After Blythe, it was 1 hour to Joshua Tree National Park. Admission is $30 and is good for 7 days, or use your National Park Pass. The temperature in the summer can reach over 100 degrees so most visitors come in the Spring or Fall. We got lucky and the temperature was only in the 80s in late June.
There are 3 entrances: Cottonwood in the south, Joshua Tree in the Northwest and Oasis in the Northeast. We entered through the Cottonwood entrance.
At the Cottonwood Visitor Center, you can hike the Cottonwood Spring trail. It's a flat, easy, sandy 0.1 mile out and back to a palm oasis with cottonwood trees. Takes 10 minutes.
Next stop was the Cholla Cactus Garden, a flat, easy 0.25 mile loop that takes 15-30 minutes.
You'll find many cholla cacti. Don't get too close. They have a tendency to attach to the unwary.
Joshua Tree has many campgrounds within the park. None have electricity. Some take reservations but there are also first-come, first-served sites. We were directed by the rangers at the Visitors Center to try Belle.
Belle is a first-come, first-served campground. It has 18 sites next to rock walls. There are pit toilets, tables and fire grates but no water. After choosing your site, deposit $15 in the self-pay station at the entrance to the campground.
We chose Site #2.
The next morning, we left camp at 6:15 am, hoping to beat the heat. First stop was the Discovery Trail--an easy 0.7 mile loop trail that connects Skull Rock & Split Rock.
There is limited parking on the side of the road.
Split Rock
You can see Face Rock between the Discovery & Split Rock trails.
Across the street, you'll find Skull Rock.
Next stop was Keys View--a paved 15 minute loop with views of Mt. San Gorgorino, Mt. San Jacinto, Palms Spring, Indio and Salton Sea. It is a steep path.
Cap Rock. There is an easy 0.4 mile loop trail but we didn't stop.
The Wall Street Mill trail is a moderate 2-mile out& back trail that takes 1 1/2-2 1/2 hours. It takes you to the remains of a historic gold mining site. The trail is sandy and the elevation gain is only 80 feet.
You'll find a replica of a tombstone "where Worth Bagley bit the dust at the hand of W.F. Keys May 11, 1943." Bagley was shot to death by Keys over a property dispute.
Along the way, you'll find old rusted cars.
The gold milling site is the destination.
You'll find many jackrabbits in the park. Don't get too close--some are diseased.
Joshua Tree is a good place to stargaze. Unfortunately, the moon set late and we didn't get up in the middle of the night to view the stars.
2020 06 30 & 07 01
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