Driving the 18 mi / 29 km long Geology Tour Road is the best way to see the different rock formations. The parks western part is situated in the Mojave Desert mainly above 2700 ft / 900 m, a so-called high desert. The Joshua trees, the parks namesakes, grow only in higher elevations. The Wonderland of Rocks with many short hiking trails can be found in the center of Joshua Tree National Park. Here are most of the monzogranite formations, those soft-rounded grey-beige rocks. Another example for that is about 19 mi / 30 km north of the park. Giant Rock is the largest rock monolith in the western hemisphere. Unfortunately some fellow citizens of the modern age made an all too big fire under an overhang, and a big chunk broke off the rock. The numerous graffiti and slogans dont improve the beauty at all.