Joshua Tree National Park...

I quit smoking back in January. I still get cravings every so often but, for the most part, I don't even think about lighting up these days.

 

Being a non-smoker reaped some very definite benefits recently, when I ventured out to Joshua Tree National Park, located in southeastern California, with a group of photographers from San Diego. Not only did I not have to flip out from nicotine withdrawal during the 2-1/2 hour drive, but the miles of hiking we did during the day went by a lot easier. I shudder to think how tough it would've been had I never quit.

 

Anyway, this would probably be the last "group shoot" I would be able to attend with these folks, so I wanted to make sure I made it. I've been to Joshua Tree before, but wasn't really happy with the photographic results I came away with. I remember thinking about that, specifically, as my buddy Dan pulled up in front of the house.

 

We picked up a few more people at one of the trolley stops on the San Diego Trolley Green Line, and headed to the north, and then to the east. We made excellent time, getting to the Visitor Center in a little over two hours. We met up with the rest of our group, got some lunch, mapped out our plan for the day, and ventured into the park.

 

One of the biggest draws of Joshua Tree is rock climbing. We're not talking just big rocks, we're talking about rock which are both enormous and plentiful. Almost everywhere you go; whatever trail you hike on, you see people with rock climbing gear. I've not yet succumbed to the temptation, but it's a marvel to watch some of these people:

 

A rock climber in Joshua Tree National Park...

 

Joshua Tree National Park truly is a magnificent place. Franklin Roosevelt originally designated the area a National Monument in 1936 but, following the passage of the California Desert Protection Act in 1994, it was named a National Park.

Joshua Tree is a study in southwestern climate and topography. This is where the Colorado Desert and the Mojave Desert converge. Despite being the latter half of October, it was still pretty warm during the day. I've been out here in summer, and I can say that I would've passed on this trip had it been held earlier in the year. It gets brutal out here, and the climate is something you just don't take lightly. And, if you get into trouble (take a fall or suffer a rattlesnake bite; both of which are quite possible), you'll quickly learn that most of the park suffers from a lack of cell phone service, as well.     

 

So, yeah, you prepare before you head out here, and travelling here with a group isn't a horrible idea, at all.

 

From a photographer's perspective, Joshua Tree National Park is a deep well of photo opportunities:

 

It's beyond me why this skeleton is out here...

This tire, clearly, has seen better days and, apparently, those days were back in the 1940's...

Petroglyphs visible on the rocks...

There was walking... A lot of walking...

Now, as beautiful as this park is, and as much as you should endeavor to, one day, enjoy its grandeur, there is one place that you should avoid ever being, and that is on the downwind side of this:


The only bad place in the park to find yourself in a stiff breeze...



 

Sunset views from Skull Rock...

 

Something that should be mentioned here is a comment about attire. Even in the fall and winter, it can get hot in the desert, but extremely cold at night, and you'll want to be dressed accordingly. Unless you're going on an extended hike, having additional clothing in the car is the way to go. Soft soled shoes or hiking boots are a must on a lot of the trails in Joshua Tree.

 

So is a hat:

 

The last time I wore this hat in a desert, it was a very different desert...

 

And, after all is said and done, it's always good to do trips like this with good friends. In my case, I made it with my good friend Dan, guide extraordinaire:

 

Our intrepid guide and chief photographer wrangler, Dan Chusid...

 

So, if you have some time to visit an absolutely extraordinary National Park, and you happen to be anywhere near southern California, visit Joshua Tree National Park.

 

And bring your camera...