I like Key Views for sunrise, skull rock is a popular destination although getting a great comp is difficult. There are few broken down cars in the area next to barker dam. Barker dam is really only nice if it has water. Cholla cactus garden for sunset is great (watch our for the needles, those things hurt). There's arch rock in the white tank camp grounds.
cholla garden is great at sunrise, you can go on the tour of the old key
mines and houses, it is the only way you can see them, check on the ranger page for when they give them, worth it
if your at anza borrego at wildflower time it can be stunning again check on ranger updates for it
Going to JT for the first time this weekend. Can you tell me where to find the old cars by Barker Dam? roguecoolman wrote:
I like Key Views for sunrise, skull rock is a popular destination although getting a great comp is difficult. There are few broken down cars in the area next to barker dam. Barker dam is really only nice if it has water. Cholla cactus garden for sunset is great (watch our for the needles, those things hurt). There's arch rock in the white tank camp grounds.
Next to barker dam is the "Wall Street Mill trail". When you get to the barker dam parking lot, you'll see a dirt road (not paved) next to it. follow that road and you'll come to a smaller parking lot. The "Wall Street Mill trail" should start there. You should see an old wind mill first, just keep going and eventually (maybe 15mins of walking) you'll start to see the old cars and eventually the mill.
There 2-3 cars in that area. 2 of them still rather in the shape of a car, and 1 is pretty much just the bottom frame.
The most photogenic area, IMO, is the Jumbo Rocks area. Anything south of the cholla cacus garden is really not worth driving (but I live in Phoenix, and it's just like home to me!).
You are coming to the Southern California Desert at peak season for just about everything.
Wildflowers may be in bloom in the Southern part of the park in March, but they are really weather dependant. You can call the park closer to the dates of your trip to check on conditions.
As for Anza Borrego this is normally the peak of the wildflower bloom and is mid migration for Swainson's Hawks (if you are into wildlife).
We're going to Joshua Tree later this month. From Amazon I got: "Joshua Tree, The Complete Guide", by James Kaiser. It is a compact book, packed with information. It has maps, trail guides with mileages, lots else, and some good photos. (He doesn't tell you where to put your tripod, fortunately.)
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