The Mojave Desert is defined by the Joshua Tree, a scraggly tree that is more cactus than anything reaching for the sky. Stretching across Southern California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona, it is the most arid desert in North America. Seeing it in a topless, 50-plus-year-old Land Rover may be the best way to observe its vast expanse, unless El Niño has other plans.
The largest, and some would say most dense, Joshua Tree forest is located south of I-15 near Cima Dome in the Mojave National Preserve. This forest gives the roads an intimacy normally not found in the desert.
There is a purity to the utilitarian aspect of being in a 1962 Land Rover Series IIA. The top speed of this British relic is 55 mph, 65 if you’re going downhill with a tailwind. The low speed allows you to take in every bump and every curve of the road.
Taking a break and telling stories on the trail or upon arrival at camp could be the best part of any adventure. It doesn’t matter what the vehicle is, it always seems to get leaned on.
The key to crossing any desert is staying well-fed and hydrated. The key to any good Overland vehicle is a tailgate.
It’s getting up and away from the truck where the real magic happens. That’s where the utility of the Series IIA comes in; it may as well be a glorified backpack getting you deeper than many other cars. The desert is a playground of granite rocks begging to be climbed.
The Mojave is littered with its mining past. The Land Rover has definitely held up better than most things left out here.
An already gloomy day started to get worse, so our guys headed for higher ground to get a better sense of where this weather was headed.
The clouds were dropping in and it was time to move.
Watch Next
The Safest SUVs for 2025 and 2026
Future Cars Worth Waiting For: 2026–2030
What Is MPGe?
What Are the Different Types of Hybrid Cars?
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below