Joshua Tree

I have been wanting to camp in Joshua Tree for a few years now. Finally, this past weekend my friends and I decided to make the trip. There are a total of 9 campgrounds in Joshua Tree and 6 of the 9 work on a first-come first-serve basis. Most of our group set out early Friday morning with hopes of scoring 2 campsites next to each other at Jumbo Rocks. If you have ever camped in Joshua Tree, especially during the spring you're aware that this mission seems relatively impossible. Also, this weekend happened to be the first weekend of Coachella making our chances even more slim. We were hopeful, but totally prepared to be camping in the overflow BLM area if needed. Luck was on our side and we totally scored! Our best case scenario ~ 2 spots, side by side in Jumbo Rocks. Spots 72 & 73, quite possibly the best spots in the campground. We were tucked in the back away from the road, with plenty of space and large boulders to block some of the wind.

True to it's name Jumbo Rocks features giant granite boulders that are scattered throughout the park. The elevation is 4,400 feet and a short trail will take you to Skull Rock, a beautiful area where you can hike around and climb these giant boulders. Here are some pics from our hike to Skull Rock.

Skull Rock

We spent our day on Saturday hiking and driving around the park. Joshua Tree National Park actually lies in two deserts. The western half of the park is the Mojave Desert and the eastern half lies in the Colorado Desert. We did a few hikes, including Ryan Mountain and The Mill. Ryan Mountain has a summit of 5,185 ft. and has lookout points with views of the Queen, Lost Horse, and Pleasant Valleys. Geology Tour Road is an awesome 18 mile off-roading adventure that was one of the highlights of the trip. Here are a few pictures from Saturday...

Joshua Trees!!!!

wildflowers

more Joshua Trees 

Joshua Tree bloom

at the summit of Ryan Mountain

Keys view~ View of the Coachella Valley from 5, 185 feet

Saturday morning I decided to hike around a bit by myself to look for a good spot to shoot the sunrise. I got completely disoriented and lost, ending up on the opposite end of our campsite. Apparently Joshua trees don't necessarily make good landmarks. Still a fun adventure! Here are a few sunrise pics from Saturday morning...

I love camping. Making s'mores, cooking dinner over the fire, drinking moonshine, playing cards... Some of the best times camping are spent hanging around back at the campsite. This trip was no exception. Nighttime in Joshua Tree was majestic, with colorful sunsets and black starry skies. I finally saw my first shooting star!!!!!

sunset on Saturday

our campsite

It's pretty entertaining watching 4 people (after hours of drinking around the campfire) try to perfect the words Joshua Tree with flashlights and headlamps. After multiple attempts they finally got it!