Trip ideas while visiting Joshua Tree National Park in California
The main attraction in the Cholla Cactus Garden, situated approximately 12 miles south of the North Entrance of the park, is the unique stand of cholla cactus. Visitors can explore the flat and easy quarter-mile Cholla Cactus Garden Nature Trail, which leads them to observe various plants. Among them, the “teddy bear cholla” stands out as a fascinating species.
The teddy bear cholla is a cactus that can be easily identified. It has yellow spines that are closely packed together, and its stems are tightly clustered. The lower trunk of the cactus appears dark in color. Some people also refer to it as the “jumping cholla” because its stem-joints have small barbs on the spines. These barbs can easily attach to anything that comes close to the cactus. It’s important to keep a safe distance from it because removing the barbs can be painful. Recent visitors advise not to touch the fuzzy-looking cactus and just admire it from afar.