Travel

Joshua Tree

by Charli

Charli and AC pose for a selfie in front of the entrance sign to Joshua Tree National Park

We’ve spent the last few days in and around Joshua Tree National Park. We got our first taste of Joshua Tree on Thursday when we stopped for photos at Skull Rock, then spent some time in the Hall of Horrors–a “choose your own adventure” area and a scrambler’s paradise. AC had a great time jumping and crawling and climbing across all kinds of rock formations (she’s part mountain goat).

A rock formation reminiscent of a skull
Skull Rock
Hall of Horrors
AC holds herself up in between rocks with her hands and feet
Fun in Joshua Tree’s “Hall of Horrors” area
Charli stand atop of high rock and looks off into the distance while the sun shines behind her
Joshua Tree’s “Hall of Horrors” area

Next, we made a quick stop at Keys View for a little scenic overlook across the valley.

We ended our park tour at Hidden Valley Nature Trail. This easy 1(ish) mile hike meandered through giant boulders and unique desert plants. On our way out, we passed a film set complete with trailers, a wardrobe tent, and a dining tent. We have no idea what movie they were filming, but it was surprising to see that in the middle of the desert. AC also refilled her good karma for the month by sharing her jumper cables with a guy who was having car troubles.

A young tree winds its way out of a rock crevice

At our Hip Camp that afternoon, we showered and set up the tent. Then we headed out for an evening in Palm Springs. We booked the ride-and-dine package on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway and definitely got our money’s worth! This tramway boasts the title of “longest rotating tram in the world.” The 2.5 mile, 10-minute ride up the mountain provided great views, and we stuffed ourselves on dinners of ribs and beef burgundy. We caught a lovely pink and blue sunset and took in the sparkly lights of Palm Springs on the ride down the mountain. Once back on the ground, we headed toward the city and wandered through Village Fest, a massive weekly market right in the heart of downtown Palm Springs. It also happened to be the first day of Palm Springs Pride so there was lots of high energy and short shorts. It was a fun time!

Sunset from the top of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

On Friday, we stuck around our Hip Camp for several hours so I could work. Then we went to the store to stock up on discounted Halloween candy, and then it was time for a quick power nap. We spent the afternoon in Joshua Tree NP. We hiked Arch Rock Trail and had a run-in with AC’s nightmare: a snake. He was making his way out from under a bush, but AC’s squeal scared him back under. I don’t know what kind he was because the bush obscured him and I wasn’t about to get close enough to see him clearly. Needless to say, AC was on high alert the rest of that short hike. Arch Rock itself was a fun little formation. This area was also a bit “choose your own adventure-y” so we wandered around a bit more and climbed up some stuff before following the official trail back to our car.

Charli and AC take selfie beneath an natural rock arch
Arch Rock
AC poses with her arms outstretched, as if to show off the surrounding rock formations
Arch Rock Trail

Next stop: Cholla Cactus Garden. This garden popped up out of nowhere! It was all desert brush for miles and then, BAM! Cactus for days! I didn’t know that I loved Cholla Cactus until this stop. These little cactus have new growth that starts out a white-ish gold color, then turns brown as it ages. But the best part is the “bones” of the Cholla. They look like driftwood smattered with holes and I really want to decorate with them.

We knew we wanted to be at the Cholla garden for sunset and we had some time to kill so we brought out our camp chairs, found a shady spot, and read our books for about 45 mins. Then we started cooking dinner (rice and frozen shrimp fajita mix tonight). While we waited on the rice to cook, the sun started setting so I walked back out into the garden and got some pictures of the cactus glowing in the sunlight.

  • Cholla “bones”
  • A field of Cholla cactus reflect golden light at sunset
    Cholla Cactus Garden at Sunset
  • Chollas at sunset
  • The setting sun creates a halo effect around a tall Cholla cactus
    Golden Chollas at sunset
  • The stalk of a dead Cholla cactus is hollow and smattered with small holes
    Cholla “bones”

Our last stop tonight was for stargazing. We off-roaded down a trail to a remote little spot (the start of a backpacking trail) and, again, read our books until the sun fully set. Then we hopped out of the truck and admired the star-speckled sky for a while. Eventually we got chilly so we packed up and headed home for the night.

A Joshua Tree is silhouetted against a dusky sky
Joshua Tree at dusk

Today (Saturday), we visited a nearby farmer’s market and picked up some fresh fruit, including a persimmon because neither of us has ever had one and they’re everywhere out here. We also found a vendor with an assortment of homemade goods. He had a 4-for-$20 deal that we took advantage of. We picked up some fresh, homemade chips, guac, roasted salsa, and triple berry jelly for a picnic later.

We made one last stop in Joshua Tree NP to hike Mastodon Peak Trail–a moderate 2.6ish mile jaunt. I really enjoyed this hike! It seemed to blur the lines between beach and desert. The start of it felt very tropical, with a grove of palm trees. Palm trees?! In the desert?! Who knew? Then the flora started to make more sense, reflecting the arid climate. The path constantly switched between beach-like sand and desert rock. We saw lots of unique plants that we hadn’t seen yet, and I started to drive AC crazy as I stopped to take pictures of each new, interesting thing. I’m not sure if I could get any of these to grow in the non-desert of the East coast, but I’d love to have some of them in my garden. When we reached Mastodon Peak we even saw a pair of hummingbirds perched atop an Ocotillo tree, one of my new favorite trees. It’s actually a deciduous tree…in the desert! Nature is weird. Now please enjoy my photo collage from Mastodon Peak Trail 🙂

A grove of palm trees mark the entrance of a trail
AC poses with arms mid-flail, to emulate an Ocotillo tree
Sun shines on the small yellow leaves of an Ocotillo tree
Two gangly Ocotillo trees provide a splash of green in a monotone desert background
A small Cholla cactus with spines that appear white.
A small barrel cactus with red spines in the lower right of the foreground. Desert shrub and rocky hills in the background
A small shrub with very light green (almost white) leaves. The leaves feel like leather.
Yellow flowers emerge from a light green shrub.
A gray shrub covered in hollow cream-colored bulbs
AC walks up some stone steps carved into the side of a rock.
Two hummingbirds perch among the red flowers that sprout atop an Ocotillo tree
AC jumps from one rock to another as she ascends Mastodon Peak
The remains of an old mine
A well-established tree reaches its roots far across the sand
Bones, seemingly a spine and ribs, lay in the sand next to a desert bush.
Four small vibrant blue flowers grow next to a rock.
A yellow and green shrub grows out of the sand. AC walks away from the camera in the background.
Small, black, urchin-like cactus nestle among a short shrub.
Four yucca plants grow in front of a large rock formation
A whispy bush with small, yellow, bulb-like flowers on the end of each slim stem
AC stands in a sandy trail, under the beaming sun, with a posture of despair (as if she's stranded in the desert)

After our hike, we changed into dry clothes and had a picnic lunch at the Visitor Center, then hit the road for Arizona.

Until next time,

Charli

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