Joshua Tree National Park - March 2018
When our warm winter turned to its usual cold and fog in late February, it was time to go to the desert. Although our original plan had been Death Valley, we went first to Mojave National Preserve and Amboy Crater, and now we were headed south to Joshua Tree National Park. We lucked out and found the last site at Belle Campground just before dark.
We woke to clear blue skies and weren't anxious to leave our toasty sleeping bag, having begun the previous day in snow and ended it by nearly getting blown off the rim of Amboy Crater. As we were enjoying coffee, a couple from Boulder also traveling in a Traverse stopped by to check out our older rig. They were intrigued by the modifications we'd made. We'd removed the microwave. We'd installed a hanging bag over the kitchen counter and opened up the door padding for more storage. We'd made insulated curtains and put Reflectix around the inside of the poptop tent and insulated curtains.
Visit and breakfast over, we headed to Twentynine Palms for groceries then the Joshua Tree Visitors Center to replace a favorite hiking book—we'd gone from 2 copies to none.
We ended up with a different book that had more accurate information, a JTNP tee for Doug, and a Ranger Rick guide to the National Parks for our grandkids.
We lingered in the sun outside the Visitor Center catching up on email, reading the news, and watching the resident roadrunner check out the intruders in his domain.
We've hiked many trails in Joshua Tree, but the 2.5 mile Split Rock Loop Trail was new to us. Well, Doug and friend Don started off on it one year but soon detoured to scramble up the nearest hill. It takes off from Belle Campground, so seemed like the obvious choice.
Doug and I stuck to the meandering trail, having fun naming rock formations. Actually, I think some of the formations have official names.
Along the way we met a couple from North Dakota who were loving the sun even more than us—it was -5 when they left home!
The rocks of Joshua Tree sport beautiful dikes: lines of rocks pushed up in fractures that are more resistant to erosion than the surrounding rock.
I'm always stopping to take picutres of desert plants, intending to identify them later. What's that they say about good intentions?
Even pretty desert plants defended themselves with thorns or spikes.
Near the end of the trail, just after I'd put my hand down to steady myself on a slight gravelly slope, thinking, "I really hope I don't slip and fall into that cactus," I heard boots sliding, a jumbling backpack, and a body losing control. My heart in my mouth, I turned to see Doug tumbling with so much momentum he continued into a perfect 10+ summersault, yelling the entire time, "I'm fine! I'm fine!" He jumped up, I noted he'd torn the knee of his jeans, and we went on, me wondeirng if I'd be able to flag the helicopter flying overhead if need be. When Doug felt his shirt sticking to his elbow, I did first aid on the oozing cut. Did I mention that 2 days before he'd had the wind knocked out of him on the rim of Amboy Crater? Or the Southwest trip when he both burned his foot with scalding water and sliced his finger, requiring 9 stitches?
Back in camp, we got the top layers of dirt off—it’s not so hard go showerless a few days when the weather is cool. As the sun lowered beyond the rock formations, the air cooled, but we’d be toasty inside our trusty Traverse.
The next morning, we reserved Belle for another night then left for White Tank Campground to do the Arch Rock Loop. We fell in love with White Tank at first sight, happily discovered that Ian and Elise from Chicago would soon vacate their perfect site and head off to backpack, and were assured by the ranger that we could transfer our receipt. I deterred incoming campers from our site while Doug returned to Belle for the receipt.
We parked the Traverse among more amazing rock formations then went to walk the less-than-1/4-mile Arch Rock Loop.
Back from the trail, I settled down to read in the sun while Doug went cross country in search of White Tank, saying he'd return by 1:00, and if not to give him to 5:00. After his tumble yesterday, I wasn’t thrilled he was going bushwhacking. But he interrupted my reading in under an hour. He'd found the old dam that once provided a watering hole for cattle, and he hadn't lost his bearings...until the way back....
I can't resist trying to record why my eyes see in Joshua Tree.
The plan was to head home in the morning, but when I awoke very rested and looked at the blue sky, the desert, the giant rocks, I thought, “Dirty hair be damned.” Other than having to postpone breakfast at the Joshua Tree Saloon for 24 hours, Doug was thrilled to stay. Unfortunately for the Park Service, we had to pay our $7.50 rent in quarters and dimes. But I suspect they are used to that.
We set off to wander in the Traverse but didn't get far when Doug noted a missed call, so as soon as we had a signal, we pulled over.
Call finished, we set off on Park Boulevard, next stop Keys View, with views of the Salton Sea, Coachella, Indio, Palm Springs, & the San Andreas Fault. I always chuckled about the Coachella Music Festival. I stayed with my now sister-in-law numerous times in college at her family home in Coachella. It was and is a tiny sleepy desert town.
Next we stopped at the Keys Ranch and Barker Dam trailheads, We considered the 3-mile Barker Dam Loo—until we got out of the car and a cold wind hit us. So it was on to Hidden Valley Loop.
Having had such a strenuous morning, we needed to snack before attempting the flat 1-mile trail.
In the late 1800s, cattle and horse rustlers used the natural corral formed by the massive rock walls of Hidden Valley to hide their booty and remove brands before selling the stock. In the 1930s, a local, legitimate rancher, Bill Keys, blew a hole in the rock to provide easier access to the valley.
From Hidden Valley we headed back east on the Park Blvd to Ryan Campground. From there, we walked .3 mile to the ruins of Ryan Ranch House, an adobe two brothers built around 1900. Water was pumped from the nearby well through pipelines to the on-site dwellings of 60 people and to the Ryans' Lost Horse Mine 3 miles away as the crow flies. We'd done the 4-mile-roundtrip hike to the mine in 2010.
Not far from the adobe is a cemetery.
"1897" could be seen on two rocks.
Stones outlined the graves.
Grave with a larger rock as headstone.
Another gravesite.
We’d walked at least 2 to 4 miles every day for the past 6 and decided the rest of the afternoon would be well spent sitting in the sun reading.
Our Ford Traverse Poptop at Belle Campground.
We woke to clear blue skies and weren't anxious to leave our toasty sleeping bag, having begun the previous day in snow and ended it by nearly getting blown off the rim of Amboy Crater. As we were enjoying coffee, a couple from Boulder also traveling in a Traverse stopped by to check out our older rig. They were intrigued by the modifications we'd made. We'd removed the microwave. We'd installed a hanging bag over the kitchen counter and opened up the door padding for more storage. We'd made insulated curtains and put Reflectix around the inside of the poptop tent and insulated curtains.
Visit and breakfast over, we headed to Twentynine Palms for groceries then the Joshua Tree Visitors Center to replace a favorite hiking book—we'd gone from 2 copies to none.
Twentynine Palms.
Joshua Tree Visitors Center.
We lingered in the sun outside the Visitor Center catching up on email, reading the news, and watching the resident roadrunner check out the intruders in his domain.
Globemallow & Roadrunner at JTNP Visitors Center checking out his domain.
We've hiked many trails in Joshua Tree, but the 2.5 mile Split Rock Loop Trail was new to us. Well, Doug and friend Don started off on it one year but soon detoured to scramble up the nearest hill. It takes off from Belle Campground, so seemed like the obvious choice.
Beginning of Split Rock Loop Trail
Doug and I stuck to the meandering trail, having fun naming rock formations. Actually, I think some of the formations have official names.
"Lovers."
"Pelican."
Along the way we met a couple from North Dakota who were loving the sun even more than us—it was -5 when they left home!
Marilyn looking back at the Lovers & other amazing formations.
Open-mouthed frog.
Frog in center, Lovers to upper left, & many other companions.
Elephants.
The rocks of Joshua Tree sport beautiful dikes: lines of rocks pushed up in fractures that are more resistant to erosion than the surrounding rock.
Doug & dikes.
I'm always stopping to take picutres of desert plants, intending to identify them later. What's that they say about good intentions?
Others make no bones about their defenses.
Great white shark.
Dike running across rocks.
Various rock poses resulting from earth's upheaval fascinate.
Resembling Easter Island a little.
Giving new meaning to "lean on me."
"Tulip."
The Easter Island gang up close.
"Let me give you a few pointers..."
Another flora break.
Pillsbury Doug Boy & Friends.
Near the end of the trail, just after I'd put my hand down to steady myself on a slight gravelly slope, thinking, "I really hope I don't slip and fall into that cactus," I heard boots sliding, a jumbling backpack, and a body losing control. My heart in my mouth, I turned to see Doug tumbling with so much momentum he continued into a perfect 10+ summersault, yelling the entire time, "I'm fine! I'm fine!" He jumped up, I noted he'd torn the knee of his jeans, and we went on, me wondeirng if I'd be able to flag the helicopter flying overhead if need be. When Doug felt his shirt sticking to his elbow, I did first aid on the oozing cut. Did I mention that 2 days before he'd had the wind knocked out of him on the rim of Amboy Crater? Or the Southwest trip when he both burned his foot with scalding water and sliced his finger, requiring 9 stitches?
Back in camp, we got the top layers of dirt off—it’s not so hard go showerless a few days when the weather is cool. As the sun lowered beyond the rock formations, the air cooled, but we’d be toasty inside our trusty Traverse.
Back in camp, torn jeans, bandaged arm, and all.
Our Joshua Tree meanderings.
The next morning, we reserved Belle for another night then left for White Tank Campground to do the Arch Rock Loop. We fell in love with White Tank at first sight, happily discovered that Ian and Elise from Chicago would soon vacate their perfect site and head off to backpack, and were assured by the ranger that we could transfer our receipt. I deterred incoming campers from our site while Doug returned to Belle for the receipt.
What a site! White Tank Campground.
We parked the Traverse among more amazing rock formations then went to walk the less-than-1/4-mile Arch Rock Loop.
Arch Rock.
"The Meeting"
Snake with open mouth awaiting prey?
Shapes & colors of dikes are fascinating--small on right, then large in middle, medium on left.
I LOVE the desert!
Back from the trail, I settled down to read in the sun while Doug went cross country in search of White Tank, saying he'd return by 1:00, and if not to give him to 5:00. After his tumble yesterday, I wasn’t thrilled he was going bushwhacking. But he interrupted my reading in under an hour. He'd found the old dam that once provided a watering hole for cattle, and he hadn't lost his bearings...until the way back....
Doug in his reading nook.
I can't resist trying to record why my eyes see in Joshua Tree.
Rock formation near the campground. "Going Over the Fence"?
"Whale"!
"Mother & Child"?
What do you see?
Lean on me.
Such an awesome site. Van is just above center.
New reading spot. How do you say perfect weather?
The plan was to head home in the morning, but when I awoke very rested and looked at the blue sky, the desert, the giant rocks, I thought, “Dirty hair be damned.” Other than having to postpone breakfast at the Joshua Tree Saloon for 24 hours, Doug was thrilled to stay. Unfortunately for the Park Service, we had to pay our $7.50 rent in quarters and dimes. But I suspect they are used to that.
Starting another day...
Lizard is pretty well camouflaged.
More flora.
Yucca.
Oof! Where'd that guy on top come from?
Dike circling rock protrusion.
Sympathetic leaning.
How many eons until the rock slides to the ground?
View west from our campsite.
Pinyon Pine & Scrub Oak
We set off to wander in the Traverse but didn't get far when Doug noted a missed call, so as soon as we had a signal, we pulled over.
Call finished, we set off on Park Boulevard, next stop Keys View, with views of the Salton Sea, Coachella, Indio, Palm Springs, & the San Andreas Fault. I always chuckled about the Coachella Music Festival. I stayed with my now sister-in-law numerous times in college at her family home in Coachella. It was and is a tiny sleepy desert town.
Rock walls formed a natural corral in Hidden Valley.
Having had such a strenuous morning, we needed to snack before attempting the flat 1-mile trail.
In the late 1800s, cattle and horse rustlers used the natural corral formed by the massive rock walls of Hidden Valley to hide their booty and remove brands before selling the stock. In the 1930s, a local, legitimate rancher, Bill Keys, blew a hole in the rock to provide easier access to the valley.
From Hidden Valley we headed back east on the Park Blvd to Ryan Campground. From there, we walked .3 mile to the ruins of Ryan Ranch House, an adobe two brothers built around 1900. Water was pumped from the nearby well through pipelines to the on-site dwellings of 60 people and to the Ryans' Lost Horse Mine 3 miles away as the crow flies. We'd done the 4-mile-roundtrip hike to the mine in 2010.
Ryan Ranch Trail.
Jack Rabbit still & quiet.
There was an old dump such as one often sees near former homesteads.
Foundation of a former building.
Doug approaching ruins of Ryan Ranch Adobe
The adobes thick walls would have been good protection against heat and cold.
Ryan Adobe.
The views from the adobe windows were spectacular.
Another entrance to the adobe.
"1897" could be seen on two rocks.
Stones outlined the graves.
Grave with a larger rock as headstone.
Another gravesite.
Another rock had "1893" on it.
Joshua Tree standing sentinel near the cemetery.
Joshua Tree standing sentinel near the cemetery.
We’d walked at least 2 to 4 miles every day for the past 6 and decided the rest of the afternoon would be well spent sitting in the sun reading.
"Heart"
Giant Bunny Rabbit behind our campsite...
...and a real bunny rabbit.
Sunset over Joshua Tree
In the morning, we said good-bye to Joshua Tree until next time, enjoyed a hearty breakfast at the Joshua Tree Saloon, and headed for home, with a stop first at the Integratron and Giant Rock.
DIRT: Dreamers Institute of Research and Technology.
Outside the Joshua Tree Saloon: our Traverse and the DIRT rig
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