Joshua Tree National Park
Ryan Mountain - Joshua Tree National Park
We spent May 25, 2024 in Joshua Tree National Park, exploring the park on a hot desert day. Deserts do not have firm boundaries and much of Joshua Tree lies in the overlap between the Colorado Desert on the eastern side of the park and the Mojave Desert on the western side of the park. The wild-armed Joshua Tree is truly a sign you are in the desert. It’s actually not a tree but a yucca species. Like other desert plants, its waxy, spiny leaves expose little surface area while efficiently conserving moisture. The Joshua Tree can grow over 40 feet tall at a rate of one inch per year.
Our first hike was the Mastodon Peak Trail, a 2.8 mile hike with 500 feet of elevation gain. The hike is what you would expect from a desert hike with two exceptions. You pass through an area called the Oasis. At the park’s fan-palm oases you are atop a crack in the Earth’s crust. Geological faults crisscross the park area. Groundwater that hits a fault plane rises the surface and creates conditions for an oasis. This lush, green area in the desert where water is present provides a welcome refuge from desert extremes. The second exception the final assent to the peak. You really need to scramble and climb to get up to the peak.
Our next big hike for the day was the climb/hike up to Ryan Mountain. This was a near vertical assent straight up to 5,458 feet with an elevation gain of 1,000 feet at a round trip distance of 3 miles. The summit rewarded us with a tremendous 360 degree view. The trail also features the oldest rock type in the park – Pinto Gneiss. It’s estimated to be 1.8 billion years old. The rock is distinguished by its striking light and dark stripes. This was a tough hike on a hot day, but well worth pushing up to the peak to see the great views.
Later that night we went back to Joshua Tree to star gaze. Joshua Tree National Park is a designated International Dark Sky Park at the Silver Tier level by the International Darky Sky Association. The park is a refuge for those who want to experience a naturally dark night sky. The stare gazing was excellent.
We enjoyed our time a Joshua Tree and recommend a full day in the park from sunrise to night in order to take in all this park has to offer.
Wildlife on the Mastodon Peak Trail
Mastodon Peak
View from the Peak of Ryan Mountain
