The Vagabond Hiker

Hiking, trekking, and climbing the world

Far from the Madding Crowd around Joshua Tree

Since I first visited Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California about fifteen years ago, the number of visitors has more than doubled to over 3 million per year. Like other wildly popular parks such as Yosemite in California and Zion in Utah, the vast majority of the visitors congregate in a few areas. The Main Canyon in Zion National Park, Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park, and at the many pullouts along Park Boulevard in Joshua Tree National Park. These areas have three aspects in common: 1) spectacular scenery for quick Instagrams; 2) short, easy trails catering to a largely sedentary population; and 3) proximity to a paved road.

Once beyond the limited areas that meet all three of these three criteria, however, the hiker is amply rewarded with solitude, beauty, and the thrill of being Far from the Madding Crowd (apologies to Thomas Gray). In and around Joshua Tree National Park, the outdoor adventurer has options of longer, more remote trails, off-trail scramble routes in canyons and on innumerable rock formations, and summit climbs of the myriad peaks that abound in this area, on the border of the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts. In this blog I will highlight some of the hikes, scrambles, and climbs that I did over a five week period in February and March this year, as well as show a couple photos taken from my casita outside the town of Twentynine Palms.

The Trails

To escape the crowds on maintained trails at first seems nigh-on impossible, but such is not the case. First, go mid-week. Avoid the weekends like the plague. (If you’re supposed to be working, take a mental health day). Second, go early in the morning. The light is better anyway, and for at least half of your hike you’ll see no one. Third, find a longer trail that starts away from Park Boulevard, preferably off some gravel or dirt road. Yes, these do exist! They just aren’t the ones the Park Rangers will tell you about unless you repeatedly prod them.

Desert Queen Mine Extended loop. I cobbled together several trails from the Desert Queen Mine trailhead to achieve an interesting, 9 mile loop. This is an early morning view with some discarded equipment foreground.
The Eagle Cliffs boulder house near the Dessert Queen Mine. In California this qualifies as affordable housing!
Phacelia (Desert Bells) seen along the trail. February was a little early for most flowers; April is the best time for botanizing in Joshua Tree.
Teddy bear cholla and monzonite granite formations
A twelve stamp mill on the Lost Horse Mine loop trail. This mine was the most profitable of the early 20th century mines in the future park. I added a 1/2 mile excursion to the Lost Horse Mountain summit for great views. Go early to get parking and avoid the crowds – at least for the first half of the hike.
A Joshua Tree budding along the Stubbe Springs loop. This 13 mile loop off of Keys View Road is one one that sees few visitors despite the generally well-maintained trail.
Fan Canyon overlook view to Coachella Valley along the Stubbe Springs loop. It was a great lunch spot nearly 5000 ft above the valley floor.
Amboy Crater south rim view, Mojave Trails National Monument. This 10,000 year old lava field was only a 40 minute drive from my casita in 29 Palms, but a world away from Joshua Tree. A four mile loop hike in the early morning was well-recompensed with great views and few other visitors. (In Joshua Tree, the easy hike to Malapai Hill off of Geology Tour Road offers similar terrain).

The Scrambles

Of course the main reason I wanted to stay near Joshua Tree was not the trails, but the great scrambling opportunities, mainly on the monzonite granite rocks and riverine boulders. The park is world-renown for its rock climbing and bouldering, and one sees many climbers accoutred with extensive hardware and crash pads, but the scramble routes are far less well known.

California Fan Palm at 49 Palms Canyon. The first part of this scramble was a short and popular trail hike to the namesake Oasis. After this point, I saw no one scrambling up the canyon.
Some riverine rocks in 49 Palms Canyon. Eventually I thought it too risky to proceed up the canyon. Though a long, arduous work-around was possible, I turned around at that point.
An initial view back to the trailhead as I headed up Rattlesnake Canyon. The trailhead is near the Indian Cove campground and the initial portion is the most popular and arguably the most spectacular.
A Pinyon Pine finds its niche in Rattlesnake Canyon. I scrambled all the way out of the canyon and to a small stream that was flowing – a very rare sight in Joshua Tree.

Use full screen mode to view the video below:

Rock bowl after Rattlesnake Canyon
My friend John resting at lunch in Rattlesnake Canyon. This scramble was a second variant of Rattlesnake Canyon I did. Indeed, there are almost an infinite number of variants one could try in these canyons.
I also did two variants of the Gunsight scramble from Indian Cove. Here is a view NE to Indian Cove and the 29 Palms Marine Base
A Bladder Pod shrub in a sandy wash. Although common, this shrub is a pretty sight in early spring.
Detail of a Bladder Pod (Peritoma arborea) seen in the wash on the approach to the Indian Cove – Gunsight scramble.
Bernard and I trying to locate the use trail on an Oak Canyon Potholes loop recon. The scrambling here was straightforward, in washes and fairly gentle canyons, but since the trailhead was at the end of a gravel road and the trail disappeared shortly after the start, we saw no one else that Saturday. Bernard leads hikes for the Coachella Valley Hiking Club to which I belong.
Gorgeous rocks at a dry waterfall on the Oak Canyon Potholes loop
The Wonderland of Rocks from an overlook on the Oak Canyon Potholes loop

The Summits

The numerous desert peaks always seem to beckon to me. Apart from Ryan Mountain with its short, easy trail, and Quail Mountain, the high point in Joshua Tree, there is little risk of encountering others on a climb in or around the park. Such indeed was the case for the seven peaks more obscure I climbed this past winter, several of which I highlight here.

Wash walking view on the Joshua Mountain loop climb. This distinctive peak features a short but fun scramble to the summit. It is accessed from outside the park near the North Entrance Station.
View SW to Mount Mary from the pullout trailhead along Pinto Basin Road. Note the distinctive North Face.
Saguaro summit cactus on Mount Mary, to my knowledge, the only saguaro in the park.
Gneiss rocks seen on my descent of Mount Mary. I did a loop to add interest, making the climb a genuine traverse of the mountain.
Desert Globemallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua) seen on my approach to Mount Mary
Prickly pear on the approach from the O’Dell Rd trailhead to Queen Mountain, seen here in the background. This was the same trailhead used for the Oak Canyon Potholes scramble.
Mount San Jacinto vista from the beginning of the Queen Mountain ascent
Mount San Gorgonio from the summit of Queen Mountain
Hedgehog cactus on the Queen Mountain approach. Come in April to see flowering cacti.
Mojave Prickly Pear on the Queen Mountain approach
John and I attempted a trifecta of obscure peaks along Geology Tour and Berdoo Canyon Roads. Here is a view from Lela Peak towards the second and third peaks I would climb that day, Bernard and Little Berdoo, in the Little San Bernardino Mountains.
An Evening Primrose already in bloom near Lela Peak
My Subaru Crosstrek at the trailhead of Sheep Hole Mountain, off Amboy Rd in the Sheep Hole Mountain Wilderness, now part of Mojave Trails National Monument. I got an early start due to expected high temperatures.
Canyon rocks on the Sheep Hole Mountain ascent. The scrambling was excellent and my loop route took in a variety of terrain.
360 degree pano from Sheep Hole Mountain summit

I had intended to do a couple more peaks before heading to St George Utah for the spring, but as it turned out Sheep Hole Mountain was my final hike. I took a fall on the descent that cracked a couple of ribs. Other peaks will have to wait for my next trip to Joshua Tree. . .

The Coyote Casita

Highly recommended for one or two people if you are visiting the area is the Coyote Casita, an Airbnb listing in Wonder Valley outside of 29 Palms. The large patio with only the main house as a neighbor, a fire pit, and great sunrise and sunsets made it a wonderful choice for the five weeks.

Sunset alpenglow from my patio, looking East. Sheep Hole Mountain is in the background center, the Bullion Mountains on the left.
A roadrunner (pardon the poor picture quality, but these guys move quickly!) seen from my patio

I will be spending the spring in and around St George, Utah, recovering from my fall. This summer I have planned a four month trip to England, Italy, and several other European countries that will provide ample subject matter for numerous blogs. I’ll provide more details before I depart the US in late May.

Enjoy the spring season outdoors!

The Vagabond Hiker

Day Hiking San Diego County: West to East

Although San Diego County in southern California is no longer as extensive as it once was, having ceded territory to the surrounding counties, at some 4500 square miles in area it offers an amazing diversity of day hikes in an area larger than the states of Rhode Island and Delaware combined. For four weeks I rented an Airbnb, a former ranch hand’s cabin, in Dehesa Canyon just below the town of Alpine and about 30-40 minutes’ drive east of the city of San Diego. It proved a great location to experience some of the diversity the county offered, as I hope I captured in this “West to East” blog post. A map of the ecological regions of San Diego County may be found here.

Coastal Hikes and Walks

Pacific Ocean Trail vista at Torrey Pines State Reserve. A few minutes north of San Diego, the reserve is wildly popular with urbanites, and for good reason.
A Beach Suncup at Torrey Pines
Torrey Pine Grove. The rarest pine in the US, Torrey Pines are confined to the reserve, the coastal town of Del Mar to the North, and a couple of the Channel Islands off of Santa Barbara.
An impressive Dragon Tree at San Diego Botanic Garden. While the botanic garden was hardly a hike, virtually all the exhibits were outdoors among meandering paths, making for a very pleasant walk.
Turtles sunning at the botanic garden
My brother Clifford swallowed by a Yucca at an the botanic garden
View along the La Jolla promenade. My brother and I enjoyed a tasty vegan lunch on a roof-top deck in La Jolla, just to the north of San Diego.

Valley Hikes

A view of Mission Dam at Mission Trails Regional Park. About 15 minutes East of the city, it features miles of trails for all ability levels. Even mid-week it is a popular destination for the urban masses.
Trailhead view of El Cajon Mountain. This was the hardest hike I did in San Diego County.
The South Slope ascent route on El Cajon Mountain is from the lower left here
Ceanothus in bloom on El Cajon
Clifftop lunch view to the Southwest on El Cajon with the Pacific Ocean in the distant haze. After a 1900 ft vertical scramble in 1 mile, I didn’t feel like the easy (though overgrown) 2 mile walk to the actual summit.

Foothills Hikes

My front garden at the Dehesa Canyon Airbnb. This serene environment was a former cattle ranch, centrally located for all the County had to offer.
View during my ascent of Viejas Mountain in Alpine California. The swish town of Alpine was about 15 minutes from my cabin.
Summit 360 degree panorama on Viejas Mountain
Descanso Cliffs, a fun scramble nearby
Lawson Peak summit block. Most of the hike was a boring one on a disused fire road, but the summit block scramble definitely added some spice!
A view down Hollenbeck Canyon at the eponymous Hollenbeck State Reserve, a popular spot for weekend mountain bikers, dog walkers, and hikers
Pine Creek Wilderness water hole. This small wilderness area is close to the Mexican border, and there were signs of migrants along one of the trails.

Mountain Hikes

A mountain meadow along the Sweetwater Loop trail I hiked at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. I did three different hikes at this State Park, about 30 minutes from my Airbnb.
Evidence of Acorn Woodpeckers at Cuyamaca Rancho SP
Clifford reaching the summit of Stonewall Peak, Cuyamaca Rancho SP
Stonewall Peak summit vista to the North
Laguna Meadows Loop vista, Laguna Mountain

Desert Hikes

Anza Borrego Desert State Park (ABDSP). View towards the isolated community of Borrego Springs from Hellhole Canyon. Returning to this state park after 15 years was the main reason I stayed in the San Diego area.
Clifford under California Fan Palms in Hellhole Canyon. Longtime followers will know that the California Fan Palm, the only palm native to California, is one of my favorites.
Maidenhair ferns in Hellhole Canyon. Ferns in the desert do seem oxymoronic to me.
Borrego Springs view from the California Riding and Hiking Trail on the loop return from Hellhole Canyon
Whiteflower Currant bush from the CRH Trail, ABDSP. Not much was in bloom this early in the year.
The North Grove on the Mountain Palm Springs Loop hike, ABDSP
Filtered sunlight in the North Grove, ABDSP
An Ocotillo in bloom, ABDSP
An Elephant tree (Bursera microphylla) at Torote Bowl, ABDSP. Torote is the Spanish name for the tree. There were about a dozen specimens of this signature plant of the Sonoran Desert scattered around this bowl. A good article on this amazing tree can be found here.
Elephant tree leaf detail. The tiny leaves give rise to its species name, microphylla.
The Vagabond Hiker under an Elephant Tree at Torote Bowl
A Smoke Tree in the Coyote Mountains Wilderness. Clifford and I hiked the “Domelands Loop” in this arid landscape administered by the Bureau of Land Management.
Clifford climbing out of a canyon in the Coyote Mountains
Coyote Mountains Wilderness view of the Carrizo Badlands. An Ocotillo is on the right.
A Ghost Plant (Graptopetalum paraguayense), Coyote Mountains Wilderness
Slots with wind caves, Coyote Mountains Wilderness. Hiking through some of the slot canyons in this maze was a highlight of the day.

I have relocated a few hours northeast to the town of Twenty-nine Palms California for the next 6 weeks. Just to the East of the tourist mecca of Joshua Tree, 29 Palms is an ideal base for hiking in Joshua Tree National Park and the southern portion of the Mojave Reserve, the theme of my next blog post.

Until then, enjoy the great outdoors wherever you are,

The Vagabond Hiker

Chiricahua Mountains and beyond: Southern Arizona and New Mexico

My chosen home from mid December to mid January was an AirBnb guest house on a working ranch in Southwest New Mexico. The remote ranch was about three hours’ drive from Tucson, the nearest city. The most remote AirBnb I’ve stayed at yet, the ranch was more than an hour from any supermarket. However, it was conveniently located for hiking the Chiricahua Mountains of Southeast Arizona, only a half hour from the Cave Creek entrance in Portal Arizona.

Apart from trails emanating from Cave Creek (a popular birder’s destination), many other great hikes abounded, though most were 80 or so miles distant (considered a short drive in these remote areas). I hiked quite a few and collected some of my photos of this disparate landscape for this blog. Enjoy!

Tonto National Monument, Arizona. Salado Cliff Dwellings (ca. 1300-1450 CE) are on the left in this photo. I stopped here on the morning of the second day driving from St George Utah.
View of Saguaro cacti and Roosevelt Lake from the Tonto National Monument trail to the Cliff Dwellings
The Cienega Ranch Guest House where I stayed for a month (AirBnb photo)
Morning alpenglow on the Chiricahuas from my veranda at Cienega Ranch
A rock face along Cave Creek in the Chiricahua Mountains. Cave Creek, on the east side, was the most convenient access point for me and boasted a wide variety of hikes from easy half day hikes to strenuous backpacks.
A Cholla cactus in bloom on the Silver Peak trail. While not the highest, Silver Peak was the nearest Chiricahua Mountains peak from my AirBnb and had a well-maintained trail.
Rock formations on the Silver Peak trail
Summit vista Northwest from Silver Peak. The twin peaks in the center distance are the Dos Cabezas, spearated from the Chiricahuas by the Apache Pass.
Rock formation on the Silver Peak trail
Morning sunlight on the South Forks to Burro Trail loop hike (this portion was an off trail exploratory I added) above Cave Creek
A waterfall on a side canyon feeding into Cave Creek, Chiricahua Mountains
Chiricahua Mountain view from the Herb Martyr-Snowshed loop hike I did in January above Cave Creek.
Snow on Finnicum and Sentinel Peaks of the Chiricahua Mountains on the January loop hike. Snow finally arrived at elevations of 6000 to 7000 ft around the New Year.
Hoodoos on the Big Loop Trail, Chiricahua National Monument. While the Monument, located in the Northwest portion of the Chiricahuas, encompasses only a fraction of the mountains, the rock formations are arguably the most dramatic.
Big Balancing Rock, Chiricahua National Monument: 22 feet in diameter and weighing about 1000 tons
Pinnacle Balancing Rock, Chiricahua National Monument. Not quite as large, but every bit as impressive as Big Balancing Rock.
The approach to Granite Peak, Peloncillo Mountains. Although not particularly high, it was the nearest mountain to my AirBnb, only a few miles north. This is the approach view from near the road head.
Granite Peak south slopes. This photo was taken from my earlier recon hike when I circumambulated the Peak, and highlights class 3 scrambling of the summit block
A gnarled old juniper on the summit block of Granite Peak
View Northeast from the summit of Granite Peak
Fort Bowie Arizona National Historic Site. The fort protected the wagon route between El Paso and Tucson before the railroad was built. View of some building ruins and Helen’s Dome, which I never did get a chance to climb.
Jacks Peak home site, high in the southern portion of the Gila Mountains, New Mexico. This hike was about an hour Northeast of my AirBnb.
Blackwater Hole, Bunk Robinson Wilderness, New Mexico. Deep in the ‘heel’ of New Mexico, this canyon was the definition of remote.
The only other people I say in Blackwater Hole were two mounted border patrol agents that had apprehended several migrants. Mexico was a long day’s walk to the South from here.
To end this blog on a more positive note, I saw this rainbow above the Chiricahua mountains from my veranda one morning before a storm arrived.

I am currently spending a month in Alpine California, a community in the foothills east of San Diego, with my brother Clifford visiting me and joining me on a wide variety of hikes which I will share with you in my next blog. Until then, enjoy the outdoors wherever you happen to be.

The Vagabond Hiker

Categories

Subscribe for Updates