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February 2019 - Joshua Tree

We spent a weekend camping at Joshua Tree. By the time we decided to make the trip all the camping sites were booked, so we decided to do backcountry camping - basically you hike out a mile from the road and put up camp wherever looks good. Being February we were ready for some cold camping, but 30 mph winds made it _quite_ cold. Fortunately we were able to stay warm enough to sleep.

Overall the park was a nice mix of Joshua trees and very large boulders. Lovely desert scenery. Perhaps the highlight was on the way out where the valley floor was covered in wildflowers.

A desert full of Joshua trees!
Our first hike, typical Joshua tree NP desert
A really big Joshua tree, just as promised
A desert full of Joshua trees! Our first hike, typical Joshua tree NP desert A really big Joshua tree, just as promised
The hidden valley
The hidden valley
Some nice rock stacks
A ladder-backed woodpecker
A true Joshua tree forest
Some nice rock stacks A ladder-backed woodpecker A true Joshua tree forest
At the top of Ryan mountain
The view from the top
Snow-capped mountains beyond the valley
At the top of Ryan mountain The view from the top Snow-capped mountains beyond the valley
Giant piles of rocks scattered across the plateau
A mini Joshua tree on the hike down
Looking down at the Coachella valley from the Keys View
Giant piles of rocks scattered across the plateau A mini Joshua tree on the hike down Looking down at the Coachella valley from the Keys View
The mountains on the edge of the park
The mountains on the edge of the park
Backpacking in for backcountry camping for the night
Plenty of Joshua tree forest
Our campsite. Under a Joshua tree, with noone else in sight.
Backpacking in for backcountry camping for the night Plenty of Joshua tree forest Our campsite. Under a Joshua tree, with noone else in sight.
The sun setting
Trying our best to stay warm. It was a really cold night!
The sun setting Trying our best to stay warm. It was a really cold night!
A layer of frost on the tent in the morning
The hike out in the morning
So many Joshua trees
A layer of frost on the tent in the morning The hike out in the morning So many Joshua trees
Back at the parking lot, signs of a rough night: Camped at the parking lot, tent collapsed from the wind, rain fly tied to the van, and steamy windows suggest they ultimately slept in the van and not the tent.
Skull rock
Back at the parking lot, signs of a rough night: Camped at the parking lot, tent collapsed from the wind, rain fly tied to the van, and steamy windows suggest they ultimately slept in the van and not the tent. Skull rock
An interesting belt formation around a bunch of the rock piles
An interesting belt formation around a bunch of the rock piles
More rock piles in the neighborhood of skull rock
Over by the Jumbo Rocks area
More rock piles in the neighborhood of skull rock Over by the Jumbo Rocks area
Some classic Joshua tree rocks
The whole area is a mix of Joshua trees and giant rocks
A classic Joshua tree shot
Some classic Joshua tree rocks The whole area is a mix of Joshua trees and giant rocks A classic Joshua tree shot
Jelly bean rock
Hiking through the rocks
Funny shaped rock
Jelly bean rock Hiking through the rocks Funny shaped rock
Face rock
What a place to grow!
Butt rock - the best of the rock formations at Joshua Tree NP
Face rock What a place to grow! Butt rock - the best of the rock formations at Joshua Tree NP
A black-tailed jackrabbit
What fantastic ears!
Beautiful white cactuses
A black-tailed jackrabbit What fantastic ears! Beautiful white cactuses
An arch
The obligatory jay at the picnic area, this one a California scrub jay
Some ants doing their thing
An arch The obligatory jay at the picnic area, this one a California scrub jay Some ants doing their thing
A female phainopepla
A male phainopepla
A cholla cactus forest
A female phainopepla A male phainopepla A cholla cactus forest
A bud
Walking among the cactuses
A bud Walking among the cactuses
Action shot
Action shot
The desert carpeted in wildflowers!
The desert carpeted in wildflowers!
Wildflowers as far as the eye can see
Wildflowers as far as the eye can see
Action shot
Action shot