Joshua Tree National Park (Jan/14/2023)
Jan 17, 2023 6:30:09 GMT -8
zeke, MTalpine, and 7 more like this
Post by GaliWalker on Jan 17, 2023 6:30:09 GMT -8
I was in Los Angeles over the weekend. Since this was a first time visit for me, I decided to take the time to make a quick trip to Joshua Tree National Park. Not only was this the closest National Park to LA, with unprecedented rains lashing California I was hopeful that I could get some respite from the wet weather in the drier climes of the Mohave Desert.
I arrived at my hotel in LA around midnight, 2.5hr later than anticipated due to plane de-icing delays in Pittsburgh, followed by problems with getting a rental car. I managed to get one solitary hour of sleep, before it was time to depart for Joshua Tree. The time was 3:20am.
Arch Rock and Heart Rock
2mi, 100ft gain
I reached the Twin Tanks trailhead for Arch Rock around 6:15am. Even though I was resigned to missing out on a sunrise due to overcast conditions, I was delighted to see an intense splash of red painted onto the horizon. I quickly took one solitary photo before it was gone. The rest of my time in the park would feature a colorless sky.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52631830836_33f2c52a85_c.jpg)
I reached Arch Rock just before daybreak and was extremely pleased to see that I had the place to myself. The setting was stunning, as was the arch.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52631830451_9749284159_c.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52640069737_dd382d938a_c.jpg)
After taking the time to bask in Arch Rock's favor, I explored its surroundings: I began with making a clockwise circuit around the arch, which included a bit of light but fun scrambling on the gorgeous rock. On the way in I'd noticed a cool rocky rib, shaped like a dragon's back; obviously, I had to ride the dragon.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52639608424_b27d2b49d8_c.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632313753_061fbe3cf1_c.jpg)
On my way back to the car I swung by Heart Rock, which was cool, but a bit underwhelming after Arch Rock.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52631826186_a5041031b3_c.jpg)
Skull Rock
This was just a quick stop because the feature is located right next to the road. I'd originally planned to do a loop hike there, but with only 6hrs in Joshua Tree at my disposal, I decided to skip the hike.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632312473_b731a1be3a_c.jpg)
Hall of Horrors
1.8mi
Until now I'd seen some really spectacular rock formations, but the not the best display of Joshua trees. Hall of Horrors was reputedly a spot to get to see a great crop of them, as well as four or more cool rock outcrops. There are various slot canyons and scrambling opportunities amidst the outcrops, but time management concerns meant that I skipped all of these, and just walked around the place amidst the Joshua trees.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632267320_06edffc057_c.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632309453_85f93dd278_c.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632310308_0f856fa6b8_c.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632083074_a952a59f05_c.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632272070_4704baf5db_c.jpg)
Cap Rock
0.4mi
This was another great place to see Joshua trees. I hiked the short nature trail, enjoying the desert vegetation.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632309918_a72debd37e_c.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632082899_0c1124d1e3_c.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632312368_d72f4f9b01_c.jpg)
Hidden Valley
1.2mi, 350ft gain
My final destination was Hidden Valley. This is a bowl-shaped area rimmed by gorgeous rock cliffs. After entering the valley, I did a clockwise circuit of the bowl. At the far end I climbed up to a perch in the sky, where I was treated to a lovely view of Hidden Valley.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632270000_72be8ddf26_c.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632086929_b3193dc963_c.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52631317127_a56b110422_c.jpg)
By the time I was done with Hidden Valley and was back at my car, it was a quarter past noon and time for me to head back to LA. The drive was atrocious. Just 30min after leaving Joshua Tree National Park, as I headed down the jarringly lush green Morongo Valley pass, I ran into monsoonal rain. It took me around 4hrs - one more than my drive out - to get back to my hotel in Long Beach.
What an amazing experience, even if I only got to spend 6hrs in Joshua Tree National Park.
I arrived at my hotel in LA around midnight, 2.5hr later than anticipated due to plane de-icing delays in Pittsburgh, followed by problems with getting a rental car. I managed to get one solitary hour of sleep, before it was time to depart for Joshua Tree. The time was 3:20am.
Arch Rock and Heart Rock
2mi, 100ft gain
I reached the Twin Tanks trailhead for Arch Rock around 6:15am. Even though I was resigned to missing out on a sunrise due to overcast conditions, I was delighted to see an intense splash of red painted onto the horizon. I quickly took one solitary photo before it was gone. The rest of my time in the park would feature a colorless sky.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52631830836_33f2c52a85_c.jpg)
I reached Arch Rock just before daybreak and was extremely pleased to see that I had the place to myself. The setting was stunning, as was the arch.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52631830451_9749284159_c.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52640069737_dd382d938a_c.jpg)
After taking the time to bask in Arch Rock's favor, I explored its surroundings: I began with making a clockwise circuit around the arch, which included a bit of light but fun scrambling on the gorgeous rock. On the way in I'd noticed a cool rocky rib, shaped like a dragon's back; obviously, I had to ride the dragon.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52639608424_b27d2b49d8_c.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632313753_061fbe3cf1_c.jpg)
On my way back to the car I swung by Heart Rock, which was cool, but a bit underwhelming after Arch Rock.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52631826186_a5041031b3_c.jpg)
Skull Rock
This was just a quick stop because the feature is located right next to the road. I'd originally planned to do a loop hike there, but with only 6hrs in Joshua Tree at my disposal, I decided to skip the hike.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632312473_b731a1be3a_c.jpg)
Hall of Horrors
1.8mi
Until now I'd seen some really spectacular rock formations, but the not the best display of Joshua trees. Hall of Horrors was reputedly a spot to get to see a great crop of them, as well as four or more cool rock outcrops. There are various slot canyons and scrambling opportunities amidst the outcrops, but time management concerns meant that I skipped all of these, and just walked around the place amidst the Joshua trees.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632267320_06edffc057_c.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632309453_85f93dd278_c.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632310308_0f856fa6b8_c.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632083074_a952a59f05_c.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632272070_4704baf5db_c.jpg)
Cap Rock
0.4mi
This was another great place to see Joshua trees. I hiked the short nature trail, enjoying the desert vegetation.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632309918_a72debd37e_c.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632082899_0c1124d1e3_c.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632312368_d72f4f9b01_c.jpg)
Hidden Valley
1.2mi, 350ft gain
My final destination was Hidden Valley. This is a bowl-shaped area rimmed by gorgeous rock cliffs. After entering the valley, I did a clockwise circuit of the bowl. At the far end I climbed up to a perch in the sky, where I was treated to a lovely view of Hidden Valley.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632270000_72be8ddf26_c.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632086929_b3193dc963_c.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52631317127_a56b110422_c.jpg)
By the time I was done with Hidden Valley and was back at my car, it was a quarter past noon and time for me to head back to LA. The drive was atrocious. Just 30min after leaving Joshua Tree National Park, as I headed down the jarringly lush green Morongo Valley pass, I ran into monsoonal rain. It took me around 4hrs - one more than my drive out - to get back to my hotel in Long Beach.
What an amazing experience, even if I only got to spend 6hrs in Joshua Tree National Park.