Barker Dam - Morning Reflections

I tried to wake Margie, but no go. Went in early before sun up, hoping to catch sight of some Big Horns, but no go. People had been saying there was water in 'them thar hills' (Barker Dam that is) so I went to see for myself. I spent a couple of hours wandering about focusing on the reflections of the trees and rocks in the water. Kinda fun. Hope we get some more rain to fill the dam to the top.

Live Oak Picnic Area-A Fun Place To Explore

This is not only a great place to have an evening picnic (the tables face out to Pinto Basin-Nice View), but it's a great place to roam around and explore. There are some great rock formations here as you can see. I spent a couple of hours just wandering around and clambering over the rocks. Great fun. Check out: www.cali49.com for information on Live Oak Tank and Ivanpah Tank in the area.

Skull Rock Trail-A Fun Hike

This is one of the most popular hikes in Joshua Tree National Park. Whenever you pass by, there are tons of cars and hordes of people all over the rocks. I like to go early (around 5:30 a.m.), in the summer, so I can wander freely without the crush. The trail is easy, loping along from Skull Rock over to the Jumbo Rocks campground. I usually go that far, then turn around and cut across country to explore the various canyons and valleys nearby. When I started out this morning, the sun hadn't quite come up over the rocks, so I shot some pictures with the sun behind the rocks, which gave them a glowing quality, with the colors somewhat muted in character. It also brought out this wonderful, vibrant blue in the sky. I like the overall effect and the 'moody' feeling of this series. It's funny, you can return to the same places again and again, at different times of the year and there's always something new to discover in Joshua Tree National Park.

Off The Beaten Track at Split Rock

I started out early to go on the Split Rock Trail, but when I got there, the gates were closed. So... I headed up the road a piece and found a little pull-out and decided to hike in from there. As usual, I got waylaid on the way and never did make it to Split Rock proper. I ended up exploring this group of rocks in the valley before you get to Split Rock. I kind of like it when I get side tracked from my original goal. I'm always delighted to explore something new. I came up on the first set of rocks and thought, 'that's nice', 'this looks like an interesting area.' It was. Full of interesting shapes, textures and vegetation. I spent about 2 hours just walking, stopping, looking and listening to the birds and the morning wind. When the light began to get a little mucky, I sat down for a while at a high point and just took in the valley below. It's always nice to just stop and sit awhile, no need to rush.

Crawling Around and Over The Rocks at Stirrup Tank

This was an area I always knew as the 'Day Use Only' area, because I never knew the name of it. This time, I looked on a map and saw Stirrup Tank Road, so I figured this must be the area where Stirrup Tank is... of course I've never found it. I always get too involved in crawling around in the rocks here.   You can just head off in any direction and find something interesting, the rocks here come in all different shapes, with some great views once you get up top. To get here, head towards Cottonwood, past Twin Tanks pullout and it's the next dirt road to the right. It's easy to spend the whole day here just clambering around to your heart's content.

Seen From Afar-A New Place To Explore

While riding our bikes up the hill past Ryan Mountain, I always look over at these rocky hills on the other side of the road and think, 'We've never explored that area before', so the other morning, I got up early and took a walk over there to see 'what was what'. Lo and behold, it's a great area to roam about. There's so much interesting vegetation and beautiful rock formations, with little valleys off to each side. If you don't feel like climbing Ryan, then take a walk here some time. I think you'll find it very rewarding. Pack a lunch and stay awhile.

Cap Rock. An Icon in Joshua Tree National Park

Every time I slowly bicycle past Cap Rock I am in awe. When you enter in to Hidden Valley in the early morning, you can see it glowing white, lit up, like some chalky, ancient city on the distant plain. As you approach, the rock itself appears to be some sort of mythical, Griffin-like creature resting atop the boulders that form it's base, or nest. It looks carved out of the rock like some sort of statue, so perfect and grand. Needless to say, I find this rock and it's environs fascinating. It continually changes through the day and all year long. As you move up close and then away, it becomes more abstract amongst the various shapes and textures of the surrounding rocks. It's our little Acropolis in Joshua Tree National Park.

Intriguing Rocks at Sheep's Pass

Sheep's Pass is an area I love to re-visit at various times of the year. I like to head off in a different direction each time to see what I find. The rocks here are particularly interesting in color and shape. They feel so prehistoric, like they've just surfaced and are still cooling off, with their jagged edges and deep, rich coloration. This time, I found a small cluster of such rocks in one single area and spent some 'quality time' with them. It's always worth it to get off the 'beaten track' and just wander about, you never know what you'll find.

The Noble Pinyon Pine

This morning I went in early to wander about and focus on Pinyon Pines, one of my favorite trees in Joshua Tree National Park. You start seeing them in quantity when you enter Hidden Valley, tucked high up in the rocks, a lone Pine at a point, or in clusters lower down near the trail. Each one seems to have it's own unique character. When I see one delineated against the sky amongst the shapely rocks, I'm reminded of Asian scroll paintings. Due to our changing climate, they are struggling more than ever to survive in our harsh but beautiful desert.

A Walk Amongst the Joshua Trees

I realized recently, I don't take many pictures of Joshua Trees, mostly rock formations. So, I decided to take an early morning walk in Lost Horse Valley near Juniper Flats, where there's a good concentration of Joshua Trees. What a treat it was to just meander amongst these fascinating shapes. I did a kind of horse shoe loop around the valley, staying close to the base of the hills to catch the morning light. There was such a wonderful mix of fragrant and sage-like scents in the air as I walked along and still quite a few flowers in bloom. All in all, a nice way to start the day.