This photo was taken at dusk in the high desert town of Palmdale at Saddleback Butte State Park. The park has a campsite, complete with a camp host and a barking, four-legged sentry.A sandy trail begins after a mountain lion warning sign at the camp and wanders past the human-like stands of Joshua Trees and thousand year old creosote bushes. After a 1.6-mile (2.6 km) hike up to Saddleback Butte at 3,651-foot (1113m), the desert sky opens up, offering spectacular views of the Southern California high desert as well as the snowy San Gabriel, San Bernardino and Southern Sierra ranges. More on this subject later....
