U2 Joshua Tree Album Cover Tree - Death Valley

Introduction:

What? :

When the band U2 were looking for their Joshua Tree album cover they found this specific tree in the desert.

The band stopped, hiked about 10 minutes, and the photographer Anton Corbijn took a series of black-and-white portraits featuring this solitary Joshua tree as a dramatic backdrop 

I saw this when looking in google maps and I was interested to see what I can find there today.

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Where? : 

About 9 miles west of Death Valley NP, off CA Hwy 190 near Darwin, CA

Located near mile marker 33 on Highway 190.

Google Map Link

Visitors park on the south-side shoulder and hike roughly a ¼ mile south to reach the site. If you came with a 4x4 car you can drive up to the dead tree location.

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When? :

The road and access is open year-round.

Summer months are VERY hot and winter may introduce cold weather and even light snow.

Due note 1: 

The site is unmarked and remote. Use GPS coordinates or google map satellite view to locate the spot.

Due note 2: 

If you are hiking from the road this is a short quarter of a mile to the south. Bring water, sun protection, and comfortable walking shoes.

Due note 3: 

Be Respectful – The shrine contains personal and creative tributes—leave them as you find them.

Due note 4: 

The tree isn’t located in Joshua Tree National Park, it lies nearly 200 miles away in the desert west of Death Valley.

Due note 5: 

This type of yucca plant, part of the agave family, (not a tree) was named “Joshua Tree” by 19th-century Mormon pioneers. Native to the high Mojave Desert area in the southwest US.

The visit:

Many years have passed since U2 released their ‘Joshua Tree’ album in 1987.

Unfortunately the exact tree that is on the album cover fell dead to the ground (I do not know when).

In 2003, a devoted fan named Ernie Navarre located the fallen tree and installed an impressive bronze plaque embedded in concrete, inscribed with "Have you found what you’re looking for?"—a nod to one of U2’s iconic songs 

The tree site has become a pilgrimage site for U2 fans from around the world.

Visitors leave tributes, messages, guitars, concert memorabilia, even suitcases and ammo boxes filled with tickets, photos, and notes to the band.

Not a lot more than that but it was interesting to be here in the middle of nowhere and see this.

Not sure if this means I "find what they're looking for." but because this was such a short stop (I have a 4x4 so I can drive up here) and I was intrigued to see what there is out here.

It was fun stop on my way to Death Valley National Park