Destination California! Joshua Tree
Growing up in California I have had the opportunity to explore some of America’s great national parks. A friend once told me, “There are only two places in the world where the Joshua trees grow, Jerusalem, the gate to Heaven, and 29 Palms, the gate to hell.” Well he was a marine so it is only natural for him to feel like 29 Palms is the gate to hell.
Joshua Tree National Park is an incredibly interesting and unique ecosystem. The desert landscape is home of two things as far as I can see, Joshua Trees and Rocks.
The route from Los Angeles to Joshua is pretty direct. Just a short 2.5 hour drive on the I-10 will take you to one of the developed entrances to the park. The South entrance is located at the lower desert which is a good 20 degrees hotter at the peak of day than the high desert.
That said, when it was 96°F at the high desert, it reached 116°F at the lower desert. Either way the whole place is hot and dry in the summer. It is vitally important that you pack plenty of water when entering the park. I elected to take the West entrance which is on the Yucca Valley side which has a very nice welcome center, reasonable gas and a Food-4-Less to stock up before entering the park.
The main road the leads you from the west entrance to the south entrance is completely developed and maintained. It is a beautiful 60 mile drive to make it all the way through.
The green route is a simple windy paved road that can become a little boring because of all the same rocks and trees for about an hour and a half. It is equipped with many rest stops, picnic areas, and restrooms. But since I am the more adventurous type, and a little full hardy, I followed the 4-wheel drive route, which could have turned out really bad if I got a flat tire or stuck. The geology tour route is a simple sandy well-traveled road that you can make it in and out with about any 4wd vehicle. But heed the Route Not Maintained sign when you start the Berdoo Canyon Road. This is strictly a high-profile 4wd route. Even some trucks maybe too large to squeeze between some of the rocks in the canyon.
The most unfortunate part of the trip was that while being concerned about making it alive down the trail, I forgot to take any photos or video of the excursion. The twists and turns, the steep rocky descents, the overgrown river beds, and all the stress that went with it is now only in my mind. And I will never do that alone again. But luckily I made it and am able to share the tale.
Have you ever been in a situation where at first it wasn’t what you expected, but then situation changes to something unforgettable?