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Posted by Dan M. (12.170.233.92) on 10:28:48 03/02/06
In Reply to: Thanks! and more questions..... posted by Danny
: I am probably going to fly into LA. I am trying to find shuttles or busses that would be able to take me there. Do you know anything about that?
Not really. I think the closest you can get by bus is Palm Springs, but I could be wrong. Since the 29 Palms Marine Base is so close to the park, there might be bus service/shuttle service that I'm not aware of.
:I would like to do some longer, more remote hikes. I dont have desert expierence but spent 30 strait days backpacking in alaska so i have skills in those areas. How crowded are the trails usually? I think I will definatly do the California Riding and Hiking Trail.
"Trails" is a loose term in JT. The CRHT is easily followed, as is the Boy Scout Trail, but most of the time you're following footprints and cairns, or you're making your own way. Orienteering/GPS skills are a big bonus in areas like the Wonderland of Rocks. Once you get away from the campgrounds/roads it's really easy to get turned around, especially on cloudy days. People get lost in the park every year. Every once in a while one of them dies. Hiking alone increases that risk. The trails aren't crowded at all, especially during the week. The campgrounds are mostly full this time of year, but only on weekends. Weather-wise March is generally a good month, although you can still get pretty cold (as in temps in the teens and snow) if a strong low moves through. Be prepared.
: Also, with water, you have to carry all of it in right? Can water not be filtered or is it ok but for the animals?
You have to carry all your water. There's only a few places where water can be found (unless there's been a recent storm) and you need to stay well hydrated, so it wouldn't be wise to depend on it for backpacking. If you were staying in one place, it might work out, but any place with a "permanent" source of natural water is off limits to camping.
: ps. do you know of any "secret" off the map hikes?
There are tons of secrets in Joshua Tree. Some of them are archaeological areas that the NPS would rather keep secret. But there are places like Oh-Bay-Yoyo (pictured in my first response to you), or Carey's Castle (pictured above) that are fun to search out. They aren't exactly "secret" but way less than 1% of all vistors to the park see them. A big part of the lure of Joshua Tree is exploring the backcountry and finding your own secrets.
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