Geologic Secrets of Joshua Tree National Park in California

Team up with geology professor Shawn Willsey as he investigates the amazing landscape and rocks of Joshua Tree National Park in southern California.
GPS locations:
34.05957, -116.22642;
33.99267, -116.14945;
34.02266, -116.01876
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College of Southern Idaho
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Twin Falls, ID 83303

[@Splusmer]

One thing I just love about your videos is that you don’t just focus on the specifics of the rock itself (composition, etc), but its context-its history, its *story*. That all helps it come alive to me, even for processes that happen-literally!-on geologic time scales.

[@shawnwillsey]

Exactly!

[@outlawbillionairez9780]

I spent every free moment at Joshua Tree in the 70's And 80's. Camping, hiking,rock climbing. It sparked my interest in geology.

[@bjdefilippo447]

Great hiking!

[@ericchristensen695]

Me too.

[@ericchristensen695]

Me too.

[@ericericson4]

We love the flying sheep in your drawing....

[@lauxmyth]

I was so confused until I saw them.

[@SingularlyNaked]

I was waiting for a Bob Ross style "happy little clouds!"

[@theinstructor2687]

Thank you, Professor. I always enjoy your videos and enjoy learning about geology. I've been an avid off roader and hiker for over 50 years. But never knew much about the things I was seeing.

[@LizWCraftAdd1ct]

Nice gneiss, we have lots in Scotland. More new words to learn. Thanks Shawn. 👍

[@nitawynn9538]

I was at 29 Palms ages ago. It’s good to see the Joshua trees again and learn about the rocks. Thanks.

[@outlawbillionairez9780]

Joshua was my favorite place, growing up in Orange County. Low level, high speed fly bys of the jets was a plus!

[@garyb6219]

@@outlawbillionairez9780 That must've been awesome!

[@jscottmaclean226]

I've often wondered how some mountains could end up looking like a pile of boulders, didn't make sense (other than deep time somehow). Spheroidal weathering along with deep time is the answer. Thanks for posting Shawn, love all your stuff!

[@jaspermolenaar1218]

I visited the Park a few years ago from Europe with my family. Thanks for the geological background story!

[@angellacanfora]

Was thrilled to see this vid pop up! I enjoy all your videos but Joshua Tree is near & dear to my heart. I hope you got a chance to check out the spectacular Jumbo Rocks area. And I was happy to see you talk about the Pinto gneiss which I’m endlessly fascinated by. I’m a photographer and have taken many shots of the gneiss around that area by 29 Palms entrance. And on the other side of the park towards the Cottonwood entrance, you can see tall piles of gneiss the size of small mountains. I could blather about the rocks of JTNP all night but I’ll stop!😂

[@judierickson7166]

Road trips are going to be a lot more interesting from now on! Thank you.

[@alpineflauge909]

had my mid-term for native plant id class there. best mid-term ever

[@alpineflauge909]

sweet

[@Mark_in_Boulder]

I climbed there several times during winter breaks in the mid-80s. One of my favorite climbing places with fantastic crack and face/slab climbing. I remember doing EBJBs and Rubicon and lots of climbs around the main campground and out in the hinterlands. Camping was free back then. Very nice to learn some of the geology. Thanks Shawn!

[@cyndikarp3368]

Mom & Dad made sure we saw Joshua Tree in 1960's. Thanks for the memories. We did a lot of geology tours.

[@marinangeli3250]

Thank you, Shawn... always love a stroll through JT, and it's so nice to get details about some of the formations.

[@LisaBelleBC]

As always, spectacular! Thank you for taking us with you!

[@thomasauslander3757]

Thank you Professor..

[@brucedymock6635]

Thanks again I’m enjoying seeing parts of US and learning about the geology

[@burthburbankjr2813]

I have camped there many, many times as a boy scout. Never new any of this. I found it very interesting. Thank you.

[@JorgeSanchez-uk4cb]

Love you professor 🤓🙏

[@RWBHere]

At c. 5:36, my first thought was 'Aww! Shawn's been doodling sheep!' 😉 Thanks for sharing the amazing and interesting landscapes with us. 🙂👍

[@maryt2887]

Another great field trip!

[@allenra530]

When I was in High School, we went there and camped for a week. I did a lot of rock climbing with my sister. We were all over those rocks in various parts of the park. At the time it was still a National Monument. It is one of the best memories of my life.

[@skyepilotte11]

Joshua Tree is a great place to camp and explore... Thc Shawn

[@robbirobin9657]

Love the "tippy top" mountains.

[@outdooradventureswithfayde6832]

I enjoyed the tour of the park learning about all the geological features. You travel to many places I probably won't get the time or chance to go but are on my list of places I'd love to see. Very interesting gneiss and schist and the desert varnish on the rocks. I always learn something from your videos 👍

[@marinangeli3250]

Interesting timing, Shawn... my late husband's last request was to have his ashes scattered at Joshua Tree (at the Gram Parsons pyre site). Today is the 29th anniversary of his passing, but I still have not been able to bring myself to do it.

[@glenncivale6824]

I used to live a mile from the entrance to the park. Mind blowing place. I miss the bright stars and the coyotes at night. Very special place! Thanks.

[@user-sg4ei3vv2t]

Really good, educational and thoroughly enjoyable for someone who cant get over there. Thank you.

[@billhollinshead7843]

A great example of spheroidal weathering is The Baths in Virgin Gorda, BVI. I am currently there, staying in a house that is nestled amongst house-sized round granodiorite boulders.

[@infomolerat]

Need any company? Lol

[@missingremote4388]

Ive been to St Thomas X2 and walked to Megan's Bay. Only remember bouldering in Dinosaur Nat'l park and the Alabama Hills Calif. 50 to 20years ago

[@hanspeterplanzer1837]

Thank you very much. I was here with colleagues in 1989. Greetings from central switzerland. 🇨🇭

[@bradley-eblesisor]

This gave me a vision of what the magma chambers might look like under Iceland. This is so interesting.

[@acfanter]

OMG … had no idea this was coming when I asked … so cool

[@susannap.8834]

Inselberg - I'm surprised to hear a German word! Island-mountain. I thought you only took over "Kindergarten" and "Sauerkraut" 😂 Great explanation as always. I've been there in 1995 with my husband.

[@ericfielding2540]

There are many German words in geology, especially the geomorphology terms. Another is the horst and graben, the features formed by normal faults. The downdropped block in Grindavik is a graben.

[@Dragrath1]

Isn't English funnily enough is originally a Germanic language crudely mixed up with heavy amounts of French into an unholy fusion of sorts? But yeah its drifted so much few German words remain especially as German has also been updated. In geology words come from all over generally wherever the literature first documents or at least recognizes a type of feature.

[@tommunyon2874]

My late wife and I drove through Joshua tree country on our honeymoon in 1974. A revisit might be in order.

[@EraX52]

I have been to many sites and have seen these lines of rocks on the rocks. In mojave desert, alabama hills, etc, I have seen a lot of these lines, and I always suspected that these were place by the tribes long ago and they would stretch for miles, through rivers, and up other rocks. But now I know, thanks shawn

[@Jefuslives]

Yay! You made it there.

[@jimsafranek4286]

Thanks! Shared to California Geology Forum on Facebook. All are welcome to join.

[@shawnwillsey]

Awesome, thank you!

[@BennilocoLoves]

I love my giant backyard desert! ☺️🏜

[@toughenupfluffy7294]

Me and a friend went camping at Joshua Tree once, when we decided to put on our headlamps and hike out on the cliffs on a moonless, inky-black night. We were at a spot where there were hundred-foot drop offs, being very careful not to fall, when we heard a weird scampering noise. We both turned off our headlamps and sat there, listening intently, wondering if there were mountain goats or something more sinister out there. We were both pretty freaked out when suddenly four marines came walking sternly up to us, dressed in combat camos. One of them said, "What are you boys doing out here? Don't you know this area is off-limits?" We were both taken aback, apologizing profusely, when the marine finally broke into laughter, saying, "Jus f$%ing with you-we're out doing night exercises in the Park! Ha ha! You should've seen the look on your faces!" They'd been running around on the the high cliffs without any lights, just allowing their eyes to adjust to the darkness. We ended up following them back to their base at Twenty-Nine Palms and partied our a$$es off! I'll never forget it, we had such a good time, then wearily drove back to our camp as the sun was coming up, after they'd fed us a big breakfast. Those marines were so friendly, they actually made me respect the armed forces even more than I already did, which was a lot! _Semper Fideles!_

[@paulproctor5555]

Thanks Shawn, love these field trips.

[@dennisbeam199]

Thanks for the video, me and a friend used to hike there when it was called Joshua tree national monument. A long time ago. I thought it was a beautiful place, all those rocks and interesting Joshua trees.

[@lelandkelley2199]

Never been to this national park, thank you 😊

[@jeffs72]

Aww you went without me! I live there, next time you're out, lunch/dinner is on me! You videos are the best, especially with flying sheep! Love it!

[@infreedomitrust1667]

I grew up in Joshua Tree CA and you should go out to Johnson Valley Dry Lake bed. There's some very interesting faults and volcanic areas there. One hill we use to explore is half white and half black with an almost perfect line in the middle.

[@missingremote4388]

It is volcanic basalt toped with tuff. Who would have thought these mountains are the bedrock

[@jackmcmichael3560]

Thank you for stopping by one of my favorite parks and explaining some of the geology surrounding the Joshua trees this park is a awesome place to view the Perseus meteor shower every August

[@nancyadamson6755]

I was just there. It is beautiful I love the rocks

[@elainerhode2298]

Was stationed at 29 Palms MCB in the 70s and had many parties at Squaw Tanks and climbed around many of the rocks. My favorite rock shape was Skull Rock.

[@hestheMaster]

Awesome to see and understand what we are seeing geology- wise professor. So many Hollywood movies were made in areas just like this (some in the western part of Arizona south of Meadview, AZ) from what I've seen but with slightly different mountain geology.

[@bjdefilippo447]

One of my favorite parks for hiking. Wish I'd known more geology then. Thanks for posting!

[@shawnwillsey]

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[@jenibylsma9845]

These rocky outcrops look very similar to many Australian landscapes I have seen. Absolutely fascinating stuff. Thank you for sharing … 😁

[@CAMacKenzie]

Inselberg=German--island mountain. It doesn't say so in IMDb, but there are a couple of scenes in "Tarantula" (1955, John Agar, Mara Corday, Leo G. Carroll) that look like they were filmed at Joshua Tree, particularly where the monster climbs over the top of the mountain (with rounded boulders) and knocks off some.

[@williamevans6522]

Or maybe filmed outside Lone Pine- Alabama Hills

[@charleswelch249]

Very nice job explaining the reason behind the landscape in southern California.

[@Mchelle021]

Really enjoyed learning about this topography. Thanks Shawn! Camped here once and enjoyed bouldering and sketching some of the inspiring features. Found a small seashell and wondered if it was an ancient remnant of a time when water covered this land? Probably imaginative and unlikely, but one of my special takeaways.

[@Rachel.4644]

Very interesting and beautiful rocks! Joshua Tree rounded rocks are distinct. You're teaching us new ways to see formations plus new terms, as well. Great video Shawn.

[@SidarthDasari]

Appreciate you taking us to all these places

[@tjmorrow416]

We plan to visit the park in the next couple of weeks. Happy to learn the geology before our trip. Thanks

[@brandohi]

Thank you for this education video professor. I didn’t know about inselbergs. It helps me better understand my area and how beautiful it is to live in the area.

[@jackprier7727]

Okay, thx. Aplite dikes makes sense and explains their presence as such. Roof pendant also exciting to see and hear explanation-

[@Ice_Queen_Empress]

Thanks for sharing!

[@ericschmidt6129]

Great videos. Accessible and understandable for the amateur geologist.

[@seanwelch007]

Handy dandy diagrams 🙌

[@ericfielding2540]

I am more of a geophysicist and geomorphologist than a geologist. I would call those granite, but I realize that there is a more precise name that you used.

[@jeffsiegwart]

Very interesting. Thank you.

[@Selah-dl3ef]

U2 Joshua Tree.😉I like U2 😘

[@crchuckh6852]

thanks for sharing

[@Gizathecat2]

All those rounded rocks look like they were inspiration for Roger Dean paintings.

[@mandycleezehappyhour4238]

Gah, it it sooooooo satisfying (truly) FINALLY understanding the geology there. I've visited (and camped in) JT multiple times and always marveled at the beautiful landscapes (also done photography workshops in the park). I had no idea there was basement, b.y.o rock exposed in Joshua Tree?! Shawn, I wish I had you in my pocket on every road trip....you or Nick Zentner... I'm always wondering about the geologic history everywhere I go but rarely understand any of it and I feel like I'm missing out. To me, understanding the history really enhances all my travels bc my imagination takes over, wondering what these places looked like milennia ago, or imagining processes taking place on the surface of or deep within the Earth (Eastern WA/OR and the Columbia River gorge and the hundreds of miles of dozens of layers of lava floes with columnar basalt everywhere...it is mind boggling imagining that happening here in WA). I drive my husband nuts, I'm sure, all the times I say, "wow, look at that formation! I wonder how that happened?!" on our frequent road trips or hikes.

[@MyMemphisable]

Thanks!

[@OdinsChosen208]

love your videos its some genuine gneiss schist..... i use to live really close to there but now im up in idaho liking it much more then so cal

[@edwardlulofs444]

I have been waiting for this ….

[@lindajohannsdottir4466]

So interesting place.

[@brianbergeron2172]

I was hoping for one on Joshua Tree! I noticed the Gneiss when I was there but didn't know anything about the area. Thank you for the overview.

[@gumbyresearch]

Great descriptions! Question about the desert varnish on the monzonite boulders: Is the iron & manganese found in the varnish present in the monzonite rock, or does it come from somewhere else?

[@tonyowen116]

Thanks for the tour. Your information answered some questions I've had about the Alabama Hills near Lone Pine. I saw similar dikes in that formation. Of course the Alabama Hills eastern Sierra Escarpmennt have quite interesting stories as well.

[@celticmugwump]

Thanks

[@hamidrezasepahian7608]

excellent as usual

[@deborahriley1166]

Nice! Thanks 👍

[@garyb6219]

I really enjoy your videos, thanks for bringing us all this great info. Does finer grained tend to be more weathering resistant?

[@grandparocky]

great information!

[@kmacdowe]

That was gneiss, thanks Shawn 🤭 .

[@jerryrounds8586]

There are lots of armored tank track marks in Joshua Tree where Gen. George S. Patton Jr. trained his invasion forces preparing to engage the Germans in North Africa 1942-3.

[@Cam-vz2zk]

It amazes me that erosion is so prevalent even in a desert environment with very little rain

[@newellbate]

Thanks cool stuff

[@churchofjean2641]

Nice gneiss! ;-)

[@troyrager1352]

First time I went to Joshua tree was like 7 years ago with my girlfriend, we had never been there but her sister had, and she said oh, you mean pile of rocks state park? Lol only once I got there did I know what she meant, the Joshua trees are definitely outnumbered by piles of rock😂

[@minotaurbison]

Love these videos, I would love to find an explanation of the rock layers and sediment found in my area of NW Alabama... some weird red clay like dirt with what appears to be limestone chunks that some of which in the upper layers appears to be deposited by dissolved limestone in the ground water... Locally we call it chert. Very odd shapes and often the chunks contain the red dirt/clay inside of them. There are areas where the red dirt is found alone and areas where the limestone seems to form layers near the grey bedrock in some of the deeper road cuts.

[@nufosmatic]

Be on the lookout for Cholla cactus - one almost ruined my trip there...

[@generathjen890]

Good video

[@brown-eyedman4040]

Sure would be cool if you could do some videos in Yosemite NP.

[@davidk7324]

Inselberg. There's got to be a story behind that name. Thanks Shawn.

[@thendisnye7188]

Are the spherodial rock formations created by thermal expansion - exfoliation weathering?

[@jens.5676]

Always interesting to find German words in other languages like Inselberg = Island mountain

[@davidsavage6227]

If you can, would you talk about the crazy giant rocks at Devil’s Punchbowl? It is on the Mojave side of the San Gabriels. My family uses the pulverized granite to maintain their landscaping and driveways.

[@fazlerehman8891]

Very informative videos, I'm from Pakistan geologist

[@SPak-rt2gb]

Kind of looks like the Alabama Hills in Lone Pine, California

[@JanetClancey]

I saw rocks like this in India at hampi in karnataka… old old granite

[@tammymalmberg6504]

I think this is the only place where Joshua Trees can grow.

[@hestheMaster]

They are found around Las Vegas ,NV but not near it, south of Lake Meade in Arizona, and a line going from Las Vegas up to the southwest part of Utah.

[@PariahSojourner]

You can also find them growing near the top of the Cajon Pass around Oak Hills. I used to live there and we had a few in my yard. There was also a big Joshua tree forest along the I-15 in the Mojave Desert, but i forgot the name of the nearest exit. It took a big hit in a fire a few years back. You'll notice that Joshua trees preferred geographic altitude is generally between 3600 and 4000 feet. If you ever get a chance to eat their flowers, try it. The thick flower has a distinctly nutty flavor!!

[@mikestaihr5183]

Yes, it would be a revisit....... I live there....LOL

[@stephanieparker1250]

See, bouldering doesn’t suck 😅❤