On the road again: LA to Joshua Tree National Park

March 18, 2018

With Gav back to Alaska in mid-April, it was the perfect time to run away for one last camping trip somewhere warmer (or at least dryer) than Seattle. With the time we had available and working in a few other errands along the way, Southern California and its deserts was the winner. Gav headed out of town early to get a new Aussie passport in San Fran and renew a course for his captains license in San Diego. I worked my last long stretch at work and met him in LA. This gave us a chance to catch up with my old college friend and his family. We typically run from cities as quick as we can on these camping trips, so it was novel to hang out in one for 24 hours and worth every minute we got to spend with them. Although, next time we’ll not come on a weeknight when work and school are the next morning.

Anyway, a day in Redondo Beach and we were on our way, via Costco of course, for last minute provisions. The amount of time it takes to get out of the greater LA area is kind of ridiculous and the biggest reason I wouldn’t cope living in the city. After what felt like an eternity we managed to find green space, wind turbines and open road.

Gav had arrived before me and set our trailer up at the Jumbo Rocks campground in Joshua Tree. Word to the wise: this campground is awesome for car/tent camping and pretty awful for trailers, even a small one like ours. Their reservation website is super unhelpful at telling you how big the sites are. Gav showed up to a site that we had zero chance of fitting into. Luckily it was mid-week, there was a ranger at the campground and he was able to get moved a better site. Better meant that our door opened up onto rocks, there was zero chance of opening our awning, but we had a spot.

This is the most popular time of the year to visit Joshua Tree and it was evident. There are people everywhere. No offense to Starbucks, cause you know I love it, but this park attracts a maximal number of what I call Starbucks hikers. What am I talking about? You know, the hiker that’s on the trail for a 3-4 mile hike, doesn’t have their 10 essentials or even a backpack, is hiking in Toms or flip flops and a Starbucks cup in their hand. There you have it, a Starbucks hiker. I’m a huge fan of everybody getting out and enjoying nature, but do it safely, people.

Ok, enough complaining about the crowds, back to the sites. Joshua Tree was actually dedicated as a National Monument in 1936, but not declared a National Park until 1994. It’s 790,000+ acres of desert wilderness, where the Colorado and the Mojave deserts meet. There were gold in them their hills, so abandoned mines, mills and other other structures abound. The desert, despite it’s heat & blazing sun, has left many parts intact, scattered though the park. It’s worth noting, the namesake joshua trees, are only in the Mojave section of the park, so you won’t find them in the Colorado (southern) part of the park at all. So, if you’re passing through and want a glimpse of them, don’t try drive in off I-10 or you’ll have to head 30 miles north at least, to see a joshua tree. That being said, there were more wildflowers in bloom on the south side, than on the north side.

Cholla Cactus Garden: Colorado Desert side