From Arch Rock I continued south on Pinto Basin Road. It’s Friday meaning the park is filling with weekend visitors and I wanted no part of the crowds. The southern entrance gets far less traffic and should give me some peace. This post is a bit “odds and ends” that don’t fit elsewhere so I can put pins on my mashup map.
Ocotillo Patch
First pullout heading south is at Ocotillo Patch, a scenic stop where you can observe hundreds of ocotillo spotted across the gravelly desert landscape.
Did you know these aren’t cactus but in fact a woody deciduous shrub? They can also grow & drop their leaves up to 5 times a year based on moisture levels.
I didn’t hike into this area for fear of damaging the ecosystem. This one was close to the road and must have been 10-15 feet tall.
Turkey Flats
Next pullout was at Turkey Flats. According to the sign it was named this way because someone thought it would be wise to start a turkey farm here (Narrator: it was not wise).
The desert spans for what seems like eternity here. Appears there are backcountry hiking opportunities here but I didn’t partake today.
Bonus: Odd Horror Story
I only spent a few minutes at Turkey Flats because the only other person in the parking area freaked me out. It was an elderly couple in a very old Subaru packed full of what looked like their entire belongings.
The woman exited the car and approached me slowly with wide-eyes. As I said “Hello” she responded softly with phrases like “Don’t hurt her, please don’t hurt her” and “That’s how they get you”. I got the impression she had some type of mental trauma / dementia, was on drugs, or both.
As I listened to her incoherent statements trying to respond politely and assess the situation I peeked at the car in my periphery. Her husband was in the car and sat stiff as a mannequin clutching the steering wheel and not moving so much as to blink or breathe. In this instant I got chills down my spine and don’t know why.
Not even 100% sure these people weren’t apparitions. Felt major murder vibes so I packed up and kept moving on. If you see a ghost Subaru find another spot.
Lat = 33.9269981 , Long = -115.9057922 -- Show at Google Maps