“Yeah, Desert Sky - Dream beneath the Desert Sky”
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.
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.
Read MoreGrand Tank is a reservoir located near White Tank campgound. From reports I've read, it apparently holds water after any significant amount of rain in the area. I've visited several times over the years, but have never found water behind the dam wall. With all the rain the park received during the last half of January, I thought, "what the heck, I'll go check it out. Maybe there'll be water there this time."
Read MoreThe parking area at Quail Springs is also a great spot to stage a hike out into the desert, because the desert holds many secrets, and Quail Springs Valley guards them closely. Have you been to the White Cliffs of Dover? Have you seen the Desert Gold of lost mining camps? Perhaps you've heard of John Samuelson's Rocks? Or the famous Boy Scout Trail? All these and many other amazing secret and some not-so-secret places can be visited in the Quail Springs vicinity.
Read MorePut 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.
Read MoreI recently had the opportunity to meet Robert Miramontes -- rock-climber, author and photographer -- and he was kind enough to guide me to the top of Valhalla Dome. The approach we took was a bit out of my comfort zone, but the payoff at the top was well worth the adrenaline generated in getting there.
Read MoreJoshua Tree National Park, the California Gold Country, forgotten places in the Mojave Desert. These are a few of my favorite things.
