Elliot Koeppel 5/25/24 Elliot Koeppel 5/25/24

Krblin Jihn Kabin - pCalifornia - Kcymaerica

Oh my, where to start. With a picture. Yes, that would be best. Keep in mind whilst reading and viewing this post, that there are a lot of art installations sprinkled across the desert surrounding Joshua Tree National Park.

Elliot Koeppel 10/5/22 Elliot Koeppel 10/5/22

Twin Tanks Desert Homestead Cabins - Twentynine Palms - California

This trip would prove to be quite a departure (pun intended) from my usual overnight excursions, as I planned on staying the nights at an airbnb I had heard about called the Twin Tanks Homestead Cabins, located about midway between the towns of Joshua Tree and Twentynine Palms.

Elliot Koeppel 7/4/22 Elliot Koeppel 7/4/22

Them thar Hills II - Fullerton - California

Elliot Koeppel 6/28/22 Elliot Koeppel 6/28/22

Them thar Hills - Fullerton - California

One of the last large, open-space areas in north Orange County is less than five minutes from where I live. Hundreds of acres, touching four different cities, trails criss-cross the expansive foothills….

Elliot Koeppel 5/20/22 Elliot Koeppel 5/20/22

Desert Christ Park - Yucca Valley - California

Elliot Koeppel 4/4/22 Elliot Koeppel 4/4/22

Transmission - Mojave Desert - California

Perhaps one of the most exciting things about the Mojave Desert is the unexpected; you just never know what you might find when you venture into its grasp.

Elliot Koeppel 4/1/22 Elliot Koeppel 4/1/22

Zzyzx - California

Raise your hand if you've ever driven by the exit for Zzyzx Road, while speeding along Route 15 on your way to Las Vegas, and wondered at all about that name.

Elliot Koeppel 3/30/22 Elliot Koeppel 3/30/22

Darwin Falls - Death Valley - California

I doubt that many people think of creeks, streams, waterfalls when Death Valley is mentioned, at least I don’t. But that’s what the hike to Darwin Falls is all about.

Elliot Koeppel 3/28/22 Elliot Koeppel 3/28/22

Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex - California

I had heard about Goldstone a good number of years ago and had the opportunity to schedule a tour of the facility for my Scout troop.

Elliot Koeppel 3/27/22 Elliot Koeppel 3/27/22

Dunmovin - California

Dunmovin. You say to yourself, “self, one day I'm going to stop at this place and see what I can find.”

Elliot Koeppel 3/27/22 Elliot Koeppel 3/27/22

Ruth Camp - California

Ruth Camp is an interesting ghost town, located approximately 14 miles north of Trona in the Argus Mountain Range. There are a good number of fairly well-preserved buildings that I was able to poke around in, which date from the late 1930s.

Elliot Koeppel 3/24/22 Elliot Koeppel 3/24/22

PC - God Bless Our Home

"PC" for Post Card. I've got a lot of old postcards from the deserts of California and thought I might share a few of them here. 😎

Elliot Koeppel 3/24/22 Elliot Koeppel 3/24/22

Buried Homes - Newberry Springs - California

Method #3 on my tried and true list of how to find unique places to explor: See a picture of an intesting place, spend hours online tracking down its location, go there. Which is how I came to this bleak spot in the Mojave desert.

Elliot Koeppel 3/23/22 Elliot Koeppel 3/23/22

Benton Hot Springs - California

Established in the early 1860s, Benton was born with the discovery of silver in the nearby Blind Springs Hills and White Mountains. Also known as Benton Hot Springs, the town thrived for a few short years.

Elliot Koeppel 2/26/21 Elliot Koeppel 2/26/21

T Cross K Ranch - Mission Creek Preserve - California

If you lived in Southern California during the 1930s and were looking for a get-a-way retreat where you could be “just plain lazy,” The T Cross K Guest Ranch would have been perfect. Especially if you enjoyed home cooking and BBQ. Rates were reasonable, $5 per day or $30 per week, per person. Throw in horseback riding, hunting, pack trips, tennis, dancing and hiking….I would have so been there.

Elliot Koeppel 9/21/20 Elliot Koeppel 9/21/20

Ballarat - California

My plan was to stop at Ballarat and then continue north, connecting with CSR 190 and thence to Lone Pine to spend the night. I made it as far as Ballarat. Most plans don’t survive contact with the elements.