JOSHUA TREE — I did not expect a trip to the desert to include snowcapped mountains and near-freezing temperatures.
Yet there I stood, atop Ryan Mountain in Joshua Tree National Park. The wind chill was a frigid 38 degrees. Beyond the valley, dotted with thin, scraggly bushes and yucca plants, there were snowcapped mountains rising up to kiss the horizon.
I visited Southern California with my husband and a group of friends as a cold front was sweeping through the region. We tackled our most strenuous hike, Ryan Mountain, on our first day. It was a three mile out-and-back trail with more than 1,000 feet of elevation gain.
The view from the top was impressive, but we didn’t stay long because of the sharp, icy wind. Fortunately, temperatures rose as the week unfolded.
For most of my life, my idea of the desert was entirely based on what I’d seen in Disney’s Aladdin. Until last year, the closest I’d gotten to the American West was the Florida panhandle. I was expecting giant piles of golden sand, dry wind, blistering heat and not much else.
Fortunately, the desert is a lot more beautiful and diverse than “Arabian Nights” led me to believe.
Joshua Tree National Park marks the intersection of two different desert ecosystems — the Mojave and the Colorado. Its namesake plant, the Joshua Tree, isn’t actually a tree at all. It’s a yucca plant and a member of the agave family. These plants can grow up to 40 feet tall and live up to 150 years.
They also look like they’re straight out of a Dr. Seuss book.
Inside the park, there are mountains, massive rock formations and palm oases. There are more than 15 species of cacti and in the spring, wildflowers blanket small sections of the park.
When we stumbled upon them last week, I ran around taking photos like a kid in a candy store. Yellow poppies and indigo desert bells added something new and unexpected to the Joshua Tree landscape.
Call me sentimental, but I think desert wildflowers might be the most impressive and beautiful of all. They’re a testament to resilience and beauty, even in the harshest places.
Our expedition also included a jaunt on the Barker Dam trail, a mile long loop that takes about an hour to complete. With a total posted elevation gain of 50 feet, it was a far cry from Ryan Mountain. It felt more like a leisurely stroll.
Next, we explored the Hall of Horrors — a series of slot canyons amid a pile of massive boulders. If you liked the jungle gym as a kid, you’ll probably enjoy climbing up, over and around the rocks.
The trail to the boulder pile is short, flat and not well-marked. Fortunately, all you have to do is walk from the parking lot past one boulder pile to a second one. It’s less than a mile there and back.
Even if squeezing sideways through tiny slot canyons isn’t your idea of fun, the boulders are a great place to sit and take in expansive park views.
While spring temperatures are mild, visitors to Joshua Tree are advised to avoid hiking between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. during the summer due to the heat. Other important safety tips include staying on the trail, packing plenty of food and water and taking breaks when necessary. For more information, visit the National Parks Service website.
Next, we wandered through the “teddy bear” cacti in the Cholla Cactus Garden. It was short stop, but one worth making. Even though they look cute and fuzzy, I don’t recommend hugging the Cholla cacti.
We finished the week with 49 Palms. This trail wasn’t as strenuous as Ryan Mountain, but it definitely requires some patience. The trail weaves through the hills, taking hikers up and down steep inclines as the sun beats down. The National Parks Service even warns visitors not to hike 49 Palms when it’s hot.
Signs at the trailhead warn that Paul Miller, an experienced hiker and photographer, perished on the 3-mile path.
Nevertheless, 49 Palms is a great hike with the right safety precautions. The oasis at the end of the trail is home to fan palms, which can grow up to 75 feet tall.
A note for wildflower fans
If you’re a fan of wildflowers, April is the perfect time to take a trip to California. You’ll find some in Joshua Tree, but the best spots include sites like Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Carizzo Plain National Monument and the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve.
For our trip, we set aside a day to visit Diamond Valley Lake & Marina. It was absolutely worth the drive.
