Joshua Tree National Park is located in the high Mojave Desert in California. In practical terms, it is located out by 29 Palms, a few minutes from the City of Palm Springs of Interstate 10. The park is known for its unique characteristics. The Joshua Tree alone is one of the stranger plants you have every seen. Throw in plenty of odd geographical areas and you have a mecca for hikers, rock climbers and campers. And then there is the racetrack.
You are probably wondering what a racetrack is doing in the middle of a national park. Well, it is not the kind of racetrack you might be envisioning. No NASCAR here. Instead, it is really a valley known as Racetrack Valley, which is shaped like a track. It even has rock formats that look like grandstands. I kid you not!
The really fascinating thing about Racetrack Valley is the participants. Standing from afar, it appears as though there is actually a race going on. You can see what look like tire tracks across the valley. So, just who is racing here? A closer inspection reveals the participants are large rocks.
The race is something to see. Across the flat valley area, you will see large rocks leaving trails. You can track back the trails to see where they have been. I am talking about distinct trails like a tire moving through mud, not some type of trail you have to imagine. The scene is so bizarre, you will think the rocks are moving when you are not looking. The trails are that distinct and definite.
Nobody is really sure what is going on with the rocks. The best guess is the rocks move when the area receives a combination of rain and very high winds. The premise is the ground gets wet enough to reduce friction and the wind pushes the rocks along. This sounds logical, but there is no indication I have every seen that the rocks tumble at all. They only appear to slide and they are very heavy in some cases.
Racetrack Valley in Joshua Tree is just one of those things you have to see for yourself. Trust me, you will be scratching your chin in wonder when you see it.
Hiking in Joshua Tree
As you are well away, the United States has an amazing national park system that far to few people get out and enjoy. The parks are all stunning areas, but each is unique when compared to each of the others. In the case of this article, we are talking about Joshua Tree National Park in California.
When one thinks of national parks, the emphasis tends to be on images of forests. Joshua Tree is definitely not a park of this type. Instead, it is an area of arid, desert land. While that may not sound particularly exciting at first, the park is rife with unique geographic characteristics that make it a haven for hikers, rock climbers and campers.
Joshua Tree is situated in the higher elevations of the Mojave Desert. It abuts the low Colorado desert. This makes for some interesting characteristics. The park is noted for rugged mountains, wide open arid plains and, of course, the odd Joshua Tree from which it gets its name.
Hiking in the park is excellent. You can choose different hikes based on the amount of effort you want to put in. For those seeking a simple stroll, the Lucky Boy Vista hike is 2.5 miles and pretty easy. A more challenging, but still moderate hike, is the 7.4 mile Lost Palms Oasis hike that takes you through a growth of palms. Surprise, surprise! For those looking to do some serious calorie burning while huffing and puffing, the best bet is the Eureka Peak hike that covers over 10 miles. As its name suggests, Eureka Peak is a good spot to take in summit views where you can look out over much of the park.
Joshua Tree National Park is open year around. It can be scorching in the summer, so fall, spring and winter are the best times to go. The best place to enter the park is in 29 Palms, outside of Palm Springs. Los Angeles is the closest major city and it takes a little over 2 hours to drive to the park depending on what type of a driver you are.
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