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.
Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon - Joshua Tree National Park
After parking at a convenient spot and suiting up, I started following an abandoned road leading to who-knows-where, one of my favorite places. Time for adventure.
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.
Stone Ruins in Fried Liver Wash - Joshua Tree National Park
Ok, what I want to know is, who came up with the name "Fried Liver" wash and why? Was it some old prospector wandering down the wash, dreaming of his favorite meal?
Geology Tour Road, Revisited - Joshua Tree National Park
I can remember traveling along the bumpy road in a Dodge Dart, stopping at the points indicated while someone read the description of what we were looking at.
I Saw No Sheep - Joshua Tree National Park
I found no sheep, no gold mines or abandoned cars…… no bones, nothing but beautiful landscapes, amazing rocks with cavities, pretty skies and desert solitude.
Queen Valley Pictograph Boulder - Joshua Tree National Park
There are hundreds, if not thousands of large boulders in Queen Valley. And one looks much the same as another, so what’s the big deal?”
A Monday Morning Meander - Joshua Tree National Park
I was recently reminded of some interesting petroglyphs that are out in this area by PB, a fellow exploratographer. I had first read about them some few years ago….and I was bound to find them.
PC - The Boogie-Man - Joshua Tree National Park
The Boogie-man, long known to visitors of the monument, is at the edge of the main road, peeking over a rock as you pass by
Samuelson’s Rocks - Joshua Tree National Park
Chances are good that most visitors to Joshua Tree National Park have never seen them, let alone even know they exist. And of those who do set out to find this elusive and evocative site, many of them never return.
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.
An Afternoon Adventure - Joshua Tree National Park
…and the desert will often try to kill you, with its dreaded strategy, Death by a Thousand Tiny Stickers.
Barker Dam Nature Trail - Joshua Tree National Park
It had been over ten years since I last saw any water in Barker Dam, so when I heard reports that the recent monsoons had filled the dam up, I knew I wanted to get out and take a look.
Lucky Boy Vista - Joshua Tree National Park
Next time you’re in Joshua Tree National Park, be sure to set aside two hours and hike the “out and back” Lucky Boy Vista Trail. It’s a hike where the reward (the vista) far outweighs the price (effort expended to get there). This trail is on my Top Five list of short hikes in JT.
Diamonds & Sun Pictographs - Joshua Tree National Park
The temperature was in the high 90s and I had just finished wandering around the outskirts of the Wonderland of Rocks, so why not go hiking deeper into the Wanderland in search of a cool pictograph site?
The Red Lady - Joshua Tree National Park
Who is the mysterious “Red Lady” of Joshua Tree? Is she single? And where can I meet her?
Garrett’s Arch - Joshua Tree National Park
The end of summer. It was crazy hot. The perfect time for a hike in the desert, yes, the DESERT. It’s contrarian. So I loaded up the Blue Shark with an ice chest full of water, packed some snacks, camera gear and the Camelbak and …..