Time to Explore

Finally, after two weeks in quarantine, it was time to explore again. Our first stop was Joshua Tree National Park. As we entered the park, we climbed the mountains we had been staring at for the last two weeks. We learned that Joshua Tree National Park is in both the Mojave and Colorado Deserts. Chiriaco Summit is in the Colorado Desert, but close enough to the Mojave that some of the wildlife and plants overlap between the two.

The scenery as we drove through the mountains was spectacular. We stopped at the Visitor Center and then ate a picnic lunch while enjoying the view. After lunch, we drove through the park. The yucca plants were beautiful but what captured our attention were the giant rocks. We saw massive stacks of boulders everywhere we looked. We learned that the formations were a result of volcanic activity many years ago.

We drove through several washes. It was fun to imagine them being underwater as they are when it rains. The water disappears quickly but stays underground to nourish plants and animals. I never knew the desert was so full of life. It was fascinating to see the symbiotic relationship that flourishes there.

Pinto Mountain

In the distance, we could see Pinto Mountain. In front of the mountain was a wide flat area where a river once ran. Archaeologists have discovered evidence of thriving communities from long, long ago. As we drew closer to the mountain, we could see where the rain washes down the slopes and into the prairie below.

We passed several dirt roads that led off into the distant desert. They recommend only four-wheel-drive vehicles use these roads. Signs also warn you that if you have a problem, help will not be readily available. We opted not to follow those roads. With no cell signal in most of the park, we weren’t interested in a long hike through the desert if anything happened.

Ocotillos

It was interesting to learn that the thorny ocotillo plant is not a cactus but a woody deciduous shrub. Unlike other shrubs that bloom in the spring and defoliate in the fall, ocotillos are rain-dependent. They may bloom and shed as often as five times a year. As we were there in drought season, none of the ocotillos we saw had any leaves.

Cholla Cactus Garden

Joshua Tree National Park is vast. We decided to finish our day at the Cholla Cactus Garden and then return another day for an overnight visit. As we started to see more and more cholla cactuses, we knew we were getting close.

The garden, packed with cactuses, was spectacular. They were all different sizes and a variety of colors. The late afternoon sun shining through the needles of the cactuses made them look like they were glowing.

We wanted to walk the path through the garden. Signs indicated that it was one way to allow social distancing. When we noticed most people were not paying attention to that, we changed our minds about exploring further.

As we drove back out of the park, a Gambel’s quail ran across the road in front of us. The only thing that could have made it better would have been if she had babies following her. We stopped again at the visitor center. Behind the center, we were delighted to find a flock of finches resting in the trees. I had a great time photographing them before we left.

Errand Day

We thought about staying at a BLM campsite just outside the park but decided instead to overnight in a casino parking lot closer to Indio. In the morning, we placed a supply order to be picked up later in the day and then went by the post office and recycling center. We had a couple of hours to kill before we could pick up our order, so we looked for a disc golf course in the area. We enjoyed a round at Palm Desert Disc Golf Course. It was a nine-hole course, so we had time to play a full game and still pick up our order on time.

After we finished our shopping, we found a shady spot in the parking lot to figure out where to go next. It was time to do laundry and take a real shower, so we decided to spend the night in a KOA before continuing to explore Joshua Tree. While making the reservation, we realized that the truck we had parked next to was Charles, our new friend from Chiriaco Summit.

KOA Camping

One of the luxuries of staying in a commercial campground is we have electricity and wifi. After checking in at the KOA, we realized that the wifi did not reach the tent camping section. I also got a weather advisory, indicating that a significant wind event would happen the next day. After experiencing the wind event at Chiriaco Summit, we decided it would not be a good day to be out. We returned to the office to see if we could move to a spot with a better signal and add a night to our stay. They were happy to oblige.

Once we settled into our new spot, we played a lively game of putt-putt. We did not play well at all, but it was fun. When we returned to the truck, I was disheartened to realize that our new spot only had a 30-amp plug. I searched online to see if we could find an adapter at a nearby store, but no one had one in stock. Chris mentioned that he saw a cord in the office, but they had closed for the night.

In the morning, I went to the office to discover the cord he had seen was a 30 to 50-amp adapter. I was disappointed. Before leaving the office, I asked if they had what we needed. They did. It was behind the counter and only $3. I was so happy I asked.

The wind never came, but we enjoyed the day. We saw several roadrunners, and Chris could play Xbox, a luxury we do not have while off-grid camping.

Back to Joshua Tree

In the morning, we stopped by a date farm for fresh dates before we headed to Joshua Tree National Park’s western entrance. I was thrilled to see a beautiful peacock at the date farm. We planned to explore part of the park, spend the night in one of their campgrounds, and then finish exploring the park the next day. We knew there were no spots available at the reservable campgrounds but hoped we might find one at one of the three first-come, first-served ones. The plan might have worked out if we had made it there on Thursday but going on the weekend, not so much.

The line to get into the park was long. There were a lot more visitors on Friday than there had been on Tuesday. As we drew closer to the gate, we moved faster. A ranger directed people with passes around the gate after flashing their cards.

We had started to see Joshua trees before we arrived at the park. They are remarkable. Joshua trees are not trees, but instead are a species of yucca. They only grow about an inch a year. When we saw the bigger ones, some over 40-feet tall, we were in awe of how ancient they were. As they flower, they branch out. The older they are, the crazier they look. Seeing the plants was mesmerizing. The plants are found only in the southwestern part of the country, primarily in the Mojave Desert. It was a treat to be able to enjoy them.

We stopped multiple times as we drove through the park to take photos of the Joshua trees and the spectacular rock formations. I was fascinated by the forests of Joshua trees. As we passed through one area, we noticed the trees were all smaller. We learned that a wildfire, started by lightning, had devastated the area 14 years ago.

Key’s View

Our day culminated with a drive to the top of Key’s View. At an altitude of 5,185 feet, we could see Palm Springs and a large body of water we later learned was the Salton Sea. The juniper bushes at the top were the largest either of us had seen and were packed full of berries. As we drove to Hidden Valley Campground, we noticed the bushes seemed to be everywhere.

Just before reaching the campground, we stopped at Cap Rock to take pictures of the climbers. It amazes me how they can climb such a sheer rock face.

When we got to the campground, we were disappointed to see that it was already full. It was not a total loss, as we saw more adorable Gambel’s quails when we turned around. After we confirmed there was no room at any campgrounds, we left the park to go to a BLM nearby.

Lakebed Camping

The BLM was in a dry lakebed. It was neat to see all the campers dotted across the vast area that is underwater at certain times of the year. With no official sites, we picked a spot in the middle to stop and camp. Mountains surrounded the lakebed. It was a little disconcerting when I heard gunshots, but then realized they were not close. The sound echoed across the “lake” from the mountains.

Saturday morning, we went back into the park. Our first stop was Skull Rock. We followed the path around the rocks, planning to end up at the highlight, a large boulder resembling a skull. The large stones were interesting, appearing to have a gravel coating. As we walked, we enjoyed the variety of plant life. A blue bird caught my attention. I later identified the blue beauty as a California scrub-jay. After snapping a few pictures, we continued our walk. He followed us, seeming to want more attention.

An Off-trail Adventure

We soon realized that we were no longer on the short trail. We turned around and climbed up onto the rocks. We could see a desert rat on the ground below us, but he ducked under a bush before I could get the camera ready. Chris decided we should take a shortcut across the rock. It was apparent that many people came this way, judging by the multitude of rock stacks. Once we were across the rock, the trail we were following disappeared. We continued moving forward in the direction we thought the car was. I enjoyed watching a jackrabbit, but I was not as happy when the terrain started getting rough.

We started climbing through narrow rock openings, and the underbrush grew dense. I began to worry about snakes. When I expressed my fears, Chris rerouted us to an easier path. Eventually, we made our way out, much further down the road than expected. We almost made it to the skull, but there was a crowd in front, so we took our photos from a distance.

The one other area that we wanted to explore was called the Hall of Horrors. It is an area ideal for climbing and bouldering, with rocks that form “halls.” The parking lot was packed, so we chose to keep going. Hopefully, we will have the opportunity to explore it another time.

Just down the road was Oyster Bar, another pull off with a restroom. While I used the facilities, the cutest little fat chipmunk (or at least that’s what I think he was) popped under the door. He sat there for a few seconds looking at me before he ducked back out under the door. It was a beautiful moment that I would have missed had we been able to stop at Hall of Horrors.

As we drove towards the park exit, I saw a massive yucca flower. All that we had previously seen were dead or past their prime, but this one was exquisite. We made one last short hike around the rocks at Hemingway Buttress. Not only did we find the yucca, but we also enjoyed the cholla cactuses along with the Joshua trees as well.

After two days of fantastic scenery, we left the park and headed toward the Salton Sea.