Cholla Cactus Garden
This quarter-mile loop trail in Joshua Tree National Park puts you in the middle of one of the densest concentrations of teddy bear cholla cactus anywhere in the Mojave Desert. The translucent, silvery spines of the cholla glow brilliantly when backlit, making golden hour, especially the hour before sunset, the ideal time to visit. Position yourself so the low sun is directly behind the cacti and you will get a halo effect that transforms the spines into something almost luminous. A medium telephoto lens, around 70-200mm, lets you compress the field of cholla into a dense, otherworldly mass, while a wide angle shot low to the ground emphasizes the sheer scale of the colony. The trail is flat, paved, and easy to walk, but stay on the path since the detaching spine clusters are notorious for hooking onto shoes and ankles. Early morning also works well for soft light and fewer visitors. (Joshua Tree National Park, California, United States)
