Big Wall Petroglyphs
In late 2017, my friend JP and I explored the backcountry of Joshua Tree National Park. On our way to another site, we stopped at a small petroglyph site in a wash that we are calling the "Big Wall Petroglyphs."
Fortynine Palms Oasis
The Fortynine Palms Oasis is a popular and well-traveled hike to a shady palm oasis just outside the town of Twentynine Palms.
The trail was once part of an old Indian trail. The Serrano and Chemehuevi Indians knew this oasis well, ate fruit from the palms, and used the fronds
Golden Bee Mine
Most people who visit the Cholla Cactus Garden don't know is an old mine with an interesting history is just a few miles away, gazing down on them.
Sky Portal Pictographs
It took quite a few hours of bushwhacking to reach this remote set of pictographs under a single boulder in the backcountry of Joshua Tree. It was an all-day adventure.
The brightness of the pictographs found here is rare. Most rock art in Joshua Tree is faded from weather and
Hexahedron Mine
Sometime before 1894, Al Tingman ("The Father of Indio") and Ed Holland (of Lost Horse Mine fame) staked claims on some rich gold ore outcrops high above Pleasant Valley. They sold the mine to Bill and John Garrison, who formed the Hexahedron Mining Company. The Company dug a
Mastodon Mine
The Mastodon Peak Loop is an easy ramble near Joshua Tree's Cottonwood Campground and draws plenty of visitors. But while the trail is well-trodden, the story of the mine and nearby mills is lesser known.
Barker Dam
It goes without saying that water is vital in the desert, and Joshua Tree is no different.
History
A rancher named C.O. Barker built the dam around 1902 to improve the natural tank for his cattle. Along with the nearby Cow Camp reservoir, the tank was an important watering