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Historic

Historic places

52 posts

Clark’s Pass Bullseye

Clark’s Pass Bullseye

During World War II, the vast deserts of the Southwest became unlikely training grounds for military personnel. One lesser-known spot was a bombing target now tucked inside the northern border of Joshua Tree National Park. Bombs were dropped on Joshua Tree? Yes! Apparently so. But at least they were only

Owlhead Mountains Fuel Tank and Dart

Owlhead Mountains Fuel Tank and Dart

You never know what you will find in the desert. My friends Dale and Brian hiked with me out to an intact military aerial target dart and an aircraft auxiliary fuel drop tank. We were way out in the wilds of the Owlhead Mountains in the southern end of Death

Samuelson’s Rocks

Samuelson’s Rocks

This isolated rock outcrop known as Samuelson’s Rocks was once the homestead of Johann (or John) Samuelson, a Swedish immigrant who arrived around 1926. He must have had some time on his hands because some of the boulders here have 1930s Depression-era political and naturalistic commentary. Search around the

Twin Tanks

Twin Tanks

The Twin Tanks are a couple of natural tanks enhanced by cattle ranchers with concrete dams to hold more water. The southern dam is concrete with rock mixed in, and the northern one is plain concrete. This one also has an inscription of "C. O. Barker" in the

Pipes Canyon

Pipes Canyon

Pipes Canyon is a pleasant and easy hike. The trail heads out from the visitor center at the Pioneertown Mountains Preserve and follows the canyon up into a riparian habitat. The canyon is usually dry, but water does occasionally surface to support this isolated oasis. Keep an eye out for

Sprucemont Ghost Town

Sprucemont Ghost Town

Sprucemont (really called Spruce Mountain) was actually a few mining camps spread across Spruce Mountain. First mined for lead-silver ore in 1869, it was a long-lived and successful mining area. The mines here produced ore all the way into WWII, almost a hundred years worth. The mines are now caved,

Grand Wash Cliffs Colony

Grand Wash Cliffs Colony

I met up with legendary explorer Roger Mitchell to explore the Grand Wash Cliffs of Arizona. It was a surprise to both of us when we found an abandoned group of cabins tucked back in the woods. The cabins appear to have been built and then abandoned in the 1970s