Camping At Joshua Tree

We finally got out first camping trip to Joshua Tree on the books. This magical place is definitely one of my favorite little spots to run away to. It was so much fun to sleep under the stars and under our own little Joshua Tree at our campsite. We started off the day by stopping at a couple of campsites to find the "perfect spot". We just so happened to land on a weekend with a wind advisory, so most of the spots were way too windy for a tent. We finally settled on one spot, with a nook between some rocks and bushes... hoping it would shield us from the wind overnight. It's pretty rough sleeping - or not sleeping - in a tent being blown in wind gusts. We did that at Anza-Borrego, and basically, stayed awake all night. After picking a spot, we took a little hike from our site to let the sun go down a little before making camp. This place, it's a desert wonderland... so much to explore.

A blooming yucca!

I constantly see faces in the rocks here. In this one, look at the lower/middle right side. A man is peeking up from the ground. Forehead, eyes and nose are there! Peekaboo! :)

And this one, I see a face chomping on that little bush in the middle. Or possibly two faces having a little smooch.

We found a big piece of granite in the middle of the dirt. One giant white rock. I tried to move it. I didn't.

And at a turn in the trail, we paused to leave a mark. A cairn of our own.

But I found a heart! I really wanted to bring this rock home.

Our tent, tucked away, trying not to be blown away.

My whittling wife. :)

We like fire.

After a long night of listening to the tent rustle in the breeze - thankfully the wind calmed down significantly. We got up, packed up, and headed through the south side of the park.

A little visit in the Cholla and Ocotillo gardens!

We found "balance rock" and "tiny juniper". :)

And we made a few friends along the way. A little squirrel surveying for snacks at a campsite, a white lizard who was willing to let me get a photo (he was pretty big), and a much smaller lizard who posed much better with his blue chest and teal belly. We saw several other lizards throughout the afternoon... they love to come out and warm up on the rocks.