Joshua Tree and Death Valley

In third grade, we did projects on the National Parks, and I got Joshua Tree.  I was really disappointed at the time, because everyone else had cool places like Yellowstone and Grand Canyon and I had a weird place that people only knew about because of a U2 Album (look it up, kids, it's one of the greatest recordings ever).  Pretty much all I remembered was little desert animals and funny trees.  When we did our Western trip in 1992, I hoped to go there but it just didn't fit into the route or itinerary. 

So this trip, I was determined to get to Joshua Tree.  And it was awesome.  I drove out from Temecula, listening to "This Podcast Will Kill You" along the way (which is also awesome, and everyone should listen).  I arrived from the South, checked in at the ranger station to get a map and guide, and paid my entrance fee.  The guide made it easy to plan out a route that included several short hikes (about a mile) through a variety of landscapes.  I'd expected funny trees- and there were plenty of them- but I hadn't anticipated the beautiful rock formations that dominated the park landscape.  This was childhood-me's dream- lots of things to crawl over!  I didn't do much climbing because I was alone, but it was tempting!  I ended up hiking about 5 miles total, which didn't feel like much until about the last half mile.  From one of the overlooks, you could see the San Andreas Fault.  I was determined to stay until dark, so I found a parking lot that didn't close at dusk, and I waited.  Luckily it was one of the few places in the park that got cell reception!  Once the sun went down, the starts came out.  Even though there was a quarter moon, there were still so many stars.  I was in heaven!  It was cold outside so I didn't stay too long, but I got to see so many stars!

A few days later, I headed north from LA to my second national park, Death Valley.  I decided that since I'd been at the lowest place on Earth last fall at the Dead Sea, I should go to the lowest point in the US. It was a long ride- five hours up there- but it passed quickly.  I drove into the park from the south again, and I was in the middle of NOWHERE.  There was no one around, not another human in site, for about an hour of the ride.  Then suddenly, there were cars and we were approaching the Badwater Basin, aka, the lowest point.  I parked and walked out to the middle of the flats, taking in all the beautiful scenery.  The mountains in the distance beyond the salt flats were just majestic. 

There definitely wasn't as much to do here as in Joshua Tree.  I drove the Artist's Point loop, enjoying the colorful mountains (not as good as Argentina!).  I also stopped in at the Furnace Creek visitor's center to pay my user fee and check out some of the displays there.  Honestly, just the drive through was magical.  I left via the Western road, going over some towering mountains, again alone in the world.  Once I left the park, I was driving down between Death Valley and the back side of King's Canyon/Sequoia, and the mountains to my right were almost too big to believe.   The drive home was long- it felt much longer than the drive there. But overall, it was a day filled with the beauty of nature.

I'm so grateful for our National Parks here in the US.  We have such vast natural resources and beauty, and the nation has been great about preserving that for visitors.  I think getting to every park might be my next checklist, since I've been to all the Wonders of the World now (clearly writing this from the future.  Stay tuned).