Window Rock
I'm a fan of arches. I don't know why, but they are always fun to find. There aren't that many in the heart of Joshua Tree National Park (Arch Rock, Stamp Arch, and Garrett's Arch come to mind), but there is a
Boy Scout Trail
This is a shuttle hike that goes along the edge of the maze that is the Wonderland of Rocks, and then drops down into Indian Cove. It's not a backcountry hike to an old mine or anything, but I am including it for the completeness of Joshua Tree
Hidden Valley
Hidden Valley has a hidden secret: its outlaw past. The history of this area dates back to the mid-1870s when ranchers discovered it had good spring grazing and winter feed for their sheep and cattle. Around this time, a group known as the "McHaney Gang" began utilizing certain
Paymaster Mine
The Paymaster Mine, also known as the Black Warrior Mine, was a good producer in the Gold Park district. It had a 140-foot shaft with two levels of drifts and cross-cuts.
Cave of the White Orbs
Hidden in the rocks of Joshua Tree is a small pictograph rock shelter called the Cave of the White Orbs. I was asked not to give directions to this location.
Contact Mine
Information on these gold mines is sparse. Phil Sullivan, an early pioneer of Twentynine Palms, located the Contact claims by at least 1921. He filed a homestead there in 1897. (Also see the Silver Bell Mine.)
Along with Bill McHaney (see the Desert Queen Mine), Sullivan reportedly built an arrastra
Garrett’s Arch
This trip is a nice cross-country hike into the granitic maze that is the Wonderland of Rocks to find its best arch. Finding it will be much simpler with a map and GPS, so don't attempt the hike without either. It is easy to get lost back there.