Wonderland of Rocks and Road Trip Joshua Tree for Wildflowers (Intermediate)

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This is a long day road trip for wildflowers photos taking, hiking, rocks scrambling Wonderland of Rocks, Barker Dam and some other trails to other Rocks, Cholla Castus Garden...We'll try to get some great hikes and few photos as those I got from pro photographer QTLuong for man made lake Barker Dam at sunset, our hike Organizer Todd Hewitt for Wonderland of Rocks and online for the wildflowers.

ABOUT THE JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK: http://www.nps.gov/jo... (http://www.nps.gov/jotr/)
A Desert Park: Viewed from the road, this desert park only hints at its vitality. Closer examination reveals a fascinating variety of plants and animals that make their home in this land shaped by strong winds, unpredictable torrents of rain, and climatic extremes. Dark night skies, a rich cultural history, and surreal geologic features add to the attraction of this place. Come see for yourself

Meeting Locations:

Carpool from OC Park and Ride at 6:15AM or meet at Indian Cove Campground at 8:30AM. Driving direction below

Hikes:

1. Wonderland of Rocks: it's a tough trail with rocks scrambling. We can do a shuttle hike and spend at least 5 hours for this 5.5 miles one way from Boy Scout trailhead to Indian Cove or we should start hiking from Indian Cove picnic trailhead for most 3 hours to Rasttlesnake Canyon and Willow Hole and return the same way. Having lunch at Indian Cove Picnic area.

2. More Rocks and Cholla Castus Garden: drive back out to the 62 Hwy and further East to the North Entrance. We'll stop by small hikes for some great photos: Arches Rock, then stopping by Cholla Castus Garden, turn back to Jumbo Rocks, Skull Rock and Cap Rock. Optional Ryan Mtn for those who are interested if time allows.

3. Barker Dam and Wall Street Mill: an easy hike to Wall Street Mill out and back, then a nature tour walk to man made lake at Barker Dam to end our day at sunset...

What to bring: plenty of water, food, snacks for lunch and a long day sun screen and most important 10 Hiking Essentials https://www.meetup.com... (https://www.meetup.com/HikingOC/messages/boards/thread/9535234)

Directions: http://www.nps.gov/jo... (http://www.nps.gov/jotr/planyourvisit/directions.htm)
Joshua Tree National Park lies 140 miles east of Los Angeles, 175 miles northeast of San Diego, and 215 miles southwest of Las Vegas. You can approach it from Interstate 10 and Hwy 62 (Twentynine Palms Highway)
Enter to the Park Indian Cove Campground: is in Twentynine Palms, located three miles south of the junction of Highway 62 and Utah Trail2.

Park & Ride in Orange on N Tustin St and E Lincoln Ave Orange, CA 92865
Traveling NORTH on the 55, exit Lincoln Ave. West. Make 2 lefts, go under the freeway and take a left onto Tustin Ave. heading South. If you're traveling SOUTH on the 55, exit Lincoln and make a left on Tustin. The Park & Ride will be on your left hand side. You'll need to make a U-Turn to get to this side of the street

To read more about Joshua Tree and maps:

1. Joshua Tree: http://www.nps.gov/jo... (http://www.nps.gov/jotr/planyourvisit/upload/jotrmap.pdf)
2. Area Map: http://www.nps.gov/jo... (http://www.nps.gov/jotr/planyourvisit/upload/areamap.pdf)
3. Indian Cove Visitor Center: http://www.nps.gov/jotr/planyourvisit/upload/indiancove.pdf 4. Barker Dam: http://www.nps.gov/jo... (http://www.nps.gov/jotr/planyourvisit/upload/BarkerDam.pdf)
4. Park All Maps: http://www.nps.gov/jo... (http://www.nps.gov/jotr/planyourvisit/maps.htm)

REMINDER:
By joining the meetup, you agree to Meetup Terms of Service releases the Organizer and Assistant Organizers from any liability related to incidents that occur at Meetup gatherings
> YOU acknowledge THAT WE ARE NOT PROFESSIONALS.
> YOU ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR SAFETY
Hiking is a rewarding and pleasant activity in nature, but there are certain dangers you should be aware of. Those include, but are not limited to, trip and fall injuries, bee stings, poison oak exposure, ticks and snake bites. By signing up for this event, you agree to hold harmless the hike organizer, assistant organizers and other participants for any injuries sustained during this hike***