Joshua Tree Traverse: From Pines to Palms

[Drew Smith]

Companion forum thread to: Joshua Tree Traverse: From Pines to Palms

JTNP has been a favorite cool-season destination of mine since the 1970s. Then, the Park (still a National Monument) had few paved roads and fewer visitors. The front country has since exploded in popularity and you need a reservation months in advance to car camp. But the backcountry remains desolate, a good place for those who like to walk and ruminate and connect to the landscape without distractions. This TR narrates a roughly 70-mile traverse from the high country at the west end of the park out to the eastern basins, then doubles back through the southern mountains and down to the palm oases of the Coachella Valley.

Read the first (of five) entries here: https://drewsmithblog.com/2024/01/winter-hike-in-joshua-tree-black-rock-to-covington-flats/

[Terran]

Always a pleasure to read about Joshua Tree. January can get surprisingly cold. Nice pictures.

[Paul Wagner]

Thanks for posting this–made me want to get down there again this year!

[CFDTuc]

Thanks for posting this. My wife and I have been day hiking JTNP the past few days. Fortunately for us, rains a few weeks ago have meant numerous wild flowers and fresh vegetation. Wish you could experience them now!

Beautiful post and descriptions!

[Author]

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