Photos by Randolph Scott
About two and a half hours east of Los Angeles, Joshua Tree National Park is a rock climbers dream. But for those not ready to scale a vast rock face, there is still adventure at higher elevations.With three distinct ecoregions, and six mountain ranges, Joshua Tree’s natural features are as varied as the plant and wildlife it supports. But the most compelling feature of all lies to the west, in the bizarre rock formations known as the Wonderland of Rocks. Here hikers can find more than just the ordinary.
Salvador Dali could have designed these rocks, which twist, bend and reach up in a surrealist fusion of monoliths, dome obelisks and rocky spires. But it was millions of years of tectonic forces deep beneath the earth that sculpted these geologic marvels, assisted by the unseen artistic hand of erosion. Lucky for us, the final masterpiece just so happens to be ideal for bouldering.
“Bouldering” is what climbers call scrambling over piles of boulders, large rocks and rugged high terrain. If you want to forgo the helmet and harness of extreme climbing, this is an exciting alternative that will get your blood pumping. You will climb over, under and around rocks. You will discover amazing crawlspaces and small boulder caves with tiny springs. Bouldering is exhilarating and fun, but it requires strength, concentration, agility and commitment.Though small-scale bouldering does not require any special equipment, a good pair of leather gloves with the fingers cut off (biker gloves work great) and sturdy hiking shoes are a must. They allow you to grip the rocks with Spiderman-like ease. Long sleeve shirts and blue jeans protect arms and legs from rocky scrapes. For the more experienced, a thick, knotted rope of about 15 feet in length is recommended for helping your less experienced buddy out of crevices or up smooth walls. A rope and a buddy are just good common sense to bring along in case of emergencies. In addition, bring plenty of water, a jacket and sunscreen – temperatures here are 15 to 20 degrees cooler than Palm Springs, but there’s not a lot of shade!
If bouldering is new to you, the following trail hikes will give you the lay of the Wonderland, so you can see first hand what to expect.Fortynine Palms Oasis Trail is three miles round trip and of moderate difficulty. Over 50 fan palms make up this natural oasis with its pools of water. This palm oasis is one of five in the park.
Willow Hole Trail is an easy hike of seven miles round trip and features large water pools and willow trees. The trail begins at the Keys West Backcountry board, and goes through a modest gorge surrounded by tall boulders.
Boy Scout Trail is a scenic sixteen miles round trip, along the western edge of the Wonderland of Rocks. It is moderately difficult. You’ll find the trailhead at Keys West Backcountry board a half mile east of the Quail Springs picnic area. It’s not a bad idea to make this a shuttle hike, with a car parked at both ends.
So if you aren’t quite ready to hang by a thin nylon rope over a deadfall drop of 1,000 feet, but want a little adventure, you might try a “bouldering” hike. While your up there, enjoy a romantic picnic for two on a cozy pancake of granite, and see who can find the craziest creature shapes in the rocks! To get to Joshua Tree from Los Angeles, take the I-10 East. Go North on the Twentynine Palms Highway to your selected destination.For a detailed map of Joshua Tree with trailheads go to: http://www.desertusa.com/who/
PDF/JOTRmap.pdf. For more information visit http://www.nps.gov/jotr.
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