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Tag: Joshua Tree National Park

  • Black Rock and Jumbo Rocks at Joshua Tree

    Black Rock and Jumbo Rocks at Joshua Tree

    Getting a campsite reservation in Joshua Tree National Park is fairly elusive, especially on weekends for this time of year. A few weeks ago, at the nudging of the kids, I started browsing for sites, and to my surprise, a single site was available in Jumbo Rocks, so I grabbed it. We decided on two nights, so the first night will be at easy-to-reserve Black Rock, just at the northern edge of the park.

    Under starlight, Yan and I pitch camp while the kids sleep in the car. Then, we help all of them slither into their sleeping bags and drift deeper into sleep.

    Saturday morning, we wake up to beautiful clear skies. After breakfast, we wander over to Pioneertown. I had heard about this place from a patient of mine. We hang out in the courtyard of the Pioneertown Motel, where the front desk guy supplies the kids with peanuts to feed the jays. After lunch at a local pizza place, we head into the park.

    This is the first time using Daphney’s fourth grader national park pass. Unlike the old annual pass cards, this is a QR code in my Apple wallet. The ranger inspects the car to make sure there’s indeed a fourth grader inside. Our first stop is Hidden Valley, where we repeat the loop hike among boulders.

    Campsite #1 is tucked among giant rocks, and Jayden uses some of the skills learned in bouldering camp. After dinner, the kids make a teepee of kindling, and we get a fire going.

    The sun is a giant fireball this camping morning. It quickly warms up our campsite. All too soon, we pack up and leave this site we chanced upon.

    Camping among the Joshua Trees at Black Rock Campground
    Myles at Black Rock Campground
    Camping among the Joshua Trees at Black Rock Campground
    Jay perched at the Pioneertown Motel
    Playing outside the Pioneertown Motel
    Jay perched at the Pioneertown Motel
    By the Pioneer Town Motel, Red Dog Saloon That A Way
    Strolling in Pioneertown
    Petting zoo with farm animals at Pioneertown
    Strolling in Pioneertown
    Bouldering in Hidden Valley, along the trail
    Bouldering in Hidden Valley, along the trail
    Bouldering in Hidden Valley, along the trail
    Bouldering in Hidden Valley, along the trail
    Bouldering in Hidden Valley, along the trail
    Bouldering in Hidden Valley, along the trail
    Bouldering in Hidden Valley, along the trail
    Bouldering in Hidden Valley, along the trail
    Bouldering in Hidden Valley, along the trail
    Bouldering in Hidden Valley, along the trail
    Bouldering in Hidden Valley, along the trail
    Hiking Hidden Valley
    Getting ready for the camp fire
    Jumbo Rocks campsite #1
    Jayden bouldering by our campsite at Jumbo Rocks
    Sunset with Jumbo Rocks and Joshua trees
    Jayden bouldering by our campsite at Jumbo Rocks
    Moonrise with Joshua tree, nearly full moon
    Moonrise with Joshua tree, nearly full moon
    Moonrise with Joshua tree, nearly full moon
    Moonrise with Jumbo Rocks
    Daphney cooking noodles
    Myles and Daphney enjoying spinach noodles
    Jayden eating noodles perched on a boulder
    Daphney by our campfire
    Sunrise in the distance
    Jayden looking at the sunrise
    Jayden looking at the sunrise
    Jayden bouldering by our campsite at Jumbo Rocks
    Daphney warming her hands, having hash browns
    Myles on the picnic table
    Bouldering at Jumbo Rocks
    Bouldering at Jumbo Rocks
    Bouldering at Jumbo Rocks
    Playing with the camp chairs
    Loaded up in the car, heading home
  • Milky Way Viewing at Joshua Tree

    Milky Way Viewing at Joshua Tree

  • Full Moon Camping at Joshua Tree

    Full Moon Camping at Joshua Tree

  • Windy Joshua Tree Camping

    Windy Joshua Tree Camping

  • Cottonwood Campground in Joshua Tree National Park

    Cottonwood Campground in Joshua Tree National Park

    Our original plan was to leave early Saturday morning, early enough to secure a campsite at one of the first-come-first-served campgrounds in Joshua Tree. Because of coronavirus, the park had decided to remove reservations for all campgrounds.

    Having debated about camping at Black Rock, we decided to go deeper into the park. By this time, about a mile before the West Entrance, we long line greets us. It would be another hour until we make it through the toll kiosk.

    One by one, we enter and exit campgrounds: Hidden Valley, Ryan, Jumbo Rocks, Bell, White Tank. Our last hope is Cottonwood. Skipping lunch, we head there straightaway. Only two sites remain, and we grab one of them. A few minutes later, an RV pulls in at the last site. Finally able to relax, we see many more cars come in, circling to find a spot. We are so lucky.

    After having a late lunch of inari sushi and seaweed, we backtrack to Split Rock. There is a nice large patch of shade underneath, and Daphney and Jayden enjoy climbing all over the boulders.

    For dinner, we have homegrown greens, beets, and sourdough grilled cheese. Afterwards, we walk to the nearby amphitheater, where the kids are able to be their silly selves. After dark, we explore the surface of the moon with binoculars and talk about it looking like cheese. With her lantern in hand, Daphney insists on reading National Geographic Backyard Guide to the Night to her stuffed fox. Then, she teaches Jayden some of the constellations.

    This rounds out Jayden’s first ten nights camping and makes Daphney’s 33rd night.

  • Impromptu Camping in Joshua Tree

    Impromptu Camping in Joshua Tree

    Nearly every day for the last two months, Daphney had been asking about camping—not just any camping, but specifically in Joshua Tree, or where there are foxes (Santa Cruz Island). The other request is to have a campfire, both in the evening and the following morning. That rules out the Santa Cruz site. Now that Joshua Tree National Park offers some reservation sites, we found the single open spot for the weekend. Sometimes, impromptu camping brings the most joy.

  • Introducing Jayden to Camping

    Introducing Jayden to Camping

    Setting up the REI Quarter Dome 3 tent in among the Joshua trees

    Setting up the REI Quarter Dome 3 tent in among the Joshua trees

    Setting up the REI Quarter Dome 3 tent in among the Joshua trees

    Setting up the REI Quarter Dome 3 tent in among the Joshua trees

    Camping among the Joshua trees

    Daphney in the tent with the sleeping pads

    Daphney in her red jacket standing by the tent doorway

    Daphney in her red jacket standing by the tent doorway

    Daphney holding the camp chair seat while looking at the chair frame

    Daphney and Jayden in the camp chairs, both looking at the camera

    Daphney saying hi to Jayden while in camp chairs

    Yan holding Jayden, Danny holding Daphney, sitting among the Joshua trees in camp

    Daphney and Yan trying to stay warm by the campfire

    Daphney pretending to sleep, just for the picture, holding her doll in the new red down sleeping bag

    Daphney holding the book, Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me

    Moon setting just before dawn

    Jayden in the monkey suit

    Daphney with the book, Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me

    Daphney sitting on the camp table while breakfast is cooking

    Hash brown, tomato, egg skillet with Gruyère cheese

    Daphney about to go into our tent while camping in Joshua Tree

    Danny in a down jacket while Jayden is only in a diaper

    Danny kisses Daphney while Yan kisses Jayden

  • Joshua Tree Picnic

    Joshua Tree Picnic

    The main purpose of this trip was to check out the summer Milky Way. I had gotten a wide angle lens, and this is the perfect opportunity to try it out.

    After having tea with friends this afternoon, we timed our arrival to Joshua Tree right at sunset. Surprisingly, even though it was late, the entrance station was still opened, and we opted to get the annual pass.

    The picnic dinner turned out perfectly. As we watched the sky turn purple and then dark, we had a kale salad followed by a Thai pasta salad, together with black plum juice. We used our picnic basket for the first time here.

    Then, the stars emerged. We made our way to Hidden Valley, where we talked along some of the trails at night, watching the Milky Way emerge.

  • Joshua Tree

    Joshua Tree

    It’s been many years since my last climbing trip. I was a college student then. Now, my residents think that I can still do this, and Lucas set me up with gear.

    My main reason to go out to Joshua Tree was to get some Milky Way shots. But at this time of year, I would later discover, the brightest part of the galaxy trails closely behind the sun, setting just after the sun goes down. And besides, our campsite’s view of the Milky Way was blocked by a little hill. Nevertheless, the campfire and stars were beautiful.

    Some of the muscle memory came back in the warm-up climb. At the insistence of my residents, I attempted the 5.9, making it up the last dihedral through all the coaching—or, reverse coaching from my residents. Well, Mark said it was more like a 5.7, so I don’t feel so accomplished anymore.

  • Joshua Tree Stargazing

    Joshua Tree Stargazing

    The purpose of this trip was to gaze at the Delta Aquarid and the beginning of the Perseid showers in what was supposed to be a celestial traffic jam. After we arrived, clouds rolled in to obscure much of the sky. A few of us saw some meteors, but we all enjoyed simply sitting around the campfire and socializing. The next morning began with beautiful cloud-covered skies.

  • Joshua Tree

    Joshua Tree

    This was a nice day trip, mainly to have a good time with friends while enjoying nature. While it was really hot during the day, it cooled off relatively quickly once the sun went down. Then, we had beautiful lighting from a full moon.

  • Joshua Tree Geminid Showers

    Joshua Tree Geminid Showers

    Last night, we went out to Joshua Tree National Park to see the Geminid meteor showers. Although it was several hours past it’s peak, we saw many brilliant ones flying across the sky.

    Upon arrival, we drove through Hidden Valley Campground and accidentally occupied someone else’s site. We relocated to the Ryan Campground and took one of the remaining two campsites there.

    It was a cold night, and the temperature dipped down to 23°F. Icicles from breathing condensation clung to my pager, which was next to my face.

    We enjoyed a good show and had a safe drive home.