Although our stay in Zion was meant to break up the drive to Joshua Tree, it didn’t break it up enough. Please tell me we are there!

Jason and I arrived at our rented home in the town of Joshua Tree after dark, so we had no idea what the terrain surrounding us looked like. The next morning, I woke up just after sunrise astonished by the bouldered landscape and the four coyotes wandering in the backyard. It was a magical preamble to the next segment of our trip.

The weather that first day was 65 degrees and perfect for squishing in three hikes. Joined by some welcomed relatives, we did the Hidden Valley and Barker Dam Loops, a sum of 2.3 miles. We also wandered out to the Wall Street Mill, which added another 2.2 miles to our daily trekking total.

Even after reading an entire book about Joshua Tree, Jason and I were still surprised by the quantity, height, and shape of its numerous granite piles. However, the park’s jumbled geology is just one facet of its fascinating past; its human story is also warped and riveting. For instance, Hidden Valley, peaceful and stunning, was once used by notorious cattle thieves to hide their nabbed steers. And the Wall Street Mill? While the mill is on the National Registry of Historic Places due to its historic significance, it isn’t the only significant thing one comes across in its vicinity. Along its route, you pass several rusty antique vehicles. Then, you skirt a blushing, crumbling building called the Ohlson House or Wonderland Ranch. Incidentally, no one knows why this home was built at this location or why the constructors abandoned it. Minutes later, you encounter a marker erected by Bill Keys, the owner of the Wall Street Mill, at the spot where he shot Worth Bagley. This marker states, “Here is where Worth Bagly bit the dust at the hand of W. F. Keys, May 11, 1943.” Curiously, Bill Keys himself created this memento promptly after he was released from jail for killing Worth Bagley. Yes, Joshua Tree’s history is full of gun fights, cattle robberies, mine disputes (which often led to gun fights), and old-fashioned mob manhunts. Its past is about as wild as the Wild West got.

The next morning, we were keen on conquering Ryan Mountain before a blustery storm brought gusts between 20-40 mph, and the daily crowds also gusted. Since Ryan Mountain is one of the most popular hikes in Joshua Tree, we started climbing at 8:30 in hopes of achieving both maximum wind and people reduction… and getting a parking spot. We saw few people during our ascent, less than we were expecting. The gods of hiking a well-liked mountain without encountering a horde were certainly with us.

With the predicted blasts considered, we decided to spend the rest of the day driving and stopping rather than hiking and whooshing. Those forecasted breezes never manifested, for the second time on our trip, but our drive was worthwhile regardless. Skull Rock, a stone that looks much like a skull from certain angles, was our first stop. Although Skull Rock was cool, the mess of disorderly boulders surrounding it were more interesting.

After Skull Rock, we continued to the Cholla Cactus Garden, a sharp patch of misshapen plants growing densely in a mysterious pocket. These cacti proved more intriguing than anticipated, making this my favorite picture spot of the whole trip.

Our last day in Joshua Tree, we hiked the Maze Trail, a 4.7-mile loop through bulky stones, sandy washes, and unusual flora… aka typical Joshua Tree terrain. This trail offers a variety of routes via adjoining loops. We just did the basic; it didn’t feel basic.

It should be mentioned that hiking in Joshua Tree is more like walking. If you like the visuals attained through hiking but not the work involved, Joshua Tree may be your kind of place. With the exception of Ryan Mountain, all the treks we did were nearly flat. Unless you count the boulder pile we scrambled up just because- piles aren’t flat. Yes, we decided to climb the mountain of colossal rocks stacked behind the home we rented. Ascending those stones proved exciting and slightly unnerving. There wasn’t the potential of death in route, but a maiming seemed possible. We moved carefully though and only had one falling-into-a-cactus incident.

The morning of our departure, we awoke to two or three inches of snow. Barbed cacti covered in fluffy blankets were an uncanny sight. These plants could visibly be seen swelling as they sucked up the available moisture.

Just as it had begun, our time in Joshua Tree ended with a magical morning. Our getaway perfectly counteracted the blues generated by chilly air and a spreading plague. How could a warm retreat to a resilient environment full of misshapen grace provide anything less?

On a side note, the town of Joshua Tree is small and a bit odd. I couldn’t quite get a sense of its flavor, but I tasted as much of it as I could. We sampled foods from Boo’s Organic Oven, Crossroads Café, Natural Sisters Café, Sam’s Indian Food & Pizza, and Pie for the People! These were all excellent.