A Week in Joshua Tree National Park

Atlas at Sunset, Joshua Tree National Park

Our first visit to Joshua Tree National Park did not disappoint!  The only thing I felt sure of for my visit in late April was that there would be crowds.  But actually, they weren't bad at all.

We flew into Ontario International Airport by mistake as we were not aware of the airport in Palm Springs until it was too late.  Looking into it, the drive to Joshua Tree was only 30 minutes different under normal conditions.  I say normal because Coachella was going on the weekend we arrived!  We missed the crowds with our oversight!  Also, Ontario is a much quieter airport and easy to navigate.

We arrived at our campsite at Jumbo Rocks mid-day and got settled in.  Our plan was to stay here for the four nights we could reserve, then move to Hidden Valley for our last two (we never did).

Coyote in Jumbo Rocks Campground (phone pic).

We almost immediately discovered that we had a full-time resident in the campground - a coyote.  It wandered up and down the main road of the campground throughout the middle of the day hoping to scavenge some food.  Unfortunately, too often it was successful.  At night, the rest of the pack could be heard very close nearby.  We even had them sniffing outside our tent the first night.

The area was amazing.  The granite rock was unlike anything I had seen before.  Everything seemed round and polished (it was actually quite rough in texture).

Evening light in Jumbo Rocks.

The Jumbo Rocks area was easily my favorite area of the park with all the unique granite rock formations and exploring opportunities right from the campground.  The Discovery Trail, reached from the Skull Rock Trail out of the campground, was one of my favorites.  I walked it nearly every morning and evening for photography opportunities.  Split Rock was also easily accessed from here.  Skull Rock was interesting for certain, but it didn't hold a candle to what was across the highway from it, in my opinion.  It was also typically very crowded unless you visited early morning.

Early light in Jumbo Rocks

Of course, some might argue that it wasn't even necessary to leave the campground for photography, and they would be correct.  Atlas, the first image above, was taken from the amphitheater just above our campsite - about a 30 second walk!  I could almost always find fresh coyote scat in this area!

There were more opportunities just wandering the roads within the campground.  My favorite time to do so was in the morning with fresh cup of coffee in hand.  It was typically quite peaceful.

Fortynine Palms Oasis

Fortynine Palms Oasis was a much different destination than anything we had seen in the park.  It is a hot, dry trail.  There are signs warning you not to begin your hike after 10:00 am due to extreme heat.  There are even more signs up the trail telling you the high percentage of rescues that take place on this trail annually, and that park personnel will NOT respond to emergency calls for rescue during a mid-day hour window (I believe it was 11:00 am to 3:00 pm).

The trail ascends a dry slope to the top of a ridge with excellent views in all directions before descending down into a valley Fortynine Palms Oasis.  This oasis is amazing to witness as these trees are literally in the middle of a desert with nothing around, only surviving on a very small year-round spring.

It was a hot day, but the hike presented me with a completely different challenge that would affect the rest of my trip.  I got tired of my top-heavy tripod causing the compression straps of my daypack to loosen, resulting in my tripod bouncing around with every step I took.  I finally pulled the ballhead off the tripod as a hopeful solution.  But in the process, I accidentally pulled the mating stud and washer off the tripod and dropped it somewhere, never to be seen again. I could no longer mount my camera body to my tripod.

I got up early the next morning and repeated the hike in search of the lost parts, but to no avail.  I had to spend the rest of our trip hand-holding my camera to the top of the tripod and shooting at a higher ISO to achieve faster shutter speeds in hopes of achieving sharp pictures.  It was an interesting challenge!

Cholla Cactus, also known as Jumping Chollas and Teddy
Bear cactus!

Cholla Cactus Garden was an amazing area.  I've encountered these beautiful cacti in Saguaro National Park in AZ previously, but not in these numbers and intensity!

The official garden entrance and path were closed at the time due to renovation.  But there is ample parking along the side of the highway that allows you to wander to your heart's content.

Unfortunately, the problem I encountered the entire trip surfaced again.  What few clouds there were in the sky disappeared before sunset.  Much like photographing sunset silhouettes of the Joshua trees in Hidden Valley, you need a colorful sky to make them interesting.  We had bluebird skies during our entire visit.

Arch Rock.

Nearby the Cholla Cactus Garden is a short hike that takes you to Arch Rock and Heart Rock.  Remember the saying, "Don't bring a knife to a gunfight"?  I tried the opposite. I mistakenly brought my 75-200mm lens to a wide-angle composition setting!  With every inch of the back of my torso pressed against the granite wall behind me, I squeezed this composition out.  What I found after arriving home and editing images is that I really liked this version!  You don't see such a tight crop very often.  See, accidents can work!

"Split Rock", near the official one!

The Split Rock loop trail is a fun hike.  Being in Jumbo Rocks, it can be hiked from the campground but it is quicker to drive and park at the trailhead if you looking to photograph the rock(s).  Why is that?  Because the official Split Rock is at the trailhead parking lot!  However, just a short distance down the trail you come across this one, and a little further another!

The official Split Rock is popular amongst visitors and includes picnic table around and under it (opposite the parking lot).  While quite interesting, I found this one to be more photogenic.

We did this hike mid-day, and I realized I wanted to return for evening photography, primarily for this composition.  I played with different compositions for this one, and began shooting much earlier when much of the rock in the forefront was lit up by evening light as well.  I like many of the versions, but I think I prefer this one.

This hike can very easily be combined with the Discovery Trail from Skull Rock and the trail to Face Rock.

Hall of Horrors

We enjoyed many other hikes in the park during our stay as well. The official Hall of Horrors was a favorite.  It is not signed.  It must be navigated to, and while not difficult to find, and can take some snooping to find the entrance.  Lines of people would be problematic for this slot, so I'm sure the park wants it to stay this way.

Barker's Dam was a lot of fun.  The dam was dry during our visit, but still worth seeing the history.  And the petroglyphs!  I would recommend going early, not only for the best light on Barker Dam, but to beat the crowds.

The climbing area in Hidden Valley is a fun place to hang out, whether you just want to enjoy watching the climbers up high on the faces or photograph them.

One of our absolute favorite hikes we did our last day in the park was Ryan Mountain.  Do not miss this!  Go early to avoid the heat.  The hike is pleasant and the views at the top encompass most of the park!  My favorite view was looking toward Hidden Valley and the arial view you have of the Wonderland Rocks - the formations running north/south between Barker Dam and Indian Cove.  You would never imagine their size from the ground!

Other hikes we did that we were less impressed with were Ryan Ranch and Wall Street.  Locations?  Pioneertown.  Nothing but a tourist trap with very little to do, in our opinion.

You are probably wondering why Keys View is not represented here.  We visited it MANY times!  It's one of two places we found (near the intersection with Pinto Basin Road the other) that you can get signal!  We found during our visit that the air quality was very poor and we always had a clear and boring sky.  It just didn't work during this visit.  Maybe next time!

Morning light in Jumbo Rocks.

Photography tips?  Bring as much as you can pack.  I brought everything, including my night equipment for astro photography (but was always too tired stay up that late!).  I used all my different size lenses. 

Evening light is much softer than morning light in most all cases. Compare the picture to the right with the similar composition above and you will see what I am talking about.

Oh, and don't lose pieces to your tripod on the trail!

As always, thanks for looking.  I hope some of this information help you in your planning.  Joshua Tree NP is a great place to visit and I am looking forward to returning.

You can view more of these images in my Joshua Tree Gallery if you are interested.

You can the rest of my galleries at Mountain Scenes Photography.

See you on the trail!

Where the Saguaros Live

Saguaro cacti in evening, Saguaro National Park.

 As a kid, I remember watching cartoons such as Bugs Bunny and Road Runner and seeing the "coat hanger" type cactus depicted throughout their scenes.  Were there any other types?  Not in Toonville!

And it is no surprise - such a majestic cactus is an attention drawer and the epitome of the southwest landscape (maybe because of those cartoons).  The reality is that they are NOT very common at all.  In fact, their only existence is within the Sonoran Desert, mostly in Mexico and only a small part of southern Arizona.  California lays official claim to approximately 30 of this species.

So, where to go to see and photograph these beautiful tree-like icons?  Saguaro National Park near Tucson offers the perfect landing spot!  This national park was designed in 1933 to help protect the species and its habitat.  It's a unique national park in that it is so close to the city of Tucson and divided into sections, with the city itself being the divider!

Saguaro cacti in evening, Saguaro National Park.

Both sections of the park and have something to offer and both should be visited as they are only about 30 minutes apart driving.

Saguaro National Park East, Rincon Mountain District is closest to Tucson.  It sports the paved 8-mile Cactus Forest Loop drive with many pullouts for further exploration on foot.  This road provides many different viewing opportunities along the way, with each section seeming to offer something new.  Whether it is up-close views of cacti, diverse fauna scenes or panorama views of the Rincon Mountains and distant Tucson, the scenes are ever changing.

I have found this district of the park excellent for capturing more intimate shots of the fauna and sporting much diversity of the many species of cacti together.  Prickly Pears and Chollas abound amongst the Saguaros!

I've also found it to be the much the less crowded of the two districts.

Saguaros in evening, Saguaro National
Park.

If you are hoping to catch sight of a snake or two from a safe distance, drive the Cactus Forest Loop in late afternoon.  In my experience, this is the best time to discover snakes basking on the warm black top or simply slowly crossing the road in their unhurried manner.  If you see a line in the road ahead, slow down - it's likely a snake!

Saguaro National Park West, Tucson Mountain District is much different, yet with many similarities.  While I consider Saguaro East to offer more accessible up-close compositions of fauna, Saguaro West offers forests of Saguaros against the impressive landscape of the Tucson Mountains.  The views from the Visitor Center itself are impressive.  Add to it the Bajada Loop Drive, a popular 6-mile graded dirt road thru fantastic groves of Saguaro cacti, and you will understand its popularity.  It also offers some fantastic hiking opportunities, with arguably the best hike being King Canyon Trail to Wasson Peak (made into a loop by descending the Hugh Norris Trail back to the Esperanza Trail cut-off back to King Canyon).

Gates Pass Scenic Overlook is a nearby attraction in Tucson Mountain Park that offers amazing sunset views.  No need to drive out of your way.  If coming from Tucson, you will drive over this pass on your way to Saguaro West!  Watch for a turnout sign to your right along Gates Pass Road.  Also, get there early for a parking spot!

Cholla Teddy Bear cacti in Saguaro
National Park.

Other nearby attractions are Old Tucson Studios, where MANY movies have been filmed over the years - some that might surprise you.  And the excellent Arizona - Sonora Desert Museum.

Sabino Canyon Recreation Area

While very popular (read crowded!) for its access to water as well as scenery, Sabino Canyon offers excellent hiking options and a tram that runs year-round up the 3.8 mile paved road.  This road attracts all audiences, from hikers to runners to cyclists.

For excellent hiking options, look at the Telephone Line Trail, which runs high above the canyon for excellent views, or the trail up Bear Canyon to Seven Falls.  Both are accessible from the Sabino Canyon parking lot (or overflow lot if arriving mid-morning or later on a popular day).

If visiting Sabino Canyon, I recommend purchasing your parking pass online beforehand as internet access is sketchy at the parking lot.  My first visit I tried three different times to purchase the pass from my phone, each time failing to receive a confirmation.  The screen just hung.  Later that day I returned to my hotel to see I had received (3) payment confirmation emails!

Photography Advise

I like to visit Saguaro East in the mornings for scenes like the backlit Teddy Bear Cholla on this page and similar scenes of other cacti just off the loop road.  It's easy to find several different species grouped together for interesting compositions.  I've found evening visits to be more challenging due to the stronger lighting and its angle.

Late afternoons and evenings are great for visiting Saguaro West.  Drive the Bajada Loop mid-afternoon to look for compositions to return to later.  Don't forget to check out the Valley View Trail.

The King Canyon Trail offers excellent opportunities as well.  The well-signed trailhead is just across from the museum, which offers lots of overflow parking if the trailhead parking if full (and almost as convenient).

Don't forget to snoop around the visitor center as well for some nice late afternoon compositions.  It offers a nature trail as well as two separate balcony platforms for your viewing pleasure.

Saguaro Cacti at sunset from Gates Pass.

Gates Pass Scenic Overlook is excellent for sunset if you have an interesting sky, or for views nonetheless!  Get there a little before and you can pull in compositions of Saguaros in excellent light on the surrounding hills with a zoom lens, such as the image to the left.  There is also an interesting pullout just below the pass on the other side, though not offering sunset view that Gates Pass offers.

One of the beautiful things about this area is that it is available year-round, though I would avoid the hot months!  I've done many hikes and photography in February.  April brings the wildflowers, which last into May.  May offers cactus blooms, with the Saguaro typically reaching peak in mid to late May.

Lenses

My go-to lenses were my 24-70mm and 70-200mm.  Both were used extensively.  I'm not saying you couldn't find use for a wide-angle lens, but mine never left my bag.  Now if attempting night sky photography, that would be a different story (understand Saguaro East is only open from sunrise to sunset - don't get trapped on the wrong side of the gate!).

Guides

Obviously, there is a lot available on the internet.  Besides that, publications I found very useful were:

• Photographing the Southwest, Volume 2, by Laurent Martres.
• Tucson - 38 Spectacular Hikes Around Old Pueblo, by Rob Rachowiecki.
• 100 Classic Hikes - Arizona, by Scott Warren.

I hope to have these images and more included on my website www.mountainscenes.com soon.  You can also visit my Facebook page for current news and events.

I hope some of this information helps you in planning your visit!  As always, thanks for looking.  Hope to see you on the trail!