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Let's go see what we can find

Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park - Places of interest, hidden spots off the beaten path.

Joshua Tree National Park

“Yeah, Desert Sky - Dream beneath the Desert Sky”

— Bono

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.

July 06, 2023

Turtle Rock Walk

July 06, 2023/ Elliot Koeppel

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!"

May 11, 2017

Two Days in April - Joshua Tree National Park

May 11, 2017/ Elliot Koeppel

It was early April and the wildflowers were everywhere. Sometimes you had to look for them, but they gave themselves away with their bright spots of color against the unusually green desert backdrop.

February 04, 2017

Reflecting on Barker Dam - Joshua Tree National Park

February 04, 2017/ Elliot Koeppel

I was looking for water, in the desert. To be more precise, I was looking for large bodies of open water, in the desert. In Joshua Tree National Park. Where the average rainfall during January is less than 1 inch. However, during January of 2017, the park received between 5 - 7 inches of rain thanks to an "atmospheric river" that unleashed powerful storms throughout the entire state.

November 12, 2016

101 Things to See in Joshua Tree National Park

November 12, 2016/ 101 Things to See in Joshua Tree National Park/ Elliot Koeppel

Having explored many regions of the park over the past few decades, I thought I'd put this post together about some of my favorite sites and sights. Narrowing it down to only 101 was challenging....

November 03, 2016

Desert Queen Ranch, Part 2 - Joshua Tree National Park

November 03, 2016/ Keys Ranch/ Elliot Koeppel

Put the Desert Queen Ranch, aka Keys Ranch, on your list of things to see on your next visit to Joshua Tree National Park. It's a glimpse back in time to a hardier era, and into the mind of one of the area's most notable early-day settlers, Bill Keys. The Ranch is only accessible via Ranger-guided tours, and generally only on the weekends. Check in at any of the visitor centers located at the park entrances to make a reservation.

Cali49

Joshua Tree National Park, the California Gold Country, forgotten places in the Mojave Desert. These are a few of my favorite things.