Day: February 19, 2022

19-22 Feb 2022: 29Palms/Joshua Tree

by JamesCalifornia / Campgrounds / Joshua Tree National Park / National Parks / RVing / Trips

We left Anza-Borrego on such a high note, seeing & photographing Bighorn Sheep. I felt less enthusiastic moving on to Joshua Tree. Last time we camped there in Feb 2021 was such a short visit, we wanted to see more of the National Park. After the excitement of successful wildlife photography, landscape photography seemed less interesting to me. But if anyplace can get a person excited about the landscape, it’s Joshua Tree.
Unfortunately, all the campgrounds in Joshua Tree were booked and we did not feel like chancing one of the ‘first-come first-serve’ no-reservation campsites on a long President’s Day weekend.
Fortunately, we were able to reserve a full-hookup campsite at Twentynine Palms RV Resort. After dry-camping for 4-days in Anza-Borrego, we missed having full hookups. Twentynine Palms RV Resort is a few miles from the north entrance to Joshua Tree NP. So it’s a great option when campsites are unavailable inside the park. Yucca Valley, 15mi west near the main park entrance, also has RV campgrounds but these were all booked for the dates we needed.

An interesting side-note: in the evening at this RV Resort dozens of turkey vultures soar above the golf course next door. They eventually settle for the night into the tall trees that stand between the campground and the golf course. Tom, a resort regular, told me they can number in the hundreds at times and return every year to roost in these tall trees which are unusual for the area.

19 Feb 2022: Finally Bighorn Sheep

by JamesAnza-Borrego State Park / California / Campgrounds / Camping / State Parks / Wildlife

11am – an hour before departure from Borrego Palm Canyon Campground: on our way back to campsite 105, we drove to the day-use parking lot to turn-around. A Ranger directing traffic for Palm Canyon Trail parking had me pull into a parking spot and before I could tell him “I’m just turning around”. He pointed out the Bighorn Sheep near the road. We were finally able to see & photograph a pair of young male Bighorns. They were less than 100yards from our new campsite – if we were still at site 97, we probably would have missed them. They were not disturbed by the dozen hikers in the Palm Canyon parking lot & trailhead. In fact, they crossed the trail & were unconcerned with our presence. I brought my 200-500mm Nikon zoom lens this trip just for this reason. It was a bright enough morning that I was able to hand-hold this long lens. Here are some of my favorites taken just 30mins before we were to leave for 29Palms/Joshua Tree.

After Anza-Borrego, we headed to Twentynine Palms/Joshua Tree, a 2.5hr drive. I was on Cloud-9. Our Anza-Borrego stay was fun but this morning’s Bighorn Sheep encounter made it extra special. Some regulars at Anza say they see them all the time. I’m just glad we did before we left.