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.
