Due to the cold we drove all the way from Yosemite to Joshua Tree National Park in a day. It took us about eight and half hours to get there. This was both our first time being in the Southwest so just about every plant and animal was new to us. We found free camping about 10 minutes outside of the park, which gave us the chance to see a lot of the park.
This park is so cool! It has the famous Joshua Trees and so much more. It’s a hot spot for rock climbers and artists, and the sunsets are absolutely amazing. Let’s get to pictures.
Driving South to Warmer Weather
It’s getting warmer! When we left Yosemite that morning it was 27 degrees. By the afternoon it was 68 degrees.
Everyone in California raves about this place. So we stopped for lunch.
Not going to lie. We hated the food. Tasted like McDonald’s. Oh well, it was a cheap lunch.
Our first sunset in the Southwest. Wow!
Getting to our campsite in the dark around 5 pm.
Laura made Chicken curry with potatoes. Yummy!
Hanging out in the dark. We have no idea what our camp area looks like. We can hear coyotes in the distance.
Next Day. A Day of Rest
Spending a day exploring our camp area, getting in a chilly solar shower, and working on the blog. This is what our campsite looks like. It’s a dried up lake bed surrounded by rolling hills and sagebrush. Not much privacy and by the weekend this whole area was full of other campers, but the price was right.
Exploring the surrounding hills. Finding out that tumbleweeds have thorns, OUCH!
Can you see Tina?
Dust Devil!
Here comes another sunset!
🙂
Campfire and working on the laptop.
Next Day. Time to explore the park.
Starting off at the visitor center and ranger talk. We learned all about coyotes in the park.
Time for a 6-mile day hike.
Hey Laura! What do you think of the desert?
Wide open spaces.
TreeHugger! Getting our first acquaintance with a Joshua Tree. This tree is related to the Yucca plant and only grows at a certain elevation in this Southwestern corner of the United States (the Mojave Desert).
Getting a closer look at the leaves of the Joshua Tree.
Cool rock.
This place is pretty hilly.
Long Shadows.
A Yucca Plant flower. It must have been 10 feet tall!
Big one!
Tiny lizards everywhere! They’re so cute!
A little bit of color in this very golden brown landscape.
The inner structure of a Cholla Cactus. Weird!
Meditation time.
Another lizard!
Back at our site. Not as many clouds in the sky so the sunset wasn’t as spectacular.
We’re hating how early it gets dark thanks to daylight savings time. The lights in the background are from the city of Joshua Tree.
The Next Day! A Bunch of Short Hikes.
Driving through the park to a much lower elevation. No Joshua Trees on this side of the park, but there are lots of cacti.
Be careful where you walk. The spikes on these plants are no joke.
Seed pods on the tips.
The inner structure can be seen on this dead Cholla. Very fibrous.
Getting her study on.
This place is so cool. It’s like a forest of cactus.
Driving back up in elevation we stopped here for lunch. The rock features in this park are so cool. They reminded us of The Flintstones 🙂
Climbing around.
What were once new boots when we started our journey are new looking worn and broken in.
Getting her study on…. Always learning.
Selfie Time!
Goofballs in the desert!a cairn
Check out that line running through the boulder.
Skull Rock!. An aptly named rock feature.
This place was too popular.
Driving on.Driving one of the few dirt roads in the park. Queen Valley road showcases some of the largest Joshua Trees in the park and is well-maintained. A must see!
Camrin logging a plant into her plant identification phone app.Looking good Tina!
The road less traveled.
These trees are so pretty!
An American Kestrel!
Poor Sheep 🙁
Short hike to an Oasis.
Water!
Tiny Beavertail Cactus.
Color!
Prickly Pear! Edible fruit on this type of cactus. It kind of taste like a banana pear.
Another big one.
Trying to fit into the hole in the rock.
Hey! What are you doing back there?
Getting stuck, that’s what.
You had us at CHEESE!
Pictographs! Awesome!
A bighorn sheep.
FYI… All of these pictographs are real except for their color. Apparently, an old Hollywood movie was filmed here and people from the movie colored in the glyphs.
Pine Nuts from the Pinyon pine tree! Called “piñons” by the Navajo. You can eat these.
Thanks to the nearby water source this is one few places where there is color this late in the year.
A leaning tower of Treeza!
Nearby rock climbers.
Running through a boulder field.
Majestic.
How did you get over there, Camrin?
Want to join me?
Cactus closeup!
Silver Dollar Cactus.
Another great day in the park!
Another brilliant sunset!
The Next Day!
Saw this sign on a bulletin board near a bathroom. We will always say yes to free coffee!
Hanging out with some rock climbers in one of the park’s campgrounds. Sipping coffee and listening to their adventure stories.
Watching some nearby climbers. The people at climber’s coffee explained to us why this is a dangerous way to anchor your rope.
We do not rock climb… time to go!
Hiking time! Busy day. We barely found a place to park at this trailhead.
Fragile environment! Learn about crazy desert weather here
Going up!
Cool old mine! Mining for gold.
Nice view up here too!
Wow!
Lunchtime… Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches!
Lunch with a view.
Cool… an old homestead. Only the fireplace remains.
Joshua Tree!
We love it here!!!
We can’t get over how beautiful and unique this place is. It’s breathtaking from sun up to sun down!
The Next Day! Last Day in the Park.
Saw this sign on a bulletin board at the Climber Coffee. Sounds fun!
This event is sponsored by JT Lab and the Park. This was an awesome gathering! This local artist, Eva Montville, brought some samples of her sculptures and gave a lovely talk.
Very beautiful!Refill! Thanks, JT Lab for the tea and company 🙂
Goodbye Joshua Tree! Another park competing for top spot in our hearts.
On our way out… Wait… Laura, what are you doing over there?Road Runner!!!!We saw a road runner cross the road just outside of the entrance. Laura has been keeping an eye out for these awesome birds. Guess the Park knew we were leaving, but wouldn’t let us go without showing us a Road Runner 🙂
Thanks for reading our blog! Up Next…. The Mojave Desert Preserve!
Joshua Tree is one of my most favorite places on the planet – such a neat, beautiful and unique place. I love it!