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Thread: Joshua Tree

  1. #1
    westernlens al olson's Avatar
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    Sep 2006
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    Southwest Mountains of Colorado
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    Joshua Tree

    Want to head out and spend a few days in Joshua Tree. Was planning to leave a week or so ago, ... and then the rains.

    Can anyone tell me how the rains affected JT? Are all the roads passable? How about the campgrounds?

    Where are the best places to camp in JT nearest the best places to go? I have a little Scamp and a Golden Age Pass and I am very frugal. No KOAs if I can help it!

    Thank you for you help,
    al

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    Stevens Point, WI
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    1,553

    Re: Joshua Tree

    I was just out there in December. Can't speak of the rain effects. The main 2 roads are both paved. the roads into the campgrounds are paved, but then dirt once you enter the campground. Any of the campgrounds are nice. I thought that the campgrounds at White Tank and Jumbo Rocks were very nice. That little Scamp would be perfect out there.

  3. #3
    Michael E. Gordon
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
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    Southern California
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    Re: Joshua Tree

    Roads should be perfectly fine. JTNP doesnt see the sort of rain bursts as does DVNP.

    All but one of the campgrounds are small, and most are commonly filled on weekends. Your best best for getting a site will be at Jumbo Rocks. You don't even need to leave this campground to enjoy yourself, and at least two of the Park's photographic icons are found there.

    There is NO water available in the park, so be sure to bring your own. Have fun!

  4. #4
    westernlens al olson's Avatar
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    Re: Joshua Tree

    Thank you, Jerold and Michael!

    Your information is very helpful.
    al

  5. #5
    Joshua Tree, California
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
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    224

    Re: Joshua Tree

    There is some sand on low spots in the road washed there by the recent rains. Also in some of the campground parking areas. But it isn't much of a problem as it's just a thin covering not deep sand.

  6. #6
    dperez's Avatar
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    Jun 2008
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    Santa Ana, CA USA
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    Re: Joshua Tree

    I was there on Christmas weekend. Camped out near the Juniper monolith. Barker damn is about 80% full. There was a lot of moisture in the air the entire time I was there. I was constantly dealing with lens fogging. Temperatures dropped to the twenties so be prepared if you are planning on camping. I woke up to a frost covered tent, and on Christmas morning I planned to shoot Chola Garden at sunrise, but my car would not start. So be sure that your car battery has enough cranking amps in low temps.

    Let me know if you would like some GPS locations for a few good areas to consider in the park.

    You should have a good time. Good luck!

  7. #7

    Join Date
    May 2010
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    67

    Re: Joshua Tree

    The Wonderland of Rocks is likely an area you'd like to explore.

    Driving in from CO, you might want to take the back way in from Vegas and see the Kelso Dunes, the ghost town nearby (Kelso, I think?) and maybe the seriously creepy town of Amboy, pop. 18.

  8. #8

    Join Date
    Oct 2008
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    san francisco
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    Re: Joshua Tree

    Agreed on the responses so far. I was in JTNP all day Monday Dec. 20th just before the wave of 3-straight days of rain came in. (Folks in Palm Springs said they almost never see constant, multi-day rain like that. By Weds., some streets in PS were flooding.)

    I took one or two of the park's few dirt roads and there was no problem. They were a little soft, but no issue even for a Subaru Outback.

    In Anza-Borrego DSP after the rains (on the 24th), some dirt trails had sizable, deep mud puddles blocking them. For the most part though, there was a way to swing around them without having to cross-country drive too badly. Of course, every trail will be different.

  9. #9

    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Arizona
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    Re: Joshua Tree

    Al,
    I was just there about 4 hours ago. The only road I saw closed was one dirt back road. All the main roads are fine. Some of the washes had been running, but are now dry. All the campgrounds we looked at were just fine. This was my first visit, and what I came out with was, forget the south 2/3rds of the park go to the north end.

    Have fun.
    Go buy some film, and release the magic.

  10. #10
    westernlens al olson's Avatar
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    Re: Joshua Tree

    Thank you everyone for the helpful advice. This will be useful when I get ready to start out.

    It looks like we will have three days of snow with sizable accumulations if today's precipitation is an indication. I will plan to leave next week if I can get my driveway dug out.
    al

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