Back in Vegas for the final full day of exploration. Decided to visit the engineering marvel that is the Hoover Dam and take the tours. Parking at the free lots above the dam I walked across and like most tourists […]
Hoover Dam
Tag: mountains
Joshua Tree – Lost Horse Mine
As I completed hikes I was crossing them off my paper map which was now covered in a fair amount of X’s. The big hike for today was to Lost Horse Mine / Lost Horse Loop trail for a 6.5 […]
Joshua Tree – Ryan Mountain
No time to waste today, weekend crowds would surely be crazy so it’s time to get on the trails ASAP. First stop is Ryan Mountain, a small peak popular for it’s 360° panoramic views. The trail is about 1.5 miles […]
Joshua Tree – Belle Sunrise
No star photos last night (overcast skies) but I did catch an awesome sunrise from camp this morning. Not much else to say – this is what makes my trips worth the effort. After my nutritious breakfast of coffee and […]
Joshua Tree – Lost Palms Oasis
From Mastodon Peak I continued on the trail to Lost Palms Oasis. This is an in/out trail going about 3 miles each way. The trail winds through many different types of landscape – hills, sandy washes, patches of rocks, and […]
Joshua Tree – Mastodon Peak
Today’s afternoon trek would be a long one starting at the far southern entrance at Cottonwood Springs. Parts of the road & trail were closed due to flood damage but you could access the trail via the Cottonwood Campground. The […]
Joshua Tree – Ocotillo Patch & Turkey Flats
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 […]
Joshua Tree – Arch Rock
Still overcast this morning so no sunrise views. Took a short drive south from the campground to check out the Arch Rock Nature Trail. Parking at the Twin Tanks backcountry trailhead makes this a short bit longer than signs indicate. […]
Joshua Tree – Belle Campground Astrophotography
Skies were looking a little “iffy” tonight so I just chilled at the campgrounds lazily trying for astro photos. Early on skies were mostly clear. No galactic core this time of year but it never gets old sitting under dark […]
Joshua Tree – Hidden Valley
Final stop for the day was a race against sundown to hike the box canyon at Hidden Valley. One of the plaques along the nature trail details how this was once a forest covered in trees and is now relict […]