Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park is located in southeastern California, a few hours east of LA. My friend and I drive to the park and enter through the West Entrance by early afternoon.



As we approach the park, we stop at the Visitors Center which is outside of the West Entrance and then drive the 5 miles to the gate. Upon entering, we are greeted by a desert landscape – a rocky, arid land with thousands of Joshua trees. I would describe a Joshua tree as a desert palm – it has the look of a palm tree, except that its leaves are short and the tree looks more rugged and suited to a desert climate.

As we drive through the park, we can see far into the distance on both sides of the road; views feature dry, desert landscape with large boulders ranging from the size of a small house to mountains dusted with snow in the distance. Joshua trees, also known as Yucca palms, Tree yuccas, or Palm tree yuccas appear for miles into the distance. We approach an area known as Hidden Valley, which contains a camping area and several nature trails. Since our trip is fairly short, we continue driving.

On our drive, we spot several pullouts where cars are parked. Upon further investigation, we discover groups of rock climbers on the nearby rock face, utilizing their gear to scale the rock structure just off the road. Gauging by the height of the climber relative to the rock formation, it appears that he has scaled the equivalent of a ten-story building to reach the top.



We decide to take a short detour from our planned route and head south towards Keys View. At 5,185 feet, Keys View offers a glimpse at the Salton Sea directly to the south and Palm Springs to the right of the large body of water. The San Andreas fault runs through the valley floor in the distance. It is windy and there are small patches of icy snow on the ground in front of us and we stay just long enough to glimpse the views and capture a few photos. We later find out that on a clear day, it is possible to see Mexico from Keys View. Though we may have seen Mexico that day, we do not have any identifying landmarks to confirm it.

We then head back north and then east through an area known as Sheep Pass towards an area called Jumbo Rocks. When we reach Jumbo Rocks, we see large boulders and rocks that are easily climbable without any equipment. Excited about the idea of a natural playground, we park the car in the parking area and walk on boulders composed of the unique sand-colored rough type of granite known as quartz monzonite. We walk on the more horizontal surfaces and then shimmy through narrow passages and duck under larger boulders to explore small cave-like areas, being cautious and aware of the presence of rattlesnakes in this habitat.

After taking several pictures and absorbing the unique landscape, we continue onwards and pull over long enough to see “Skull Rock” a rock that appears to look like a human skull. I notice people walking around it and climbing into the area that looks like the eye socket. The unique formations throughout the park lend themselves well to active imaginations.

Without much daylight remaining, we make only one other stop. After having seen a postcard of Arch Rock in the Visitor’s Center, we decide that it is worth seeing in person and drive and park at the campground. It is less than a half mile to Arch Rock and we enjoy walking below the arch and posing for pictures. It is then time for us to leave the park and we soon exit through the North Entrance Station. We reach Twentynine Palms Highway and make a brief turn onto Canyon Road, tempted to see if we have enough daylight to hike to Fortynine Palms Oasis, one of the many natural oasis found in the park. However, when we reach the parking lot, we realize that it is not worth the risk of getting stuck inside the valley after dark and decide to leave that exploration for another time.

Our visit to Joshua Trip is too short to see everything the area has to offer, but definitely long enough to get a feel for the unique rock formations and desert landscape. It is easy to understand why the park is so popular for rock climbers. The large rocks offer many opportunities for bouldering and climbing and the large open area offers unprecedented views of the night sky for campers. Joshua Tree National Park, one of nature’s playgrounds, offers visitors a chance to experience a unique landscape for exploration and recreation.

Yosemite 1-Day Trip

It is a warm February day when three of us set off for a one-day trip to Yosemite National Park. We get an early start from South Bay and are on the road by 6:45am. As we continue to drive for several hours, the scenery changes from cities and towns to almond orchards and finally steep, windy roads that meander through mountainous terrain. The views of the green valleys below are spectacular. We continue through wooded forests until we reach the entrance to the park.



We enter through the western gate from Route 140 and drive into the park. Regardless of the weather, Yosemite National Park is open year-round and there appears to be a fair amount of visitors even in the winter based on the number of vehicles we see on the roads and in the parking lots. We stop at a scenic lookout, and on this sunny day, we get a clear view of Half Dome.

As we reach Yosemite Valley, we are surrounded by majestic rock walls. I spot the first waterfall of the trip right from our vehicle. Bridal Veil falls is as beautiful as its namesake. Further on our drive, I spot Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls, flowing in full splendor, due to the recent snowmelt. As we continue the drive, I see Merced River flowing over the rock bed to our right.

We finally reach the trailhead parking lot for the John Muir trail and park next to the few other cars in the lot. Gathering our backpacks, we start walking on paved road until we cross over a stone bridge to the start of the trail. The John Muir trail, named after one of the early advocates of U.S. wilderness preservation had a direct impact on saving Yosemite Valley for future generations to enjoy.

We start our ascent upwards, amidst the sound of water to our right. As we hike for the next half hour, the sound of gushing water is the only thing we hear. The trail climbs steadily upwards as we pass giant boulders through an encasement of giant trees on both sides of the trail. At a sharp curve, I stop to get a view of Yosemite Valley and Yosemite Falls in the distance. As I follow the turn in the path, I glance up at a sheer rock face. Little do I know at that time that our destination is at the top of that rock face and though it appears impassible from the angle I am looking at it, we would soon be making our way through the trail which hugs the rock face through a series of switch backs.

We continue hiking until we reach a flat section with a bridge. As I make my way to the center of the wooden bridge, I glance up to see Vernal Falls. It is an unreal moment for me, as I feel an indescribable sense of déjà vu. I know that I have never been to this spot, so it is only after a few minutes of viewing the majestic falls that it occurs to me that I had started to create a watercolor painting years earlier of this exact vista following a painting guidebook.



We pause for a few brief moments, taking in the grandeur of the view. We eat snacks from our packs, refueling for the next few hours of hiking. Just a few minutes later, we reach our first patch of snow. It is several inches deep and somewhat sludgy from the warm temperatures of the preceding week. Without a second glance, we walk across the snow and reach a dry section of trail and continue onwards. At the corner of the next switchback, we get another view of Yosemite Valley and a waterfall in the distance. This time, we are at a higher elevation and cannot see the valley floor, but are able to get a birds eye view of the trees dotting the rocky terrain in the distant horizon.

In the distance I hear the echoing of a thunderous sound and I glance up ahead to see rocks falling from high above. Rock falls are more common in the winter when water that freezes in crevasses breaks apart sections of rock which then fall off the sides of the cliffs. It is a rather unnerving experience to watch these rocks and small boulders which look to be up to the size of baseballs ricochet off the rock walls several hundred feet in front of us. I quickly start looking for large boulders along the trail in front of me in case I need to duck under one of them to protect myself from falling rocks. Fortunately, we all make it safely to the next section and warn other hikers who are walking down the trail towards the area where we saw the rocks fall. We continue hiking onwards.

A short while later, I stop to see my fellow hikers who have managed to traverse another switchback and are now a few feet above me. I take their picture as they take mine. After a few more minutes of steady strides, I get my first close look at Half Dome, towering in front of me. I am getting a view of the back of Half Dome, which appears nearly vertical with little gradient. I am told that this is the side that people hike during the summer. That trail is now closed due to the winter conditions during which the cables needed to get to the top of half dome have been removed to protect them from rock falls which are common in the winter and early spring due to melting ice and snow.

We are nearly at Clark’s point, our destination for this hike when I spot a sign that denotes our trail as well as the distance back to Yosemite Valley which is the 2.3 miles we just hiked. We walk several hundred yards over ice patches, carefully watching our steps to keep from slipping. When I look up, I am rewarded with a view of Vernal Falls from a higher angle. We have reached our destination and we make ourselves comfortable on a few rocks that are jutting out through the snow which has managed to cover the trail and other smaller rocks in the area. We reach into our packs and start eating our lunch. It is past noon and we can feel the cooler air of the high elevation. Though it was possible to remove extra outer layers when we were keeping warm from the rigors of hiking uphill, we quickly discover that we need to bundle up the moment our bodies are at a standstill.

A few photos later, we decide to see if we can continue further on the trail which starts to go downhill towards Vernal Falls, but soon discover that despite our best intentions, the path is nearly impassible, and we can no longer traverse from rock to rock as even the small boulders that lay near the trail are covered in a layer of ice. Just as we are ready to turn back to return to the trail we came from, my fellow hikers spot something.

“Come see for yourself,” they call to me and my curiosity is sparked. I walk towards them to find a paw print on a fresh patch of snow. It is a reality check that spurs me to remember the bear and wildlife safety tips we have been noticing on signs throughout the trail. After one last glance at Vernal Falls from this angle, we start hiking again.

We notice two other hikers and start a collegial conversation as we all make our way down toward the valley. The gradient is steep and our quads are working overtime to keep us from tumbling downwards. Our packs add to gravity’s impact, and our descent is quicker, though no less strenuous than our ascent. Winding our way through a series of switchbacks, we continue down the John Muir trail, reaching the area where we can hear the steady sound of moving water. When we finally reach the flat wooden bridge from where we first saw Vernal Falls, we bid adieu to our new hiking companions and decide to take the mist trail up to Vernal Falls.

The mist trail, true to its name is covered by the mist from the falls itself. Though probably more misty during the warmer spring months, we can still feel the cool moisture on us as we climb a series of steps which are solidly covered in ice. Each step requires full concentration so it is not until I reach the first platform that I look up to see Vernal Falls right in front of me with only one large tree partially blocking my view. The well-placed handrails keep me from sliding off into oblivion. I gratefully hold on to the railing as I listen to the thunderous pounding of the water which reaches several hundred feet below.

I continue climbing more stairs, which turn away from the view of the waterfall and are free from ice and snow. I look up to see an enormous boulder which is lodged against the main rock face, forming a natural archway. Less than a hundred steps later, I find myself looking through the archway at the most spectacular view I have seen all day. I am at the closest point to Vernal Falls that I have seen so far and I can feel the mist and hear the thunderous roar. I carefully inch across from below the natural archway and stand in awe of the view. In front of me is one large ice sheet which leads to a sheer drop off. Cautiousness overtakes me as I stand completely still and get a picture before turning back towards the archway. I descend several hundred steps down and continue on the Mist Trail to where it intersects the John Muir trail. We continue hiking for a little over a half hour back to the trailhead.

Despite the exhilaration of the day’s adventure, I am grateful to see the first stone bridge we crossed over from the paved roadway and parking lot. A short while later, we are driving out of the trailhead parking lot through Yosemite Valley and past the cabins and lodges that house the many visitors to the area. I take a few last pictures and manage to capture a vista that is reminiscent of a winter postcard – a beautiful patch of snow behind which is a line of bare trees with one strong evergreen posing in front, while a line of shorter evergreens peek out from the back. Behind this scene is one of the majestic rock walls that define Yosemite’s landscape.

As we drive out of the park and through the winding roads that lead to the freeway, I notice the hills and mountains in the distance. In the horizon, the sun is setting and the sky has turned brilliant shades of pink, orange, lavender, and violet. The weather, scenery, trail, and powerful sounds of gushing water orchestrated an unforgettable multi-sensory experience which I will always cherish. A trek into nature’s wilderness is always a memorable experience and a powerful reminder to respect the majestic planet we inhabit.