Created in 1994 as part of the California Desert Protection Act, Joshua Tree National Park covers 560,000 acres within Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.

This is the wide open spaces at its best! In the Northern part of the park you will find a rock climber’s paradise. Quartz monzonite boulders and monoliths abound and people come from around the world to practice their skills on these particularly challenging climbs.

Here is, also, the land of the Joshua Tree. Actually a member of the lily family, this “tree trunk with daggers for leaves” was named by Mormon pioneers who thought that, in the moonlight, the tree looked like the prophet Joshua, with his arms extended to heaven.

The Northern parts of the park are situated in the Mojave, or “high” desert where it is not unusual to find snow during the winter months. Here, besides Joshua Trees, you will find Mojave Yuccas, Nolina, and Creosote.

Firearms are not permitted in the park and therefore the wildlife has not developed a fear of hunters or humans. Rabbits can often be found wandering around the campgrounds, and quail sometimes seem to get underfoot. Coyotes are often seen, especially near twilight, as they cross roads near the many desert washes.

As you travel South you reach the transition zone between the Mojave and Colorado, or “low” desert. This is where the Joshua Trees thin out and mesquite and, especially, cholla rule. The “Cactus Garden” is home to a particularly dense crop. In the park you will find intriguing geologic formations, including several natural arches. Malapai Hill is a unique volcanic formation that begs you to run to the top. At Cottonwood, you can find a plush oasis with palm trees and cottonwoods thriving. If you are real lucky you might even spy some desert bighorn sheep. Short hikes abound throughout the park. It is really an explorer’s paradise with several well-marked trails, and many more not so well-marked. Old mine roads lead to abandoned prospects, adits, and shafts. DO NOT ENTER these long-abandoned mines. Shafts can be particularly dangerous as they may be undercut. Merely standing near the edge could cause the lip to cave in bring you, and tons of earth, tumbling down. Some mines, however, such as the Lost Horse, can be viewed in reasonable safety. These mines are very well preserved, due to the fact that the air is dry and that you can’t remove artifacts from park lands. Joshua Tree offers several group campgrounds which can be reserved. Some family sites can be reserved also. Most sites, thought, are on a first-come/first-served basis. Those that do not offer water (most of them) do not have a fee. The rangers, especially the backcountry rangers, can be a great resource in assisting in your planning. Many areas exist that have particular qualities that may be attractive to certain members of your group. If you tell the rangers what you are looking for, they will certainly try to give you some good suggestions. The Oasis Visitor Center, which features a well-designed nature trail, has a wonderful selection of books, guides, and maps to help you to learn more about the plans, animals, rocks, and history of the monument. This would be a great place to visit before your first outing to the park. Joshua Tree National Park has its special charm. Give it a change to work its magic on you! Barker Dam

There is a standing lake at Joshua Tree, and it is quite surprising and impressive. The water is actually from a man-made lake, and Barker Dam is the source. The turnoff is near Hidden Valley Campground. A short road takes you to a large parking area. This is a loop trail of only about 1 mile on mostly flat terrain.

Even when the lake gets low, it is still a great visit. The reflections from the rocks above are begging to be photographed.

On good days, you can see a great meeting of the Park’s wildlife. Ducks frolic on the lake and birds can be seen everywhere. The loop takes you through some petroglyphs that were vandalized, which is a great lesson on damaging the ancient wonders we find.

Boy Scout Trail

Your troop can’t drive past this trailhead without wanting to hike it! The Boy Scout Trail is a 7.5 mile (one way) leads from Indian Cove into the main part of the park on Park Boulevard. If you are camping at Indian Cove, you can make this a round-trip and head back for the evening from a 15 mile trip. Or, if you are going to visit other areas of Joshua Tree, you will need a waiting vehicle on the other side to pick you up. This is easy to do, with the drive back down Highway 62 and through the Park Boulevard entrance only taking a few minutes.

The trail meanders through rocks, washes, and valleys and is a moderate hike. Be sure to have plenty of water. This trail is not recommended in the hotter months where dehydration can stop any Scout in his tracks. In the milder months, however, it can be quite pleasant.

Cholla Cactus Gardens

The color of the cholla changes by the second (Photo: J. Hermes) Where the Colorado and Mojave deserts meet, the ecology can be quite dense and interesting. Nowhere is this more apparent than the Cholla Cactus Gardens off Pinto Basin Road. Here is an especially dense forest of cholla. This is a great place for viewing at sunrise at sunset. Given the right light and the right angle, you can get a particularly amazing photo as the sunlight bounces off the needles of the cactus.

Cottonwood

Because this campsite is in the Southernmost part of the monument, which does not contain the huge quartz monzonite boulders for climbing, or the Joshua Trees after which the park was named, you will usually find smaller crowds.

A group camp, consisting of several sites, can be reserved at Cottonwood. The sites feature fire rings and sun shelters. The sites also have tables. Water is available, the parking lot is paved, and flush toilets have been installed. For this there is a nominal fee, but the group site is still a great value.

As with some of the other, larger, campsites periodic nature programs are conducted in the amphitheatre by knowledgeable rangers. Programs can cover things from plants, mammals, geology, and even star study. You cannot imagine the number of stars in the sky until you camp at Cottonwood.

From Cottonwood you can visit the old town site of Winona, perched on the shoulder of a nearby hill. Foundation stones and a few walls still remain. You can also follow the Nature Trail out of the camp and link up with the trail to Cottonwood Springs.

The Springs has been a haven for the thirsty traveler for untold centuries. Although I would not consider drinking the water now without purification, at one time it was so valuable that it was piped across the desert to the mines of the Dale District. The water flow has subsided much since then but many plans and cottonwoods still grow. Be careful climbing along the rocks, they are often wet and moss covered. The arrester near the springs indicates local gold mining activity.

From this oasis you can travel down the main wash toward Little Chilcoot Pass, built by teamsters in the 1800s (look at the singular boulder in the side wash as you begin the trip to the Pass and you will find a great example of a metate, indicating early man’s presence), then on to Morton’s Mill. The Mill site now contains the wreck of an old truck, some rusting cyanide tanks, and a few foundations. Like at Cottonwood, if you are very quiet, and very lucky, you may catch the glimpse of a rare desert bighorn sheep.

From Cottonwood Springs you can also take an 8 mile, roundtrip, hike to Lost Palms Oasis. This is a nice hike over moderate terrain. The Oasis is well worth the visit, especially the overlook to the trees. Dozens of Washingtonia Palms are scattered up and down the narrow recesses of this quiet canyon.

For those who don’t want to travel all the way to Lost Palms, a short trail leads up the hill to the Mammoth Mine near the top of Mastodon Peak. This easy-to-moderate hike will take you about an hour and the view from the peak is worth it. You can usually see the Salton Sea glittering in the distance.

The Mammoth Mine is on the other side of the peak, but please, be careful.

Another landmark can be found near Cottonwood, it is “Matt Riley’s Grave.” This unfortunate miner perished in the summer heat and was buried where he was found. This grave is about a quarter mile North of the Cottonwood Visitor Center, 60 yards East of the road. This is a silent reminder of the Boy Scout Motto…”Be Prepared!”

Geology Tour Road

One real good way to investigate Joshua Tree National Park is to take a drive, or a hike, along Geology Tour Road. This maintained dirt road leads into the heart of one of the most fascinating portions of the park.

A “Guide To Geology Tour Road” is available at the visitor center, which describes in detail, the 18 stops along the road. This 16 mile round trip is a definite “must see” for anyone who wants to really appreciate the park.

Malapai Hill, located within walking distance of the road, is pretty much a volcano that did not reach the surface. Since it did not come into contact with the air, the black basalt is particularly dense and heavy. Look around and find a specimen that is broken. With a small magnifying glass, or loupe, you can see olivine and quartz crystals that sparkle. Other minerals are tinged red, yellow, and violet.

On the way to the hill, look for the “Balanced Rock.” This is a great photo opportunity for your unit. A large boulder is precariously perched on a relatively small base. It looks like just a little effort could cause it to roll down the valley.

I first read about Squaw Tanks in a book published in 1919. Written by Joseph Smeaton Chase, the story described the tanks as they were back then. Mr. Chase, it seems, fell in love with the desert. To learn more about it he spent two years, with his horse Kaweah, roaming the land. “The tanks,” he wrote, “were well known in the area.” These tanks are merely depressions in the rock where water accumulates during the rare rains. After awhile, however, animals fall into the tanks and drown. Spiders, lizards, snakes, rats, and other assorted creatures combine with algae to form a particularly disgusting concoction. When he arrived at Squaw Tanks the aroma was so bad that even his thirsty horse refused to drink. The horse would just “…curl his lips and make an angry sound, but he wouldn’t drink.”

The tank was improved by range cattlemen during the late 1880s, by the addition of a concrete dam, which is now filled with silt. Near the tank, which is a popular climbing area, you can find several excellent examples of “metates” which were used to grind seeds by the local Indians. It is not wise to drive any farther than this spot during rainy season unless you have 4-wheel drive, and even at that, caution should still be exercised.

A short way from Squaw Tank you can find petroglyphs chipped into the Pinto Gneiss. This ancient “graffiti” occurred when the dark “desert varnish” covering the rocks was chipped away to expose the lighter stone underneath. Remember to leave these artifacts as you found them.

Continuing on the one-way road will take you to the remains of the Gold Coin Mine. A few shafts and prospect holes can be found, as well as the remains of two cyanide tanks used in the amalgamation process.

The road then leads in a big circle through Pleasant Valley and returns to the spot near Squaw Tank. The view is worth the drive. You can look toward Lost Horse Valley from the heights and you also are able to get a good view of Malapai Hill and the entire basin.

Allow 2 to 3 hours to travel Geology Tour Road. Take your time, get out, and walk around. Be sure to have your Scouts climb the rock pile West of the road near marker # 6. The giant, rectangular, block of quartz monzonite is a good backdrop for a Troop picture. Another Kodak moment!

Keys View

Off of Park Boulevard is a turnoff for Keys View, and you must visit this point, especially for sunrise! On a clear day (and air quality can be an issue), you have a breathtaking view of both San Jacinto and San Gorgonio Peaks. In twilight, you can clearly see the light of the Palm Springs Tramway. To the South, the Salton Sea sits quietly in the distance. If you’re lucky, you can even see into Mexico!

Still, on many days, the smog that slowly pushes its way through San Gorgonio Pass obscured the view. This is a great lesson for your Scouts on the impact humans have on the environment, even in these out of the way places.

Lost Horse Mine Trail

Located on the road to Key’s View, the visitor can stop at a small roadside exhibit, on the right, a few yards before the turnoff to the Lost Horse Mine. Here, amongst the Joshua Trees, you will find a rock-lined grave with a small headstone. This is the final resting place of Johnny Lane, one-time owner of the Lost Horse Mine. He died, probably of dehydration, and his mummified body was buried in a shallow grave, near where it was found, another victim of the desert.

Just past the gravesite, on the left side of the road, is the entrance to the Lost Horse Mine Trailhead. The dirt road leads a short distance to a small parking area. The 2 mile trail begins just past the gate. This easy-to-moderate hike leads you uphill past the remnants of past mining activity. The Lost Horse Mine, located near a hilltop, was one of the best producers in the park area with over 9,000 ounces of gold removed during the years of its operation. Since the mine is on park lands, most of the machinery remains.

The 10-stamp mill looks like it could be active again with just a few belts and a little work. These iron-headed stamps moved up and down, like an automobile intake valve, curing the gold-bearing ore as it passed beneath. The gold ore was taken out through a series of tunnels that operated on several levels. The opening to the 500 foot-deep main shafts can still be seen.

Concrete water tanks are still visible above the stamp works. The water was pumped from miles away in the Ryan area. Across the wash from the main mill site you can see the foundation remains of several houses, as well as several admits, shafts, and tunnels. The openings have been sealed, but erosion can undermine them at any time, so exercise caution.

A large plaque at the stamp mill has a diagram of the mine operation and briefly describes some of the machinery. Follow the trail uphill, past the abandoned main winch, to the top of Lost Horse Mountain. Here you will have a spectacular panorama of most of Joshua Tree National Park. Dark-colored Malapai Hill lies alone like a “bulge” in the desert floor. Just beyond, at the point of rocks, is Squaw Tank. You can see the dry lake in Pleasant Valley just sound of the Gold Coin Mine.

The view is perhaps the best in the park. You can look into the Jumbo Rocks area, you can see the boulders near Belle and White Tank. To the North is the Wonderland of Rocks, whose colors change with the moods and movement of the sun.

Below you is the old mining town. You can take a little time and try to visualize what it must have been like to have been at this spot 100 years ago. The stamp mill, and the incredible noise it must have made as it attempted to wrest the minute particles of gold from solid rock, filed the air with steam and smoke on a 24 hour a day, 7 day a week basis. Dynamite blasts rocked the earth, filling the canyon with the sound of exploding rock, and hydraulic drills noisily chewed into the quartz veins in preparation for the next series of blasts. Machinery screeching, men yelling, winches straining, ore cars dumping rock in the stamp mill’s hopper. Smoky, dirty, noisy, all this work for just one thing…Gold.

The mines are quiet now, with the only sound that of the wind whistling through the weathered timbers of the headframe. The only vibrations are those of an occasional hiker’s footfall on the winding hillside trail.

Gold…it can still be found here, but more important things can be found here, too.

White Tanks

The White Tanks actually contains several tanks, with this one being the easiest to find. This first-come/first-served campground offers parking for 2 cars in each site and is limited to 6 people per site, tents only. The sites are nestled among large boulders and are particularly attractive. Each site has a fire ring. Remember that through the park no collecting of anything is allowed, including firewood. Bring your own.

A well-marked nature trail takes the visitor on a short loop trip. Plans and geological information is given at the several sites.

One spot you will want to visit is “The Arch.”

This natural arch was formed by a combination of wind and rain eroding the White Tank Quartz Monozite. Bring your camera. At night, you can get some remarkable photographs as the moon rises over the arch.

At this point you might want to leave the marked trail and search for White Tank. One easy way is to boulder hop down the slot with the arch to your left. In a couple hundred yards you will find a wash (usually dry) on your left. Slightly downstream from this spot you will find the remains of White Tank. All that you will see is the 8 foot, or so, tall cement dam. This was put here to trap water for cattle near the turn of the century.

If you decide that you like dams, you can continue to search in a generally Easterly direction where, if you are lucky, you will find Grand Tanks. This is a truly large tank. Search the nooks and crannies upstream from the concrete dam and you may find the initials and date that are carved into a nearby rock. Perhaps this was an old time cowboy’s attempt at immortality.

The White Tanks area is a splendid area to boulder hop, explore, and practice rock climbing without getting very high off the ground. The maze of giant, tumbled, boulders offers numerous, cave-like, alcoves that just scream to be investigated. Watch for droppings and try to guess what types of critters call it home.

Across the paved road from the entrance to White Tank, and a short distance to the South, is a parking area and dirty road. This road leads to Hidden and Stirrup Tanks. This is a really worthwhile sidetrip. Again, giant boulders prevail. This area is unusually quiet with rarely even the sound of a bird to disturb the silence.

Just North of White Tanks is another small campground named Belle. Like White Tank it is a first-come/first-served site with fire rings. This too has no water available so no fee is charged. Both sites offer the vest best in state-of-the-art pit toilets, so if you insist on restrooms without odors, you might want to consider heading down the road to Cottonwood. Belle does have some remarkable boulders, especially Breadloaf Rock. West of Belle, you might be able to locate Twin Tanks.

The White Tanks area is easily accessible from the Park Headquarters Entrance Station. Just be sure to turn left (South) at Pinto Wye Road. This paved road crosses the monument from the North to South linking up with Interstate 10 25 miles East of Indio. The sign at the turnoff reads “Cottonwood 26 Miles.”

Joshua Tree Campgrounds

Most campsites require reservations which you can reserve online at http://www.reserveusa.com. In the popular winter months, you should do your reservation at least 30 days in advance, even sooner if possible.

Campsites are located at Belle (just North of White Tank), Black Rock Canyon (off Joshua Lane in Yucca Valley), Cottonwood (South end of the park off Interstate 10), Hidden Valley (centrally located), Indian Cove (in an “island” by itself, you have to leave the park and enter from Joshua Tree or Twentynine Palms), Jumbo Rocks (largest camp in the park), Ryan Mountain (good access to Lost Horse Valley and Ryan Mountain), Sheeps Pass (impressive sites and protected from the wind), and White Tank (small site but location of the Joshua Tree arch).