2012 - Joshua Tree - Barker Dam, Hidden Valley and Jumbo Rock

Joshua Tree is always a great place to visit and last year when we were here there was more moisture and the plants were in better shape.  This year the rain is almost nonexistent so it was interesting to see the changes that have taken place. 

The entrance to Hidden Valley was improved many years ago by a rancher named Keys who dynamited a larger opening so cattle could go through and today it works well for all the visitors too.

Great fence for cattle.

This Scrub Jay is usually very wary of prying eyes when it comes to his food cache.  He is eating what appears to be an acorn from a oak even though he is sitting under a pinion pine tree.  These birds have been known to have up to 200 food caches and are able to keep track of them.  Other Jays will often clean out  another bird's  cache.

Barker Dam had really changed from last February.  There was at least 6 feet of water at the dam face last year and this year not a drop.

January 2012

February 2011

This slab of rock has recently calved out of the center of this larger rock.  You can tell by the white colour of the rock that it was recent.

Dam - January 2012

Dam - February 2011

This red barked bush is called Manzanita (Mexican for Little Apples)  This bush was very healthy as it is drawing water from the base of a very large rock that stores water around it's base.

The hiking group stopped in at Jumbo Rock campground and had a picnic in one of the campsites.  This would be a great place to come and view the night sky and probably listen to the hungry coyotes howl.

The hikers split up here.  Some headed back early and a few stayed to hike towards these rocks in the Skull Rock area.  Sorry I didn't stay to take a photo of Skull Rock but there are a lot of pictures on the Goggle website.