In the far northern reaches of L.A. County you can find a number of open space preserves and wildlife sanctuaries where you can walk undisturbed, encounter rare desert plants and animals, or just experience sublime silence. Unique among the constricted corridors of Los Angeles, these spaces remain quietly, defiantly Open. Of the eight county sanctuaries in the high desert, 320-acre Theodore Payne probably has the most Joshua trees. It is also one of the most difficult to reach, as it is located on an unimproved dirt road in an area crisscrossed by a number of such roads. View the county website shown here for more information on north county wildlife sanctuaries. read more