Duct Peak
You will need to dust off your peak-bagging boots for the trek up the 3,137-foot Duct Peak. This small peak is in the eastern part of Joshua Tree in what I call the "Empty Quarter" of the park. This section of the park is completely
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
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.
History
There are a few minor prospects scattered along this side of the Hexie Mountains, but two gold veins were
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
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.
History
The Mastodon Mine was owned and operated by George Hulsey (and