Crown Prince Lookout

/
Crown Prince Lookout

Enjoy hiking? About a quarter mile west of the entrance to Jumbo Rocks campground, on the south side of Park Blvd., there are several large rocks blocking the entrance into what looks like an old jeep road that heads off into the desert. What more of an invitation do you need? There’s plenty of room to park nearby, so pull over, take a day pack with plenty of water and some snacks, and hit the trail. Plan on about four miles roundtrip, roughly 50 feet of elevation change and a wonderful time.

Read More

Pinto Wye Arrastra

/ Pinto Wye/
Pinto Wye Arrastra

Why is it called the Pinto Wye Arrastra? I've wondered about that and had a theory, so I decided to see if I could find any facts to back it up. And as things turned out, my suspicions were correct. As it wasn't the only arrastra in the park, it couldn't just be called "the arrastra." That would cause uncertainty and vague feelings of unrest. But as it was located about three-quarters of a mile northwest of a "Y" in the main park road (the spot where Pinto Basin Road meets Park Blvd.), someone somewhere sometime called it the Pinto Wye Arrastra and the name stuck.

Read More

Johns Camp

/
Johns Camp

It’s always fun to try to find a lesser-known spot in J Tree, one without much information to guide you. There are a lot of such places, off the beaten path with little or no “popular” appeal to the casual visitor. So they remain out of the guide books, they remain unmarked on park maps, they simply remain, until the desert claims all traces of what once was there. I like these places.

Read More

Live Oak & Ivanpah Tanks Wildflower Report

/ Live Oak Tank/
Live Oak & Ivanpah Tanks Wildflower Report

After locating Surprise Tank in Queen Valley, and seeing the significant amount of water behind the dam there, I decided to drive to the Live Oak picnic area and hike down the wash to see if either Live Oak Tank or Ivanpah Tank held any water behind them.

Read More