Joshua Tree National Park -- Barker Dam

Barker Dam

The bowl around the dams reveals what little water exists in the park. The two giant dome-shaped rock formations offer a place for Desert Big Horn Sheep to roam, sleep, and stand on high ground away from humans and prey.

Barker Dam is a naturally enclosed area of steep rock formations, boulders, and smooth platforms of rock, all of which form a "bowl" in the center. During the so-called rainy months, water collects in the valley of Barker Dam, giving the brush a chance to grow and the wildlife a place to drink.

Early settlers to the park built a 20-foot long, 10-foot high cinder block wall to fully enclose the area. This wall kept the water from escaping the valley. Early settlers used Barker Dam to allow horses and cattle to eat and drink. Some of the boulders contain dark lines five or six feet above ground level, which indicates where the water level existed at one time. During the time I visited Barker Dam, there was no water in the valley. However, the ground was moist and fertile enough to keep the brush alive.

One of my favorite areas in Joshua Tree National Park, Barker Dam offers an excellent opportunity to view and photograph Desert Big Horn Sheep. In the images shown here, six sheep, which strongly resemble rams, descended from a huge dome-shaped mountain to feed before sunset.

The sheep generally shy away from human interaction, but allowed me to photograph them from atop a 10-foot boulder. The sheep become nervous when approached by humans and will avoid opportunities to feed if the environment seems threatening. Therefore, the National Park Service has designated the Barker Dam area off-limits between sunset and sunrise.

The sheep need plenty of space to roam and graze away from the encroachment of man during the night. If you visit any of our national parks, remember to give the wildlife the space they need to survive. Also, do not feed wild animals in our national parks. Doing so will cause the animals to rely on humans for food. Animals need to hunt for their food.

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© Brad Biringer 1999-2003
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