Kelvin asked if, along this desert getaway, I wanted to make an excursion to Joshua Tree National Park, which was about an hour away from where we were staying, and I said "Sure." I'd never been to this park and figured a fall (NOT summer like in New Mexico!) desert hike (the park straddles the Colorado and Mojave deserts) would be a fun thing to do when kid-less.
Despite a later morning start than planned (without kids or work stress, my body didn't wake me up until after 7 a.m.!), we made it to the park close to 9 a.m. and started out from the Black Rock Campground on the trail leading to Panorama Loop (about a 6.5-mile hike).
It actually was a fairly cool desert morning (50-60s), and as it was a fall weekday, we saw very few other hikers, although the campground looked pretty happening.
There were lots of interesting cacti along the way, including the Joshua Trees (yucca brevifolia) for which the park is named.
We saw very little signs of life, except a couple of lizards and some beetles, and it was really peaceful.
The top of the "loop" was pretty breezy, with views of the surrounding desert and town of Yucca Valley as well as some windmills.
I have to say that hiking on sandy trails in the desert isn't quite as satisfying as hiking through forests and lakes to a stunning viewpoint at the top, but at least it wasn't a hundred degrees and we had plenty of water (and zero kids to carry). I remarked to Kelvin while walking that we've taken several "desert" trips this year-- to Bend, Oregon (the "high desert"), Rancho Murrieta, CA (July), Albuquerque, New Mexico (July) and now back to SE California on this trip. When you live in a cool, coastal climate, the dry (and warm) desert feels like a nice break (and a nice break it was!).
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