Cholla Cactus Garden Sunrise

Joshua Tree National Park, California
Neuroradiologist
Radiology
Houston Methodist Hospital

This golden sunrise picture of the Cholla Cactus Garden was taken on a cold early morning in December 2021 right as the sun peeked behind the Pinto mountain range. This garden is situated within the Pinto Basin near the transition zone between the Colorado and Mojave Deserts in Joshua Tree National Park, The early morning sunlight results in the backlit cactus needles shining brightly with a golden hue. The usually drab-colored cholla cacti stand out from the bright, colorful morning sky and mountain background. This was desert beauty at its finest.