a car tire can be destroyed by these things.
Which is why there are signs all over the place saying "stay on the trail," "do not touch," "no dogs" etc.
Now, let's say you're a parent and you have two bored kids in the SUV. They're in a hot desert and they're impatient. Maybe they're ADD or AD/HD. Given that, would you as a parent let the little buggers go on this nature hike?
There were only two other cars parked there when I get there. One had kids. Sure enough, I hear this kid screaming before long. A guy from the other car says "You know, the sad thing is that when I was at the visitor center, I think I saw that same kid screaming because of thistles."
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