Joshua Tree National Park: The Complete Guide , livre ebook

Destination Press - James Kaiser

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219 pages

English

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Description

Joshua Tree National Park boasts some of California's most dramatic desert scenery.

From the weird and wonderful Mojave Desert to the vast and stark Sonoran Desert, Joshua Tree: The Complete Guide reveals the park’s highlights and hidden gems.

Whatever your interests—hiking to the top of Ryan Mountain, rock climbing the Wonderland of Rocks, watching golden sunsets from Keys View—Joshua Tree: The Complete Guide puts the best of Joshua Tree National Park at your fingertips.

Gorgeous color photos showcase the park's best destinations. Fascinating chapters on History, Geology and Wildlife reveal the story behind the scenery. Detailed maps guide readers on the park’s best hikes.

An indispensable guide for outdoor enthusiasts and travelers on a budget, Joshua Tree: The Complete Guide is the only guide you'll need!

The bestselling Joshua Tree guidebook for over a decade!

Over 100 Stunning Color Photos

Over 20 Detailed Maps

Printed on sustainable FSC paper

Sujets

Travel

Pacific

United States

West

California

US

Informations

Publié par	Destination Press
Date de parution	09 août 2022
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781940754536
Langue	English
Poids de l'ouvrage	2 Mo

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,1100€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

Extrait

Contents
Map of Joshua Tree
Congratulations!
Introduction
Top Attractions
Adventures
Hiking & Backpacking
Backpacking in Joshua Tree
Rock Climbing
Other Adventures
Biking
Four-Wheel Drive Roads
Horseback Riding
Getting to Joshua Tree
Entrance Fees
Visitor Centers
Basics
When to Visit
Weather
Hazards in Joshua Tree
Hotels & Lodging
Camping in Joshua Tree
Camping Outside Joshua Tree
Organized Activities
Joshua Tree Campgrounds
Gateway Towns
Restaurants
Entertainment
Outdoor Outfitters
Non-Profit Organizations
Local Festivals
Beware of Yucca Man!
Geology
Ecology
Desert Wildlife
Desert Plants
Wildflowers
Joshua Tree
Desert Fan Palm
Pricklypear Cacti
Cacti
Mojave Mound Cactus
Desert Barrel Cactus
Hedgehog Cactus
Chollas
Creosote Bush
Wildlife
Roadrunner
Gambel’s Quail
Loggerhead Shrike
Cactus Wren
Scott’s Oriole
Hummingbirds
Owls
Desert Bighorn
Sheep
Coyote
Mountain Lion
Desert Kit Fox
Bobcat
Ringtail Cat
American
Badger
Bats
Kangaroo Rats
Woodrats
Black-tailed Jackrabbit
Desert Cottontail
Desert Tortoise
Snakes
Desert Banded Gecko
California Tree Frog
Red-Spotted Toad
Tarantula
Giant Hairy Scorpion
Tarantula Hawk
History
European Colonization
The California Gold Rush
Gold Miners in Joshua Tree
Stamp Mill
Gold Mining in the Desert
The Willie Boy Manhunt
Was Willie Boy Innocent?
The Legendary Bill Keys
Gunfight in Joshua Tree
Minerva Hoyt’s Monument
Creating a National Park
Rock Stars & Joshua Tree
Mojave Desert
Mojave Desert Hikes
Boy Scout Trail
Hidden Valley
Keys Ranch
Wonderland of Rocks
Barker Dam
Wall Street Mill
Ryan Ranch
Cap Rock Nature Trail
Johnny Lang Tombstone
Lost Horse Mine
Keys View
Salton Sea
San Gorgonio Pass
Saddle Rock
Hall of Horrors
Ryan Mountain
Queen Valley
Geology Tour Road
Boulder Outcrops
Malapai Hill
Paac Küvühü’k
Pleasant Valley
Gold Coin Mine
Berdoo Canyon Road
Skull Rock
Live Oak
Split Rock
Oasis of Mara
Oasis in the Desert
Indian Cove
Black Rock
Warren Peak
Covington Flats
49 Palms Oasis
Sonoran Desert
Sonoran Desert Hikes
Arch Rock
Wilson Canyon
Silver Bell Mine
Pinto Basin
Cholla Cactus Garden
Ocotillo Patch
Coxcomb & Eagle Mountains
Old Dale & Black Eagle Mine Roads
Desert Washes
Cottonwood Spring
Mastodon Peak
Lost Palms Oasis

Map of Joshua Tree

Joshua Tree: The Complete Guide
©2022 Destination Press
Written & Photographed by James Kaiser

This book would not have been possible without the help of many generous people. Special thanks to Hannah Schwalbe, Kristi Rugg, Lorna Lange, Joe Zarki, Melanie Spoo, Michael Vamstad and the entire staff at Joshua Tree National Park. Additional thanks to Andrea Kaiser, Adam Himoff, Andrea Himoff, Josia Lamberto-Egan, Maria Matijasevic, Bryan Beasley, Grant Thompson, Ryan Johnston, Carrie Petree, Scott Braman, Adam Preskill, and Natalie Stone.
Special thanks to eagle-eyed readers Edward Wilson, Zach Sherman, and Stan Kresowski who spotted errors in previous editions.
As always, a very special thanks to my family & friends, & to all the wonderful people I encountered while working on this guide.
All information in this guide has been exhaustively researched, but names, phone numbers, and other details do change. If you encounter a change or mistake while using this guide, please send an email to james@jameskaiser.com . Your input will improve future editions of this guide.
Although every attempt has been made to ensure the accuracy of information contained within this guide, the author and publisher do not assume and disclaim any liability to any party for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions. Information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but its accuracy and completeness are not guaranteed. If the rigors and threats of nature are in any way beyond your capabilities, do not attempt any hike in this guide. Many photos in this book depict people in precarious situations. Do not assume that any situations depicted in this book are safe in any way. All maps in this guide are based on official USGS data, but serious hikers should supplement their outings with detailed hiking maps.

Congratulations!

I f you’ve purchased this book, you’re going to Joshua Tree. Perhaps you’re already here. If so, you’re in one of the most intriguing national parks in America.
Joshua Tree is beautiful. Joshua Tree is grotesque. Joshua Tree is peaceful, crazy, crowded, empty, freezing, sweltering, and a million other contradictions rolled into one. Some people think it’s a wasteland. Others love it at first sight. The park lures everyone from elderly wildflower watchers to youthful rock climbers. It’s a land of desert adventure packed into a landscape fit for Dr. Seuss—twisted trees and balanced boulders speckling the spectacular scenery. Add a fresh blanket of snow and you might as well be in Whoville.
And now ... my confession: The first time I came to Joshua Tree, I didn’t like it. I was camping with friends who invited me on short notice, and we got caught in a winter storm. I had no warm clothes, it was freezing cold, and our fire kept sputtering out. If the park was like Whoville, I was the Grinch, with grouchy complaints flowing from a mouth that was definitely not two sizes too small. On the second night, my friend’s puppy, Sadie, woke up in the middle of the night, climbed onto my friend’s sleeping bag, and relieved herself on his face. As far as I was concerned, that premeditated piddle made the entire trip worthwhile. But otherwise the trip was a bust. By the time we left, I had little love for Joshua Tree.
Thankfully, I gave the park a second chance. I came back in early spring, when the temperature was mild, and immediately experienced a change of heart. The scenery grew on me. The strange plants fascinated me. But the real revelation came at night, when billions of stars blazed overhead. I was hooked. And I’ve been hooked ever since. To those of you who have ever gone to Joshua Tree and gotten lost in the stars, this book is for you.

jameskaiser.com
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Introduction

S traddling the boundary between the Mojave Desert and the Sonoran Desert in Southern California, Joshua Tree is home to some of America’s strangest scenery. The park’s twisted trees, rugged rock formations, and jumbled geology create a lurid landscape that lures rock climbers, rock stars, and desert aficionados from around the globe.
At roughly 800,000 acres, Joshua Tree occupies a vast chunk of Southern California’s desert. But only two major roads run through the park: Park Boulevard and Pinto Basin Road. Park Boulevard passes through the Mojave Desert, which lies above 3,000 feet in elevation. The Mojave has a slightly cooler climate filled with unusual rock formations and thousands of Joshua trees. The rock formations, some as tall as twenty-story buildings, attract a steady stream of rock climbers. Joshua Tree boasts thousands of climbing routes, making it one of North America’s premier rock climbing destinations—especially in winter and spring when other vertical playgrounds are covered in snow.
Pinto Basin Road passes through the Sonoran Desert, which is characterized by lower elevations, hotter temperatures, less rainfall, and wide-open spaces. Much of this open space lies within Pinto Basin, a 200-square-mile expanse of land that marks one of the westernmost edges of the Sonoran Desert. Pinto Basin is massive: five of the park’s six mountain ranges define its boundaries. Located just a few miles north of sprawling Coachella Valley (one of California’s fastest growing areas), Pinto Basin offers a pristine reminder of the rugged beauty of the untouched desert. Joshua trees are absent, but equally fascinating plants such as cholla, ocotillo, and smoke trees call Pinto Basin home.
Thousands of years ago, Pinto Basin was home to prehistoric people. By the time of European colonization, the park was used by the Serrano and Cahuilla tribes. In the mid-1800s, cattle ranchers came to Joshua Tree, followed by gold miners in the 1880s. By the 1920s, the gold was largely gone, the indigenous tribes had been forced out, and only a few hardy white settlers remained. Following the popularization of the automobile, day-trippers from Los Angeles began exploring the desert. In 1936, Joshua Tree National Monument was established, and in 1994 the Desert Protection Act upgraded Joshua Tree to a national park. Today Joshua Tree National Park welcomes over three million visitors each year.

Top Attractions
Hidden Valley
This secret valley, surrounded by towering rocks, was used as a hideout by cattle rustlers in the 1800s.
Keys View
Bask in panoramic views of Palm Springs and Coachella Valley from one of the highest points in the park.
Ryan Mountain
A dramatic hike that offers sweeping views in the heart of Joshua Tree.
49 Palms Oasis
This gorgeous palm oasis, reached by a moderate trail, is one of the finest destinations in the park.
Arch Rock Nature Trail
Stroll among fantastic boulder formations en route to a dramatic natural stone arch.
Cholla Cactus Garden