Joshua Tree NP

Heading back from Sequoia NP and going to Phoenix to fly home I stopped at Joshua Tree NP for two partial days. I managed to check it out fairly well based on the limited time. In the surrounding Mojave dessert the temp was about 110. At Joshua Tree the elevation is higher, 4K to 5K feet, so the temps were around 90 and semi-reasonable for hiking.

The park has a lot of dessert cactus and of course the Joshua Tree which is a strange tree with cactus like plants at the end of the branches instead of leaves. The park also has a lot of exposed rock in strange configurations and a number of climbing routes.

On the first day I drove in the North entrance and went to Barker Dam. This was an old gold mining area with some decomposing cars and an old mine site. Next was Ryan Mountain which was a nice hike up a 5500 foot mountain. Not a long hike but the 90 degree temps made it challenging. At the top there was a great view of the park. Looking toward the North entrance you could see the Joshua Tree areas and the rock outcropping. Toward the South it is more flat and harsher dessert.

The next day I drove up to Keys View at 5K feet and walked up from there to the top of a mountain. This area had views toward the Salton Sea and Palm Springs. The long view was faded from smog that blows into the area. Next was a lot of walking through interesting rock areas. I took short walks around Hidden Valley, Jumbo Rocks, Skull rock, and Cholla cactus garden. I went on a longer walk into another old gold mine in the afternoon (Lost Horse Mine).

Pictures explain this area best. Leaving the park to drive to Phoenix it was 115 in the Mojave dessert. People live there!

Barker Dam area

Barker Dam area

Going up Mt Ryan

Keys View - and next few pictures

Lost Horse gold mine

Mt Ryan

Cholla Cactus Garden

Temperature 115 outside the park at lower elevations

Sequoia and Kings Canyon NP 6/24-6/27

Sequoia and Kings Canyon are attached and are located NE of LA in Southern CA. Sequoia has most of the big trees and most of the hikes I did. Kings Canyon is like a small Grand Canyon with a river at the bottom and steep walls. The park itself is big and there are endless back packing (overnight) opportunities into many high peaks. I was day hiking so was picking from a smaller list of hikes although way more to do than I had time for.

I was staying at the valley at about 1000 ft elevation and temps ranged from 70 at night to 100 during the day. The valley is an agricultural area with miles of trees producing almonds, oranges, etc. Also some large scale meat operations and stacks of some of the biggest bales of hay I had ever seen. I talked to a farmer in the area and they said the bales weigh around 1000lbs. The hiking I did ranged in elevation from 5K to 11K which made for very reasonable hiking temps (60-80 depending on
time/elevation).

Wild life was very calm. Deer that stay in the trail as you walk by and bears that wander past without really changing direction or speed in spite of seeing you.

Day 1: Hiked Little Baldy which was a 8K high mountain that could be reached with a short 3.5 mile hike. Good views of the surrounding peaks. Then went to Muir Grove which was a nice relatively flat hike in the woods that ended at a grove of about 100 Sequoia trees. Nice to see them in the forest next to other "normal" trees. In the afternoon I drove down into Kings Canyon. Impressive road down into the canyon and nice roaring river at the bottom. I went on a river hike at he bottom before driving back out of the Canyon. The river hike was Roaring River Falls to Zumwalt Meadow.

Day 2: Alta Peak. This was the longest hiking day climbing a 11.5K foot peak starting at about 7.5K feet. The hike was 15 miles and included a side trail to Alta Meadows. The peak had some snow at the top which had pink strands in it. Not sure what mineral was causing the pink color. The top have great views of many surrounding peaks and some interesting trees and rock formations all the way up. Alta meadows had views back to the top of Alta peak and some nice meadows that were surrounded by more high peaks.

Day 3: Started with Big Baldy ridge which was a 5.5 mile hike up to some more good views and a granite top. Spent the afternoon hiking through many Sequoia trees on General Grant lop and Sunset trail. Sequoias are the most massive trees in the world. Not the tallest, although tall, and not the oldest although they live to about 3000 years old.

Day 4: Another significant day hiking to Weaver lake and then to Poop out pass on the way to Jennie lake (~12 miles). Nice secluded hike with plenty of views and some streams. Feet were tired at this point and I spent 15 minutes soaking them in a stream at one point. Great place to camp at the lakes. Since it was the last day I decided to push it after and go up Moro rock. This is a short 1 mile hike and is popular. Interesting though since the trail is made from cement on the side of a large granite mountain.Great views and steep interesting man made "trail".

I think this is a black bear? Much lighter color than we have in the East. Saw him on the trail and he just kept moving along.

Roaring River falls near bottom of Kings Canyon

Kings Canyon area - river walk

Kings Canyon road

Heading up Alta peak - next few pictures as well

Top of Alta Peak

Alta Peak

Alta Meadow hike

Very calm - had to walk around him/her to continue on trail

Big trees! Note people on left.

View from inside fallen Sequoia tree. You could camp in here. Plenty of room!

Weaver Lake

Sharing trail with horses. This happened twice during the trip on lower portions of trails.

Going up Moro Rock

Alta peak from Moro Rock

Moro Rock

Parking lot of the hotel