Turtle Rock Walk
/Visit Date: February 29, 2016
Adjacent to the parking area for the Hidden Valley Nature Trail is a massive rock formation known as Turtle Rock. If you're a rock climber, you've probably heard the stories of Turtle Rock, and maybe climbed to the top via one of the numerous routes on either the south or east face. Perhaps you chose Wandering Tortoise or Give a Mouse a Cookie, or maybe Turtle Soup. Atop Turtle Rock you surveyed your kingdom, and proclaimed in a majestic voice to your Joshua Tree subjects, "Follow me!"
But if you're not a rock climber, you may have never heard of Turtle Rock, until now. If that's the case, the next time you're near Hidden Valley, stop and take a Turtle Rock Walk. It sits just southeast of the parking loop and picnic areas, you can't miss it and there's a lot to see. Some of the most interesting shaped boulders surround the Turtle.
Here are a few of the sights I saw on my Turtle Rock Walk. Contrary to the top picture, which was taken last year on a stormy day, this trip was full of sunshine and blue skies.
It was February 29, Leap Day. And the Joshua Trees were practically leaping to get into my pictures. I saw more blooms on Joshua Tree on this trip than I can ever remember. With some of the trees have upwards of fifteen blossoms. It was an epic bloom.
Pictographs! I love finding pictographs!
And of course, once I spot a pictograph or bedrock mortar, I start exploring every possible nook, cave and cranny for other signs of Native American habitation. Sometimes it takes the whole day to walk around a rock formation like Turtle Rock, you just never know what you're going to find.
I really like this rock. I've stopped here before. However, it's less comfortable than it looks....
Those are just a few of the many pictures I took on this particular Turtle Rock Walk. By expanding the hiking area just a bit, there's enough in this area to keep you busy for a full day. The Zombie Woof is just a short distance from here, as is Murbachi's famous "Thumb Rock." The ground is level and easy walking, making it a nice spot for an easy stroll in the park. And the picnic area right near by is very nice, with most spots having shady Pinyon Pines near the tables. It's a win/win win/win. Take it from E!
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