Joshua Tree National Park

After dinner at my parents house, we forged onto the high desert and spent the rest of our Thanksgiving vacation camping at Joshua Tree National Park. Joshua Tree National Park is located in Twentynine Palms, California which is about 30 miles Northeast of Palm Springs.

We camped at Black Rock campground, and found it to be spacious, have public restrooms and feature a picnic table and a fire pit, which came in handy when we were trying to stay warm at night in 30 degree temperatures.We arrived at the campground at dusk and were able to set up camp and inspect the near by rock formations before the sun set.

We woke up early the next day, and after breakfast, left the campground to drive to the West entrance of the park which was about 20 minutes away. After arriving, we drove through the park to the White Tank campground and worked our way back through the park. Our first stop was Jumbo Rocks where we did some amateur rock climbing/ scrambling.

Jumbo Rocks

We picked the tallest rock in the bunch and scrambled up to the top of it.

Queen of the World (and Bingo's Thumb)

After conquering this attraction, we drove on to the Hall of Horrors rock formation. Here we encountered real rock climbers, so we kicked back and ate lunch while we watched them climb their way to the top. This area features some tall vertical slabs, which seemed popular with the climbers in the area.

We made a couple more random stops to climb some boulders and then made the 20 minute drive up to Keys View. This  is an easy drive and is well worth the spectacular views at the top. It was pretty clear the day that we were there due to the light wind in the area, so we were able to see the entire Coachella Valley from the top.

The next stop was Barker Dam. After parking in the parking lot, you walk about a mile to where the dam is located. Unfortunately the dam was dry, but the trail there was easy, well maintained and good for stretching your legs.

As the day wore on, the temperature began to drop and because I wasn't in a hurry to get back to the campground where I would spend the rest of the night suffering from ice butt, we stopped at Crossroads Cafe for a bite to eat and to warm up a bit.  Over lattes and a really good chicken quesadilla, we decided to head to the bowling alley that we remembered passing on the way into the park earlier in the day. For $12 we rented two pairs of bowling shoes and two games of bowling! Best $12 I've ever spent!

Joshua Tree is pretty much what you make of it. We were able to get through the majority of the park in about seven hours but could have spent more time in various parts if it had been a bit warmer. All of the main attractions are off a well maintained paved road, with a majority of everything else within a short hike.