Homeward: Prescott to Joshua Tree National Park

Roja Grande - Joshua Tree National Park

Saturday March 24th - Prescott to Ehrenburg CA:  A leisurely morning of packing, loading our overnight bags into Roja Grande and saying our farewells and once more we were underway.  Our route took us along Hwy 69 to connect with I-17 for a time, with the intent to follow the "Carefree Highway" AZ 74, which runs north of I-10.  Some mysterious 'special event' had backed up traffic so we had to quickly check for alternate routes and memorial parkways around Greater Phoenix - and ended up on I-10 in spite of best laid plans.  A flashing highway sign advised of a further detour which led us north to Vickburg Junction and back south west along Hwy 60, joining I-10 again east of Quartzsite.  Our inconvenience and wondering paled when we found out that there had been a serious accident with fatalities; a driver headed east on the westbound lanes struck and killed at least 3 people.  Somewhat subdued, we checked into our accommodation in the truck stop of Ehrenburg near the Arizona western border.  Not much to do or see and fast food for dinner, but it gave us a chance for an early start the next morning.

Sunday March 25th - Ehrenburg AZ to Joshua Tree National Park CA:  With an reasonable night's rest and an early-ish start, we headed west, crossing the Colorado River forming the Arizona-California border. Not long after we stopped at the Churiaco Summit travel stop and were impressed with the activity and amenities it offers, including including a museum to honour General Patton and his Desert Training Center from WWII.  Members of the Churiaco family continue to operate the gas station, 'general store', bakery and accommodations.  The Admiral appreciated the facilities.  Within minutes we turned north onto Cottonwood Springs Road and had entered Joshua Tree National Park from the south.

Kelly had been impressed and enthusiastic about his first visit to the park, so we were both looking forward to spending almost an entire day driving and walking the trails.  We drove and stopped and walked and took photos, had a picnic lunch and continued, avoiding the most crowded stops and having an easy yet invigorating day. The park website has excellent descriptions as reference:  https://www.nps.gov/jotr/learn/historyculture/parkhistory.htm

Our photos capture only a small part of the park's essence and atmosphere.

Cottonwood Springs and Fan Palms

Cottonwood Springs - Delicate wildflowers 

Ocatillo in Bloom

Cholla Cactus Garden

Cholla Cactus in bloom

Beavertail cactus - striking blooms

 

Rock formations near White Tank campground - one of the best spots for night time star gazing

And finally - Joshua Trees in profusion!

By late afternoon we were heading out of the western side of the park towards Yucca Valley where we had booked our stay.  Although we were tempted to head back in after dark for night sky viewing, by the time we had checked in, freshened up and found a diner for dinner and finally, a gas station, it was time for a good night's rest.  This park is one we would never tire of visiting.

Homeward once again - March 21

Kelly left San Carlos very early Saturday, March 21st.  He arrived in Santa Ana by 9:30 am for a fuel stop and to call home; leaving about 06:00 am made for a quicker drive through Hermosilla.  At the border crossing in Nogales, it was a 25 minute wait with no problems.  Rojo Grande headed on towards Blythe, just into California across the Arizona border.  The hotel room was waiting and comfortable, dinner was a favorite:  Popeye's Fried Chicken!  Later, another planning session, checking weather and sight-seeing options; Joshua Tree National Park looked interesting. Kelly booked a hotel at the north end of the Park at Twentynine Palms and turned in for some well earned sleep.

This morning (Sunday) after a filling breakfast provided by the hotel, it was a short drive from Blythe westward on I-10 to the south entrance to the Joshua Tree National Park, arriving about 8:30 am.  The National Parks Service site describes the park as encompassing two distinct desert ecosystems, the Mohave and the Colorado and covers 794,000 acres.  There is considerable elevation climb from the highway, through the Cottonwood Spring campground area in the south and along the Park Boulevard which then turns northwest as it gains in altitude.  The pictures shown here are courtesy of the National Park Service Flickr site, primarily taken by NPS staff, and are in the public domain.

http://www.nps.gov/jotr/index.htm

Cottonwood Spring (National Parks Service photo)

Joshua Tree and boulders (NPS)

Rock formations near Skull Rock (NPS)

Great Basin Collard Lizard (NPS)

Acton's Brittlebrush (NPS)

The Hi-View nature trail apparently lived up to its name as it rose quite steeply at times before it offered an excellent view of the surrounding area.  Kelly found it to be a windy summit however; hang on to your hats! As with visits to all of these stunning national parks, there is never adequate time when one is travelling home.  It often seems a toss-up between seeing something new and spending more on accommodations,  or just eating up the highway miles.

An add-on to keep the travels in the right order:

Kelly said he was up bright and early for breakfast and left Twenty Nine Palms, California heading west and then northward; the mountain parks are calling.  Passing by Bakersfield and on to Three Rivers by noon, he mad a fuel stop as there is nowhere to top up once you enter Sequoia National Park and adjacent Kings Canyon.   Quoting from the National Parks Service site:

General Sherman - Sequoia (NPS photo)

 "this landscape testifies to nature's size, beauty and diversity - huge mountains, rugged foothills, deep canyons, vast caverns and the world's largest trees.....(the parks) lie side by side in the southern Sierra Nevada.....elevation ranges from 1370 to 14494 feet."

The wonders of nature demand alertness on the roads; apparently "the 16 steep, narrow road miles from Ash Mountain (south entrance) to the Giant Forest area include 130 curves and 12 switchbacks...."   One goal of this visit was to stand before General Sherman...by volume, the largest tree in the world!  In 1975 a calculation determined it to be slightly over 52,5000 cubic feet.  And that he did.

Accommodations in the Lodge were cozy and the hikes were at times challenging.  The opportunity to view these ancient 'sentinels' of the forest was not to be missed.  Each National Park has its treasures and there are many more to explore.

Here are a few of Kelly's photos: