INDIO, CA AND JOSHUA TREE NP

Feb 24th - 26th

On Friday the 24th we drove to Indio, CA to spend three days before heading back to the Phoenix area. When we got to town the first thing we did was wash the car, then got something to eat and lastly buy groceries as we were out of some staples of life, like cereal and ICE CREAM!!! We also had to stop at the Shields Date Garden for some dates.

Saturday, we took a day trip to Joshua Tree NP. Whenever we are in the area we try to go there even if we are not camped in the park. It has such beautiful scenery with the rounded rocks and Joshua trees. Our advice is to avoid the weekends if possible. There were more people than ants on an ant hill. We left Indio which is about sea level and when we got to Keys View we were at 5185 elevation. It was breezy and cool.

The JTNP is unique in that it has 2 distinctly different eco zones. The southern half is part of the Colorado Desert and the northern half is Mojave Desert where the huge rock formations and Joshua trees exist.

The Pinto mountains and Colorado Desert.

We have this picture in our January 2015 blog from a slightly different angle, but we think you can still see a porpoise, killer whale and a barn owl.

 That’s me on top of the rock, just kidding, I get a sick feeling just looking over the railing on the second floor at Mall of America.

How about a Ninja Turtle face?

 A nice campsite in Jumbo Rock campground.

 The Joshua trees are thick on the road to Keys View.

We wondered  if this rock will still be perched here in 10 years.

 Until next time,

Dave and Sandy