First-Timer's Guide To Joshua Tree National Park

Above, camping at Cottowood Campground in Joshua Tree National Park in 2015. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Years ago, Joshua Tree National Park was known as Joshua Tree National Monument. It became a national park in 1994.

I had been there several times since I was a kid. My Boy Scout troop camped there back around 1966. I remember we camped in Jumbo Rocks Campground. We had a great time there climbing the huge rocks.

I last visited it in 2015 and camped at Cottonwood Campground.

Cleveland.com posted a first-timer's guide to Joshua Tree National Park. 

They begin it with:

JOSHUA TREE, California – The trees here get all the glory. But the rocks may be the coolest part of Joshua Tree National Park.

Don’t get me wrong – the trees are also special, with their Seuss-like branches and spiky leaves.

But you can’t climb the trees.

The rocks, on the other hand, are open for exploration.

Unlike some national parks, where visitors are discouraged from getting too close, explorers here are encouraged to hike, scramble, climb up, rappel down and otherwise fully experience the hundreds of igneous rock formations that dot the landscape.

To read more, go here. 

Calico Ghost Town

Above, the Calico bottle house. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The route between Los Angeles to Las Vegas will take travelers through the Mojave Desert along Interstate 15.

Along the way, just past Barstow, is Calico Ghost Town. 

Calico is a former silver mining town that still mines, only in tourist dollars these days. If one is a fan of old mining towns or of the old west, Calico is a fun place to visit. I visited and camped there in the late 1980s during a Boy Scout camporee.

Above, the Calico & Odessa Railroad. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

RV Travel posted an article, "Camp with the ghosts at this famous California ghost town."

It begins with:

If you happen to RV through Southern California, have a penchant for history, and love ghost towns, Calico Ghost Town should be on your travel plans.

Nestled in the Mojave Desert, this once-bustling mining town offers a unique blend of Old West charm and modern amenities. It’s a perfect stop for RVers.

A brief history

Back in 1881, Calico sprang to life during the silver rush, quickly growing into a lively community. At its peak, the town boasted a population of around 3,500 residents. This included folks from China, England, Ireland, Greece, France, the Netherlands, and various parts of the U.S.

Over a span of 12 years, Calico’s mines yielded more than $20 million worth of silver ore. However, as silver prices plummeted in the late 1890s, the town’s fortune dwindled, and by 1907, it was largely abandoned.

There is a handy campground at Calico with all the necessary hookups.

To read the full article, go here.

Most Memorable 4th of July

Above, shuttle Columbia and chase planes over Edwards Air Force Base on July4, 1982. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For me, the most memorable Fourth of July was in 1982.

Paul Evans and I attended the Dodger game at Dodger Stadium on July 3. From there, after the game and fireworks show, we drove to Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave Desert to attend the landing of space shuttle Columbia following the mission designated as STS-4.

Above, yours truly after arriving at Edwards Air Force Base. Photo by Paul Evans.

Perhaps about a half million people drove to Rogers Dry Lake to view the landing. We met with Glenn Thornhill and Arleigh Kerr at the viewing area.

President and Mrs. Reagan also attended. 

Above, another view of Columbia during its landing approach. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After the landing of Columbia, President Reagan gave the word for the take-off of space shuttle Challenger atop a modified Boeing 747. Challenger and the 747 flew over the crowd. 

Here's a couple of videos of that day:

Finding A Cool Campsite

Above, on the runway of Rice Army Airfield. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Last month, I attended a four-chapter clampout (campout) in the Mojave Desert of the Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus. We were camped on the former concrete runway of Rice Army Airfield.

With that in mind, one of the things I made it a point of doing is having the refrigerator side of the RV facing away from the sun. This I did.

Finding a cool campsite is the topic of an article in RV Travel. Nanci Dixon provides some tips on how to do so.

She begins with:

Whew! It seems that the last several campgrounds my husband and I have stayed at have been closer to solar ovens than cool, shady campsites. It has been so blistering hot under the sun that we haven’t even bothered taking the chairs out.

If you think there’s no way to get cool in hot weather, think again. I’ll show you a quick, easy way to make sure your RV stays cool at the next campsite.

To read more, go here.

Clampout At Rice Army Air Field

Above, an aerial view of the clampsite during a flyover by a friend of the Billy Holcomb Humbug.

About 600 members of the Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus (Billy Holcomb, Lost Dutchman and Queho Posse chapters) congregated on the runway of the former Rice Army Airfield in the Mojave Desert of California for their fall clampout.

As mentjoned, a little airshow put on by a frend of the Billy Holcomb Humbug took the above aerial photo of the clampsite.

It was in the 90s for most of the clampout. Naturally, a lot of water (and beer) were consumed by the attendees. 

We had around 88 PBCs (Poor Blind Candidates) get initiated into the Order. 

It was a most Satisfactory clampout.

Naturally, I took some photos of the event (except where noted).

Above, arriving at the clampsite. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, some early arrivals at the Rice Army Air Field runway. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, XSNGH Sid Blumner and yours truly.

Above, Gary Julian enjoying an Alien Amber Ale. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, what's a clampout without a bar? Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the Beast. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, another aerial view of the clampsite by the Humbug's buddy.

Above, more early arrivals on Thursday. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Clampout Time!

Above, the Beast in the front drive way. The refrigerator is on to make the beer cold. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It is clampout time. I am almost ready to go. I have a cat-sitter to make sure the kitties are fed.

It will be held in the Mojave Desert of Riverside County, California. It is a three chapter affair. 

I just checked the weather and the temperature will be in the 90s at the clampsite. 

From the National Weather Service:

Thursday

Sunny, with a high near 93. North wind around 10 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon.

Thursday Night

Clear, with a low around 63. South southwest wind 7 to 9 mph becoming west after midnight.

Friday

Sunny, with a high near 93.

Friday Night

Clear, with a low around 64.

Saturday

Sunny, with a high near 94. Breezy.

Saturday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 62.

Sunday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 84.

Tri-State Clampout At Rice Army Airfield

A few minutes ago, I paid my rub for the Spring Clampout to be held at the Rice Army Airfield in the Mojave Desert of California.

It will be a three-chapter clampout (Billy Holcomb, Lost Dutchman and Queho Posse).

It will be nice to see the gang of Billy Holcomb (Sid "El Mojave" Blumner, et al.) at the doins.

Above, A 1942 aerial view looking north at Rice AAF (courtesy San
Bernardino County Library, via Rick Jackson, enhanced by Bill Grasha).

From Wikipedia:

Rice Army Air Field is an abandoned World War II airfield in Rice Valley of the southern Mojave Desert, located 1-mile east-southeast of the community of Rice. The airfield is located in Riverside County just south of the San Bernardino county line and State Route 62.

Cousin Back Home, But...

My cousin Maria and her husband Fred made it back home in California.

While driving through the Mojave Desert, they spotted a gasoline station in Essex. Here's their price board:

You can thank Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Democrat Party for this.

Joshua Tree National Park Tips For Visitors

Above, Joshua Tree National Park's Cottonwood Spring Oasis. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Out in the Mojave Desert, sits Joshua Tree National Park. 

I first visited the park back in the 1960s when it was still a national monument. Today, due to its close proximity to Los Angeles, it is a busy park.

Before heading there, it would be wise to check out what Joshua Tree's park rangers recommend.

TravelAwaits has posted 10 key ranger tips for visiting. They begin with:

Joshua Tree National Park has a rugged landscape, which isn’t surprising since it includes parts of both the Mojave and Colorado Deserts. Notably, the park is also home to most of the world’s Joshua trees, which explains its name.

The park, located just outside Palm Springs, California, is also very popular. In fact, Joshua Tree was the tenth most-visited national park in the U.S. last year — drawing 2.4 million visitors. In 2019, about 2.8 million visitors traveled to Joshua Tree to enjoy activities such as hiking, camping, photography, rock climbing, and simply enjoying the desert scenery — including its spectacular sunsets.

When planning a trip to Joshua Tree, there are two factors that must be considered. The first is those crowds. The larger consideration, however, is the park’s desert wilderness environment.

The staff at the National Park Service (NPS) understand that planning a trip to Joshua Tree can be challenging. To help make planning your trip easier, NPS has released its “Top 10 Tips for Visiting Joshua Tree National Park” as part of its “Plan Like a Park Ranger” series. These tips explain how Joshua Tree’s rangers themselves would plan a trip to the park.

So, let’s get to it. Here are Joshua Tree’s park rangers’ vacation-planning tips.

To read them, go here. 

Historic Route 66 In California Receives National Scenic Byway Status

Above, Roy's Motel on Route 66 in Amboy, California. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Route 66 may have been decommissioned back in the 1980s, but there's still life left to the "Mother Road" yet.

A section of Route 66 has been designated a national scenic byway by the Bureau of Land Management.

According to the Sierra Sun Times:

February 25, 2021 - Moreno Valley, Calif. —  The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Barstow and Needles Field Offices are thrilled to share that the Historic Route 66 between Needles and Barstow is officially one of America’s Byways. The Federal Highway Administration National Scenic Byways Program announced the designation of the California Historic Route 66 Needles to Barstow Scenic Byway last week.

“Historic Route 66 from Needles to Barstow is a unique section of the 2,400-mile route,” said Needles Field Manager Mike Ahrens. “You’ll see beautiful desert vistas and more than 120 impressive wooden bridges, travel through small historic towns, connect to several recreational opportunities on public lands and areas of historic interest.” 

The California Historic Route 66 Needles to Barstow Scenic Byway connects visitors to the Mojave Trails National Monument with 1.6 million acres to explore. Research shows that a scenic byway designation results in increased tourism and economic benefits for local communities.

 To read more, go here.

Joshua Tree National Park Passes Sold Online

Above, the south entrance into the park from Interstate 10. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Joshua Tree National Park is the closest national park to Los Angeles. It is situated in the Mojave Desert of California near Palm Springs and Indio.

Now, visitors to the park can now buy passes online.

According to the Desert Sun: 

People who wish to visit Joshua Tree National Park can now purchase access passes online, park officials announced Thursday.

Due to restrictions put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19 the national park was initially shutdown in March. But, it was reopened in May and despite ongoing state-imposed shutdown orders in the wake of an ongoing surge of pandemic cases, it remains open. 

National parks, like Joshua Tree, are being allowed to stay open during the ongoing lockdown and activities such as hiking can still take place. Park officials, however, said overnight camping is currently not permitted.

People looking to take a trip during the day to Joshua Tree can purchase specific passes for the park at recreation.gov at no additional cost. 

Purchases may be made via computer or mobile device.

To read more, go here. 

Joshua Tree National Park Reopens

Above, The Beast at the Cottonwood Campground at Joshua Tree National Park in 2015. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Joshua Tree National Park in the Mojave Desert of Southern California is open again. It had been closed due to the spreading coronavirus.

According to The Desert Sun:

Joshua Tree National Park is open to the public after shutting down nearly two months ago because of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Hannah Schwalbe, a Joshua Tree National Park spokeswoman, confirmed roads and gates reopened Sunday morning. She referred to the park's website for additional details. 

The website indicates entrance stations are staffed, but workers aren't collecting entrance fees. Also open are parking lots, trails, family campsites and most restroom facilities. 

Visitor centers and group campsites are still closed to the public and all programs and permits for special-use activities through May 31 are canceled. Group campsites are larger than family campsites, which typically fit up to six people.

To read more, go here. 

Joshua Tree National Park Infrastructure To Be Upgraded

Above, Cottonwood Campground's ampitheater in Joshua Tree National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Joshua Tree National Park is the closest national park to the greater Los Angeles area and it is straining to accommodate the high numbers of visitors as a result.

But plans are underway to modernize and upgrade the park's infrastructure.

According to LA Magazine:

Joshua Tree is now one of the most-visited national parks, and the park’s aging infrastructure is straining to accommodate everyone. The crowds have meant lines at entry gates, overwhelmed parking lots, stiff competition for camping spots, damage to delicate rock formations caused by climbers, and other stress on the natural environment. Now park officials are considering ways to upgrade facilities–without changing the rugged desert landscape that makes Joshua Tree so special in the first place. 

A number of projects are in the works to update the park experience, inside the park and in the surrounding communities. 

On peak weekends now, the park’s west entrance is prone to bottle necks at the entry gate. To alleviate the congestion, the National Park Service plans to replace the current booth with an updated one located a mile and a half inside the park’s boundary, complete with additional lanes and automated pay stations to speed traffic in and out.

To read more, go here. 

Guide To Joshua Tree National Park

Above, the entrance to Joshua Tree National Park a few miles north of Interstate 10. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The closest national park to the City of Los Angeles is Joshua Tree National Park.

As it is, the park gets a lot of visitors during the year. I last visited it in 2015 and camped at the park's Cottonwood Campground.

Thrillist has posted a guide to Joshua Tree National Park.

They begin with:

The Mojave Desert has inspired a number of monumental artistic endeavors, including the fictional planet Tatooine in Star Wars and the iconic U2 album The Joshua Tree. Joshua Tree National Park actually lies within the boundaries of both the Mojave Desert in the west and the Colorado Desert in the east, but the landscape within the park is wholly unique to itself. 

Joshua Tree National Park gets its name from the tree species Yucca brevifolia, which is more commonly known as the “Joshua Tree.” Legend has it that Mormon settlers heading west bestowed this name on the unique plants that are only found in the Mjave, but that story has been debated and remains unverified. Still, there’s an absolute ton of geological and anthropological history in the area; multiple indigineous groups settled the area as early as 4,000-8,000 thousand years ago. 

Nowadays, the park and surrounding areas serve as a haven for the artistically-inclined, UFOlogists, solitude seekers, and otherwise offbeat creatives drawn to the power of the desert. Ken Layne, a writer, podcaster, and publisher of Desert Oracle (a desert-based publication and radio show) has lived in the area for years. He calls it a “one-of-a-kind place” with a “mix of weird geology and wide-open skies.”  

David Smith, Joshua Tree’s park superintendent with the National Park Service, says there’s a magnetism to the region. “People come to Joshua Tree for their own individual reasons. Sometimes it’s wilderness. Other times people come here for the music history, the diversity of raptors, or just the epic landscapes. People come to Joshua Tree to find themselves." 

From a dome built by telepathic instructions received from aliens to a sleepy saloon that’s hosted musicians like Paul McCartney, there’s no shortage of funky, fun, and sometimes freaky things to do and see in and around Joshua Tree National Park. Here's how to do it all.

To read more, go here. 

Visit Joshua Tree National Park

Above, The Beast at Cottonwood Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Being close to Los Angeles, Joshua Tree National Park attracts many people. Some good and conscientious and some are just pigs.

The pigs came out during the recent government shutdown and caused vandalism and cut several of the protected Joshua Trees. If there is another shutdown, the National Park Service should close the park to protect it from the idiots.

Fortunately, although the pigs attracted most of the attention recently, the vast majority of people are the conscientious ones. This post is for them.

Besides seeing the sights of Joshua Tree National Park, there are many things outside and near the park to see. Do It Yourself RV has an article on what's available.

They start with:

When winter seems to linger a little too long, one of the best places to escape to is the desert. The epitome of deserts has got to be Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California. This park has it all: sand, rocks, cactus, some odd looking trees, and a wide expanse of blue sky. 

The park also has a lot for RVers. Beautiful campgrounds, large pull-out spots, miles of hiking trails, rock climbing, and wildlife dominate the park. However, Joshua Tree is also a land of extremes.

From very high heat in the summer to snow and flooding in the winter, the park is not your typical camping destination. Joshua Tree is also different in that there are no hotels, lodges, or food inside the park. Even the water is very limited. You may need to bring your own water if you find a site in one of the more rustic campgrounds.

To read more, go here.

Making The Most of Joshua Tree National Park

Above, one of the rock formations at the southern end of the park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The closest national park to Los Angeles is Joshua Tree National Park. 

CNN Travel currently is running a series on the national parks and WENY-TV News has posted their article on "How to make the most of Joshua Tree National Park".

It begins with:

Editor's note: To mark National Park Week, CNN Travel is featuring several stories about the country's national parks, seashores, historic sites and more.

JOSHUA TREE, California (CNN) -- Joshua Tree sits roughly two and a half hours east of Los Angeles by car, a majestic desert paradise of 792,510 acres of national park lands squished between the palm-tree lined boulevards of Palm Springs to the south and the eccentric, rugged town of Joshua Tree to the north. 

The area's namesake is the Joshua tree, which isn't technically a tree, but a member of the agave family. The plant was first named by Mormon trekkers who said the outstretched limbs reminded them of Joshua reaching his hands to the sky in prayer. 

It is easy to find anthropomorphic shapes in their crooked trunks and misshapen tufts, and driving through expanses of them can feel a bit like wandering into a Dr. Seuss forest. 

The park is split into two distinct desert ecosystems. The western portion is occupied by the Mojave Desert, and that's where you'll find Joshua trees, teetering stacks of sand-colored boulders and the occasional rattlesnake. The Mojave is known as the high desert, with elevations above 3,000 feet. 

In the eastern half of the park you'll find the Colorado Desert, a flatter ecosystem below 3,000 feet that is known for milder weather and blossoming vibrant wild flowers if you travel there in March and April. 

The entire park is larger than Rhode Island, and you could fill up an entire week hiking every trail and climbing every rock. But these days a trip to Joshua Tree also means chasing art, music, food and the occasional sound bath (don't worry, we'll explain) through the neighboring towns of Yucca Valley, Pioneertown and Twentynine Palms.

To read more, go here. 

Joshua Tree Hikers: Bodies Locked In Embrace

Above, the south entrance sign to Joshua Tree National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

More details on the finding of the two missing hikers at Joshua Tree National Park were reported by the Daily Mail (U.K.)

They reported:

Two bodies were found in Joshua Tree National Park, locked in an embrace, nearly three months after a southern California couple vanished while hiking nearby.  

The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said the bodies were found Sunday. Officials have not confirmed the identities of the bodies. 

Rachel Nguyen and Joseph Orbeso, 20 and 21, were reported missing July 28, after they failed to check out of their accommodations near the park.

To read more, go here.

Joshua Tree National Park: Best Camping Experience In The World

Above, the terrain near Cottonwood Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A recent camping adventure at Joshua Tree National Park has been recounted at 9Elsewhere, an
Australian news and features website.

It seems they were impressed with the park.

They begin the article with:

Three hours west of LA sits Joshua Tree National Park, a magical desert oasis every camper needs to visit at least once. 

"It’s a little underwhelming, isn’t it?" I mused to my boyfriend from the passenger seat, as we drove towards Joshua Tree National Park. From the window there wasn’t a Joshua tree in sight, just never-ending brown desert. Within an hour, I’d realised how completely wrong I’d been. The park where we spent the next four nights was anything but underwhelming. 

We were halfway through our two-month road trip across the United States when we landed at Joshua Tree. We arrived at the park thinking we would only stay a night, but ended up leaving after four. Those nights ended up being my favourite of our trip.

Joshua Tree sits where the Mojave and Colorado deserts meet. Each desert has its own unique ecosystem of plants and animals, including tortoises, coyotes, rattle snakes, squirrels, and 18 different species of lizard.

To read more, go here. 

Cabazon Dinosaur Photos

Above, Dinny and Mr. Rex. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A few days ago, I blogged about the Cabazon Dinosaurs that I visited last weekend.

Since much of that blog post went a little bit into their history, I only posted two photographs of Dinny the brontosaurus and Mr. Rex, the tyrannosaurus.

I took more photos of them and here's ones I didn't post:

Above, Mr. Rex. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, some sort of prehistoric snake near Dinny. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the doorway into Dinny's tail. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, another view of Mr. Rex. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Dinny. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, it almost looks as if Mr. Rex is about to stomp
 through the palm trees. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the other side of Dinny. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It's Getting To Look Like...December!

Above, it was a cold night in Chiriaco Summit. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Actually, it is now December. Before we know it, it will be Christmas and then, soon after, New Year's Eve.

It is looking like December in another way: it is cold out! For Los Angeles (and many parts of California), the last week of November has been quite cold. Global warming? That's a bunch of B.S. anyway. It is a fraud perpetrated by statists to impose laws restricting everyone's freedoms. I have heard that the temperatures over the weekend for the Mojave Desert ranged from the teens to the thirties. It was very cold at Joshua Tree National Park while I was there. It was so cold that the concrete benches at the campground's amphitheater were too cold to sit on. So I stood during the ranger program on the night sky's constellations. I had on my wool coat from my days as a scout leader, and that kept me pretty warm.

November ended on a good note. My review on the Chiriaco Summit Campground (that is directly behind the General George Patton Memorial Museum) has been approved by RV Park Reviews. But there's a little problem with it. It appears on my profile page, but the link to the full review just takes people to the list of campgrounds in Indio, California. I have alerted the management of this, so hopefully it will be ironed out shortly.

I am still waiting for my latest article at JapanTravel to be approved. They have a little back-up going on there. But one of the moderators likes it. It just has to finish "going through the process".

Also, I received some orders (thank you, all) for the print edition of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan while I was in Joshua Tree National Park. I got them all ready for mailing last night and they will be mailed today.

Also, I began my Christmas shopping yesterday. Thankfully, everyone I am buying for is making the task easier as they indicated what they'd like to receive. Buying clothes for women/girls is not something I can do with any degree of competency. I as mentioned to one, giving gift cards from their favorite stores would work better as I may end up buying them "mom jeans". That definitely would not work!