Trip Report-Mojave National Preserve
We went to our secret boondocking spot the first night. Not many areas have pine / juniper trees. Between the big fire in 2005 and the bores killing the junipers these remaining trees are scarce.
The next morning I left from our boondocking spot and my trusty hiking companion Bonnie started the Mid Hills to Hole In The Wall hike.
It's become an annual spring time hike for the two of us. Unfortunately it has fallen into disrepair and many trail markers are down or missing. Much of this hike follows washes and the occasional desert rain causes flooding in these washes and there goes your trail markers. In fact about 2/3 rds into the hike we lost the trail but by then I was close enough to a known landmark that we headed in the right direction. Luckily for me when Bonnie isn't hiking she is also serves as the truck camper navigator!
One of the things I like about this hike is that there are several distinct zones that you walk through.
There are also Indian petrolglyphs next to the trail
Since the hike is point-to-point and not a loop, I start the hike from our boondocking spot and then my wife drives down to the Hole In The Wall campground where I meet her after 10.38 miles and 4 hours and 14 minutes later.
IMO, spring in the desert is the best as the wildflowers showcase themselves. They might only emerge for brief periods, be hard to find and in many cases very small. So small that most people will walk by and not notice them. I am sure I've done it many times. I stopped this time and looked more closely as this one is only 1/4" in size.
This next cactus my wife saw from the dirt road over 100 yards away as we were leaving. It was as if nature had her neon sign turned on. This cactus was growing out of a huge granite boulder.
I believe it's in the Echinocereus genus and I've heard several names for it such as; hedgehog, claret cup or Mojave Mound. This is what it looks like up close and personal.
Hope you enjoyed the pictures.
The next morning I left from our boondocking spot and my trusty hiking companion Bonnie started the Mid Hills to Hole In The Wall hike.
It's become an annual spring time hike for the two of us. Unfortunately it has fallen into disrepair and many trail markers are down or missing. Much of this hike follows washes and the occasional desert rain causes flooding in these washes and there goes your trail markers. In fact about 2/3 rds into the hike we lost the trail but by then I was close enough to a known landmark that we headed in the right direction. Luckily for me when Bonnie isn't hiking she is also serves as the truck camper navigator!
One of the things I like about this hike is that there are several distinct zones that you walk through.
There are also Indian petrolglyphs next to the trail
Since the hike is point-to-point and not a loop, I start the hike from our boondocking spot and then my wife drives down to the Hole In The Wall campground where I meet her after 10.38 miles and 4 hours and 14 minutes later.
IMO, spring in the desert is the best as the wildflowers showcase themselves. They might only emerge for brief periods, be hard to find and in many cases very small. So small that most people will walk by and not notice them. I am sure I've done it many times. I stopped this time and looked more closely as this one is only 1/4" in size.
This next cactus my wife saw from the dirt road over 100 yards away as we were leaving. It was as if nature had her neon sign turned on. This cactus was growing out of a huge granite boulder.
I believe it's in the Echinocereus genus and I've heard several names for it such as; hedgehog, claret cup or Mojave Mound. This is what it looks like up close and personal.
Hope you enjoyed the pictures.
