Joshua Tree National Forest – Desert Center, CA

We had a great dispersed camping site outside the park’s southern entrance. We picked a spot facing the park, and we didn’t have many RVs coming into the area the whole week we were there. The distance from the southern end to the northern end is sixty miles. On our first day of hiking in the park, temperatures were in the 90s. As the day wore on, the temperature began to slow our hiking pace.

Our first stop was the Cholla Gardens. It’s the only place in the park where these plants grow in abundance. Be careful where you step, as these needles aren’t pleasant if you tend to get too close to the plants. Needle nose pliers are in a container near the entrance, just in case you need to extract those pesky needles.

We explored the Arches Rock, Heart, and Split Rock trails to view some of the most amazing rock formations. Along the way, Joshua trees can be seen throughout the park. Mitch and I mentioned we were glad we visited before the summer heat kicked in.

The day we hiked the Lost Palms Oasis trail, the temperature had dropped to a more comfortable level, which allowed us to enjoy this seven-mile hike much more. The desert blooms on this hike were fabulous. California had more than its usual rainfall, which brought out an array of beautiful flowers. At the end of the trail is the coveted Lost Palms Oasis. While there were plenty of palm trees, there wasn’t a splatter of water to be found.

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