This 2,000mi²/3,210km² park is named for a Yucca, whose long, strangely contorted branches made early Mormon travelers think of Joshua pointing to the promised land. The park stretches from the Mojave to the Colorado deserts and a drive is the best way to view the stunning transition. It is famous for its hillsides, desert scenery, including colorful wildflower displays and its quartz monzogranite boulders on which sand storms have etched deep grooves. Paradise for hikers and walkers.