Sunrise at the Skyline View overlook of the Blue Valley near Factory Butte, Utah. Sometimes you come across a view that just blows your mind. That’s the case with the Skyline View overlook of the Blue Valley near Factory Butte. You could fly to the moon and quite possibly not see something that looks so “Moon-like” as you will see here. Wayne County is know for its terrain that looks extraterrestrial and this view won’t disappoint.
The name Joshua tree was given by a group of Mormon settlers who crossed the Mojave Desert in the mid-19th century. The tree's unique shape reminded them of a Biblical story in which Joshua reaches his hands up to the sky in prayer. Joshua trees are fast growers for the desert; new seedlings may grow at an average rate of 7.6 cm (3.0 in) per year in their first ten years, then only about 3.8 cm (1.5 in) per year. The trunk consists of thousands of small fibers and lacks annual growth rings, making it difficult to determine the tree's age. This tree has a top-heavy branch system, but also what has been described as a "deep and extensive" root system, with roots reaching up to 11 m (36 ft). If it survives the rigors of the desert, it can live for hundreds of years; some specimens survive a thousand years.
