Joshua
Tree an outdoor paradise
By Christine G. Adamo
On-line Forty-Niner
Now
is the time to break out the sleeping bag,
sunscreen and incense and head for the High
Desert.
 Joshua
Tree National Park — a haven for hikers,
campers and bikers — is less than a two-hour
drive from Long Beach and makes getting
away as easy on your wallet as it is on
your soul.
With daytime temperatures averaging 85 degrees
in April, the park is home to a dizzying
collection of cacti in bloom and serves
as the perfect place to rest your head and
your worries when you’re on a budget.
The best way to enjoy the park is with a
few friends, a tent, some sleeping bags
and lots of water but even a day trip to
this California monument can restore peace
and harmony to the most hectic of lives.
Seven-day passes to the park are available
at rates of $5, $10 and $25 for bike or
foot entry, non-commercial vehicle entry
or annual access, respectively. Once inside
the park, visitors can take advantage of
rock climbing, hiking and biking opportunities
or participate in ranger-led tours.
Walks along dozens of trails that run through
Joshua Tree offer nature lovers a glimpse
of the innumerable plants, animals, reptiles
and insects that inhabit the Southern California
desert.
The Joshua Tree National Park Association
operates a Web site, joshuatree.org, that
offers a virtual tour and detailed information
about the park to travelers in nine different
languages: Chinese, English, French, German,
Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and
Spanish.
According to the site, weekend extension
courses in natural history, science and
the arts are available for university credit
through the University of California, Riverside.
Classes are offered during the school’s
spring and fall semesters.
Andrew Swan, a park ranger who works closely
with the general public, offered some advice
to students interested in visiting the park
this spring.
“Heat will be an issue,” Swan said. “If
you’re outside hiking in the desert, drink
one gallon of water per person per day.
“The sun is pretty intense out here, so
bring sunscreen, a hat with a brim and sunglasses.”
Swan also added a cautionary note about
alcohol consumption in the desert.
“Alcohol dehydrates you, so you’re going
to lose water a lot faster,” the ranger
said. “The ultimate effect may be heat exhaustion
with symptoms of dizziness, profuse sweating,
thirst and irritability.
“Once heat exhaustion is elevated to heat
stroke, sweating subsides and the victim
may feel nauseous and delirious.”
Ranger programs, Swan said, are conducted
throughout the month of April. They include
90-minute tours of Desert Queen Ranch that
begin at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Desert Queen Ranch is a ranch and gold mill
that was operated from 1910 to 1969. Reservations
for tours, which cost $5 per person, may
made in advance by calling the park’s visitor’s
center at (760) 367-5521 or by showing up
at the ranch 15 minutes prior to start time.
Joshua Tree National Park is located at
74485 National Park Dr. in Twentynine Palms,
Calif. Directions, weather reports and wildflower
information may be obtained at (760) 367-5500.
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