Joshua Tree National Park - Day two

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Geo: 34.1347, -116.312

After spending Thursday night in Azusa, CA, enroute to Joshua Tree NP we drove on to the park by way of Interstate 15. Between Banning, CA, and Palm Springs, CA there is a valley with very strong winds and many, many windmills taking advantage of all that free energy.


Stopped at a California Welcome Center in Yuca Valley and got some advice from a ranger there about hikes. Drove on to the park and hiked the Queen Mine trail, a trail to the ruins of a series of abandoned gold mines. One information sign indicated that over 4,000 ounces of gold had been extracted from the mines.


Lots of old mine entrances were all around the mountains there. All had been blocked off with screens to prevent entry and injury to sightseers.



After completing the Queen Mine hike we did the short Skull Rock Nature Trail.



And then a second short trail at the Arch Rock Nature trail.


Then to the High Desert Motel for the night. Not quite the Ritz but clean enough with all the main requirements of bed, bath, refrigerator, TV, WiFi, and coffee.

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Photos

Windmills
Lots and lots of wind mills in the Coachella Valley. Apparently the wind always blows in this valley. It sure was when we went through it on the way to the park.

Abandoned mining equipment
Found along the Quenn Mine trail.

From the Queen Mine Trail
Two of the rectangular covered mine entrances can be seen in this picture, one near the center of the picture and another in the lower right.

At one of the Queen Mine entrances
We saw probably a dozen old mine entrances that had been covered over to prevent entry. This one was one of the few that went directly into the side of the mountain. Others were more shafts going down.

Joshua Tree's Arch
Along the Arch Rock Nature Trail.

From the Skull Rock Nature Trail
Just a very interesting rock formation giving some of the rare shade in the park.

Skull Rock
Sort of have to use a little imagination but it does look a bit like a skull.