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January 2022 News

January 2022 News

I've been working on trip reports. The directions are taking way longer than I thought they would, so I'm cutting back to just GPS waypoints and tracks for now. Maybe in the future, I will be able to add more details to them. But in an

Mastodon Mine

Mastodon Mine

The Mastodon Peak Loop is an easy ramble near Joshua Tree's Cottonwood Campground and draws plenty of visitors. But while the trail is well-trodden, the story of the mine and nearby mills is lesser known. The Mastodon Mine was owned and operated by George Hulsey (and his family)

Petroglyph Wash Arrastra and Petroglyphs

Petroglyph Wash Arrastra and Petroglyphs

I decided to head out to try and track down an arrastra I read about a long time ago. It was mentioned in a report to be one of only two known “wagon wheel” style arrastras in a national park (The other one is the Pinto Wye Arrastra out in

Barker Dam

Barker Dam

It goes without saying that water is vital in the desert, and Joshua Tree is no different. A rancher named C.O. Barker built the dam around 1902 to improve the natural tank for his cattle. Along with the nearby Cow Camp reservoir, the tank was an important watering hole

Picture Canyon Pictographs

Picture Canyon Pictographs

Picture Canyon, a well-named canyon in the southern Sheep Range (and part of the Desert Wildlife Refuge), has been rediscovered by hikers in recent years as they searched for missing long-distance hiker Kenny Veach. He disappeared in 2014 while searching for a cave he discovered on a previous hike. His

Antirhodes Mine

Antirhodes Mine

Window Rock

Window Rock

I'm a fan of arches. I don't know why, but they are always fun to find. There aren't that many in the heart of Joshua Tree National Park (Arch Rock and Garrett's Arch come to mind), but there is a lesser-known one