Joshua Tree National Park
- Details
- City: Yucca Valley
- State: California
- Camp: Black Rock Canyon
- Trail: Arch, Heart, Hemingway and Hidden Valley
- View: Split Rock, Skull Rock, Cap Rock, Coachella Valley, Salton Sea and San Gorgonio Mountain
We left our Tamarisk Grove campground in Anza-Borrego State Park and drove to Black Rock Campground in Joshua Tree National Park. This was a shorter drive of 130 miles, but mostly all uphill on CA-62 from Palm Springs to Yucca Valley, California. On the way, we were able see the Salton Sea clearly that day. It had been foggy for a few days prior.
We spent the first full day exploring Joshua Tree National Park for the first time. Our good friends, John and Lori met us here for a couple days as well.
We didn't have much expectation before coming into this park, and we were pleasantly surprised by all the Joshua Trees and rock outcrops in the desert landscape. You will find many unique rocks, boulders and an arch to nudge your imagination. This is a great park for kids (and adults) who like to climb on the rocks, including us!
We started from the west entrance on Park Boulevard to the north entrance. We stopped at the Cap Rock picnic area and walked around to see some large boulders. Next, we visited the Split Rock picnic area and had lunch with some amazing rock outcrops as our backdrop. Once we finished, we explored the backside briefly before moving on to the Skull Rock. This is an interesting rock that replicates a human skull. We found that it’s best to avoid the bright sunlight when visiting this rock. The deep pockets in the shadow or cloud cover help with the definition.
Our motorhome was too long to camp in the internal part of the park, but we wanted to scope out the Jumbo Rock and Belle campgrounds. This is a spectacular place for small RVs like camper vans and Class C. Tents are even better since you can pitch them right against the rocks for protection.
We took a couple of short hikes at the Arch and Heart trails. From the Twin Tanks parking lot, this lollipop trail goes through sandy and rocky terrain for 1.4 miles. The arch is located halfway along the loop. This trail has no shade and no cell service. In the same vicinity, you can connect to the Heart trail which leads to a heart-shape rock
As we drove around the park road, we could see San Gorgonio Mountain with its snow-capped peaks to the northwest. The view provided a stark contrast against the desert floor peppered with the unmistakable Joshua Trees. Although it’s not a tree but a member of the agave plant.
Our next full day’s adventure was all about rock exploring. It was a much cooler, cloudier, and windy day but it made hiking and rock scrambling much more comfortable. We also had a nice picnic lunch (again) at the Hidden Valley. And this time, we did the Hemingway and Hidden Valley trails. These rocks or boulders are just so much fun to climb. Even adults like us felt like kids for the day. A very popular spot but well worth the visit.
The monzogranite rocks are extremely fun to climb on. The texture is quite rough, and our hiking shoes literally gripped like gloves. But we learned afterwards that it's no match for our phone/camera screen. Don't put the phone in your back pocket when sliding down!
Our last stop was at Keys View of 5,185' elevation. This overlooks the Coachella Valley and the Salton Sea. After visiting both Anza-Borrego SP and Joshua Tree National Park, it was nice to connect the dots back to Salton Sea.
If you've never been to Joshua Tree National Park, then you're in for a real treat. We highly recommend spending at least one day in the park, but a few more days to cover it thoroughly.
Casa Grande Ruins National Monuent
- Details
- City: Coolidge
- State: Arizona
- Camp: Private Residence
Typically, we spend our winter months in Maricopa, AZ but have never visited the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument just less than 50 miles away.
We decided to see the ancient ruins built by the Hohokam or Ancestral Sonoran Desert People (ASDP) around 5,500 BC. The ASDP were hunters and gatherers at first but later became farmers and engineered one of the best water irrigation systems from the Gila River. The only tools they had were sticks and rocks. Yet, they were able to build a farming community of about 2,000 members for a hundred years as farmers. They also traded with other local tribes as well.
While this may not sound astonishing, you have to know the Arizona desert. Finding surface water is almost impossible, yet the community was able to thrive back then. The ASDP used every available resource around them, including building structures with cement-like materials called caliche.
Around 1,100 BC, villages became more formally organized. Caliche homes were grouped into caliche-walled compounds, and these compounds were arranged around public plazas and public structures. The Great House was built within one of these compounds. In 1932, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built a steel shelter to protect the Great House from the harsh weather.
The summer temperatures can reach 120° F and cause cracking in the foundation. There was about a dozen members of the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) or Native American Conservation Corps (NACC) organization that was applying caliche to the existing structures to prevent erosions. We watched several members mix the caliche while others carried buckets to apply on the surface.
There are many ancient pueblos in the southwestern United States, and this ruin is just one classic example. If you haven’t traveled through this portion of the country, be sure to check out some of the ruins along the way.
Chiricahua National Monument
- Details
- City: Willcox
- State: Arizona
- Camp: Grande Vista RV Park
- Trail: Echo Canyon Loop, Heart of the Rock Loop, Inspiration Point, Lower Rhyolite Canyon, Sarah Deming, Ed Riggs & Mushroom Rock.
Mark Twain State Park
- Details
- City: Florida
- State: Missouri
- Camp: Puma
- View: Mark Twain Birthplace Home
After two days of driving from Fort Collins, Colorado, we decided to take a little detour to visit Mark Twain State Park. It was named after the famous humorist and writer, Mark Twain, whose real name is Samuel Langhorne Clemens.
We visited the historic site of his birth home. His parents rented a two-room cabin in the town of Florida, Missouri. Twain was born on November 30, 1835 and was raised in Hannibal, Missouri which sat next to the mighty Mississippi River. This boyhood home was the inspiration for his books, Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Over the years, he was a printer, typesetter and later became a riverboat pilot. This also provided him materials for Life on the Mississippi River.
The campground has three loops: Badger, Coyote and Puma. The Puma campground is closer to Mark Twain Lake and a short distance walk. Most sites have either 30 or 50 amp electric, and some have full-hookup. Most of the loops are well shaded by trees, and the fall colors were just starting to turn. There are some rental cabins and shower houses throughout. There's three hiking trails from within the campground: White Oak, Post Oak and Dogwood. It's a nice campground and we found ourselves very relaxed after two days.
The picnic area has a 9-hole disc golf course, a 1941 CCC shelter with fireplace, and two hiking trails: Whitetail & Dogwood. You can hike between the campground and picnic area on Dogwood trail.
This is definitely a fishing, boating, kayaking and paddleboarding lake! While we had our kayaks with us, it was simply about relaxing and enjoying the nature. It was a welcome change for us after seeing mostly ponderosa pines and quaking aspens in the Colorado mountains for months to short-leaf oak, pine and hickory.
The town of Florida is just a few miles north of the campground on MO-107. This is where you will find Mark Twain Birthplace State Historic Site. The two-room cabin is located inside the shrine. The museum has a vast collection of Mark Twain's personal items, including the original handwritten manuscript of Adventure of Tom Sawyer in 1876, his furniture, glasses, pipe, hat, horse carriage and more. There's also an 1850s two-story log cabin on display in town. These were typical cabins found in the Salt River area.
We would definitely come back to this area for a longer visit, take our kayaks out on the lake, and explore the woods on the many hiking trails.
Custer State Park
- Details
- City: Custer
- State: South Dakota
- Camp: Game Lodge
- View: Needles Highway, Iron Mountain Road, Wildlife Loop Road & Sylvan Lake
As a full-time traveler, we have made South Dakota our legal residency. And just about every year since 2016, we have made an annual visit to both Black Hills National Forest and Custer State Park. No matter how many times we return, we never get bored with this beautiful landscape, and it's rich western history and diverse wildlife.
The weather during our two-week stay at the Game Lodge campground was very pleasant. We did have 50 amp electric to keep our motorhome cozy at night time. Only a couple days did we get rain, and snow flurries. Outside of that, it was very comfortable in jeans and a long sleeve shirt. Perfect spring weather for all outdoor recreation.
We did see lots of wildlife throughout the park. Especially bighorn sheep by the campground, and bisons along the Wildlife Loop road. On occasions, we did see herds of antelope and elks, and flocks of wild turkeys. There are several prairie dog towns on scenic drives within the park. Typically we see some free-range burros in the park, but not on this visit.
Besides the splendid scenic drive along the Wildlife Loop road, we often take the Iron Mountain Road and the Needles Highway. These are some of the best scenic drives in the country. With its numerous twists, turns, tunnels, and pinnacles, it's hard not to stop after every overlook. And the highway was carefully constructed with Mt. Rushmore in mind. If you take the Iron Mountain road from Custer State Park (south to north), you will drive through several tunnels facing Mt. Rushmore monument. If you have never been to this area, you are in for a real treat.
Another great spot to visit is the Sylvan Lake. This is often a popular and crowded destination for many hikers, kayakers and nature enthusiasts. Be sure to allow time to hike around the entire Sylvan Lake. It's picturesque view is unmatched, and its beauty is calming. The rock outcrops creates a spectacular backdrop with its shimmering water reflection from the sun. This is a great place to spend the afternoon, or take the Trail #9 and hike up Black Elk Peak.
Be sure to add this park to your bucket list. We highly recommend staying for a week or two. And if the campgrounds at Custer State Park are crowded, try one of the nearby campgrounds near Pactola Lake or Sheridan Lake near Hill City.
Picacho Peak State Park
- Details
- City: Picacho
- State: Arizona
- Camp: Loop B
- Trail: Sunset, Hunter & Mormon Battalion
- View: Picacho Pass & Mt. Lemmon
We arrived at Picacho Peak State Park after an easy, short drive from our friend’s house in Maricopa, AZ. The first thing we noticed was how green the desert floor looks; almost like a forest but with all the Saguaro cacti on the mountainside. There was an enormous moon bow hovering over us that evening. This park is currently seeking status as an International Dark Sky Park.
The campground has three loops (A, B and C) with some spacious sites. It has 85 electric sites and is suitable for both tents and RVs. The campsites are nestled around the natural desert vegetation and Saguaro cacti. There are shower houses and bathrooms at each loop.
On our first full day, we hiked/climbed a 9.30-mile loop around Picacho Peak. We connected from our campground to Sunset to Hunter trails and back in 5-1/2 hours. The back side of Picacho Peak was covered with golden California poppies, saguaro cacti and red barrel cacti. And of course, we were challenged by the cable wires needed to navigate the rocks and steep ascent. We even met a round-tailed squirrel on the trail. However, we declined to do the peak route as it is even more challenging and literally hanging on the side of the rock wall. Once we reached the Saddle Viewpoint, we took a short break on a wooden bench overlooking eastward across I-10.
On our second day, we did a short hike on the Calloway Trail towards a butte. At the end of this trail, we saw the snow-capped peaks at Mt. Lemmon near Tucson. Afterwards, we learned about a little American Civil War history that can be found here at Picacho Peak SP. On April 15, 1862, the union calvary from California fought against confederate from Tucson, marking it the westernmost battle in the American Civil War. The confederate won the battle but was forced to flee to New Mexico by the Apache Indians. The battle occurred at the Picacho Pass, directly east of the park. Every March, there is a battle reenactment called Civil War in the Southwest. Unfortunately, we arrived a few weeks too early for this event.
And we saw our first snake this year on the park road, and it was a three-foot, young bull snake.
Our final sunset provided us with a stunning orange glow of the desert. The sky turned red and purple as the sun dropped below the horizon. This was a great way to end our stay here. We recommend stopping here for a day or two if you’re passing by on I-10.
Next, we are headed to Chiricahua National Monument.