If you've ever driven through Joshua Tree National Park, you've most likely driven by one of the most famous climbing rocks in the park: Intersection Rock. It's a huge dollop of quartz monzonite located near Hidden Valley Campground, just off Park Blvd.

Intersection Rock is somewhat of a nexus in the park, as there are amazing things to see and do all around it. Hidden Valley Campground, one of the most popular campgrounds in J Tree, is just a stone's throw away. Barker Dam, the Wall Street Mill, Keys Ranch, Native American sites, the Hidden Valley Nature Trail and the Wonderland of Rocks are all within a short hike or drive.

Did you know that almost every rock in J Tree has a name? It's true. And the big ones, the famous ones, the interesting ones sometimes have more than one. And if it's a rock that climbers like to climb, any possible route to the top, around the side, over a lip, or through a crack will have a name. Some of the routes on Intersection Rock: Huevos, Ignorant Photons from Pluto, Zigzag, Cole Slaw, Knuckle Cracker, Anglo Saxophone, Elijah's Coming, the Waterchute, Traverse of No Return, Death by Misadventure, Outer Limit, When Sheep Ran Scared and Sympathy to the Devil. Those are some great names.

Pictured at the top is the West Face. I was on my way home and caught this picture at around 4:00 pm. Surprisingly, no climbers. Maybe they were on the other side. You've got to walk around everything in J Tree, to see what you can find. The other images are from another trip, when I did walk around the behemoth, in order to show off the many faces of Intersection Rock.

Please watch this short, time-lapse video. Comments and suggestions for future videos much appreciated.

Feel free to download any of my photos that strike your fancy and use them for any project you might be working on. Credit back to Cali49.com would be nice, but it's not required. The Park is there for everyone to enjoy.

A Google Earth view of Intersection Rock. The dirt road visible is the old route of Park Blvd. It originally passed IR on the north, and was also the main access to the Hidden Valley Campground. Increased traffic in the area is likely responsible for the realignment, construction of the parking area, and the new route into the campground. The paved road that leads southwest will take visitors to a parking area for the Hidden Valley Nature Trail, and a very nice picnic area (with shade and tables).