Joshua Tree National Park
A drive through Joshua Tree National Park might take a couple hours, viewing the park from the road. An exploration of the park would take a lifetime. Joshua Tree National Park has over 550,000 acres of wilderness filled with a variety of plants and animals that make their home in this land shaped by strong winds, unpredictable torrents of rain, and climatic extremes. Every now and then, man intrudes in this wilderness and leaves his brief, passing mark among the surreal geologic features that cover the landscape. Let’s go see what we can find.
Queen Valley Prospects Camp - Joshua Tree National Park
Hiking to Nolina Ridge, will I make it? Are those gold mines? What’s with all the wildflowers?
Johnny Lang Grave - Joshua Tree National Park
Johnny Lang first saw Lost Horse Valley in 1890, when he and his father dove a herd of cattle into the area and set up camp. One morning, they awoke to find their horses gone.
Gold Mines & Pinyon Pines - Joshua Tree National Park
Most folks who park at the Desert Queen Mine/Pine City parking area generally head off to see the mines, or maybe Eagle Cliff hideout, or out to Pine City. But being in a contrarian mood, I decided to head southeast into the ruff, to see what I could find.
Hexahedron Mine - Joshua Tree National Park
…and headed east into Fried Liver Wash. After about 100 yards, I went back to the truck and got some more water. I'd be glad later that I did.
Contact Mine - Joshua Tree National Park
There are trillions and trillions of rocks at Joshua Tree National Park and I hiked over many of them on my way to the Contact Mine.