Joshua Tree

 

Joshua Tree National Park is only about 100 miles from where we are camping so Mark and I decided to do a crash and burn day trip there. Joshua trees are resilient, otherworldly, yucca plants that are the shape and size of trees. I really wanted to see these rare and protected plants where they grow and thrive the best. But because national parks aren’t particularly dog friendly (dogs are rarely allowed on trails) we’ve developed a system for exploring these beautiful places while still including Starbaby. 

One important thing we’ve learned is to get to the park early and head to one of the lesser visited sections to beat the crowds. About 60% of California’s population (around 23 million) live in Southern California so visiting a park in this area is a little more challenging than many of the places we’ve been. We did our homework and chose the Black Rock area located in the northwest corner of the park. The landscape around Black Rock lacks the well-known rock formations found in other parts of the park but at an altitude of 4,000 feet there are a wider variety of plants and cooler temps. This area also has a view of San Gorgonio Mountain, known locally as Old Greyback; the highest peak in the San Bernardino Mountains.

Getting to the park early allowed us to be the first hikers at our chosen trailhead. We came prepared with comfortable lawn chairs and snacks and took turns watching the dog while the other person hiked. By the time each of us had gotten in a decent hike it was lunchtime so we headed to one of the Park’s picnic areas. Through the years we’ve discovered that very few people seem to picnic anymore in national parks. I have to admit that in a park as busy as Joshua Tree I was worried that might not hold true but alas, we had it completely to ourselves! What a beautiful park! What a beautiful day!