Photo Blog with Waterfalls, Hiking, Outdoors, and other Adventures
Stopped at the Oasis Visitor Center many times during my stay. Their parking lot was the nearest place I could get LTE service but also has some cool educational displays. And some more displays & dioramas detailing history of the park, geography, and wildlife. Two main reasons for this post: first is to drop pins … Read more
For the first major hike today I drove outside the park & back in to the north-central most point at Fortynine Palms Oasis. Temps were starting to climb but overall today was beautiful and stayed around 80 degrees tops. Not bad for December, eh? The trail climbs sharply up the mountainsides right from the start. … Read more
Today I was on a mission to make the most of my time. Thankfully last night was freezing cold and winds gusted to 40mph which forced me to sleep in the rental and wake early. On the positive side I was awake well before sunrise and made my way to the Cholla Cactus Garden for … Read more
While my first day at Joshua Tree National Park was mostly driving and setting up camp, my first night I spent at Pinto Basin pullout trying to capture the stars. A park suggested by a ranger at the visitor center because it’s the darkest part of the park. I spent several hours sitting and waiting … Read more
December 2018. Government shutdown looming. Geminid meteor shower coming. Vacation days left that need to be used. Booked some quick tickets into Las Vegas with no firm plans other than seeking adventure. The universe guided me down to Joshua Tree National Park. Pitched my tent at the Belle campground (which I was lucky to get, … Read more
On my way back to Cruces I passed through El Paso again. Flash floods in the desert aren’t much fun to drive through and today looked like a good time for indoor activities. Lucky for me I was passing right by Chamizal National Memorial. This site commemorates the peaceful settlement of the Chamizal boundary dispute, … Read more
Against my best efforts today was a bit of a bust. Yesterday I got caught in a speed trap in Carlsbad which requires a mandatory court appearance (seriously?!). Delayed my morning and ruined any chance of a decent hike. I’m not a fan of this town and don’t plan to return. Back on the road … Read more
After a quick stop in Roswell I continued down the road to Carlsbad, New Mexico. Couldn’t find any good camping but was able to score a surprisingly affordable AirBnB. Word to the wise – DO NOT rely on getting any cheap accommodations here, it’s oil country and they price gouge for everything! After driving all … Read more
Midday detours were complete and I was back at Interstate State Park for part 2 of my visit. Goal for the afternoon was to hike all the remaining trails which I was able to complete minus one or two small connecting paths. Eagle Peak Trail Starting from my campsite, I walked through the parking area … Read more
Yesterday I arrived at Interstate State Park, setup camp, and almost immediately set off searching for waterfalls in the surrounding area. Not quite sure I did it in that order, just a habit when I’m camping at a site for multiple nights my first day is always getting the “lay of the land”. Weather was a … Read more