James

16-19 Feb 2022: Anza-Borrego State Park

After a short Valentine’s Day visit with family in Indio, we moved to Borrego Palm Canyon Campground in the State Park. Although Sat-Sun were completely booked for months, we were able to get three nights – two at one site (97), one nearby (105). So on Friday we had to move a couple hundred feet to a different site. It was a pain to have to move but the new site was only a few hundred feet away. It turned out to be quick and easy since we were dry-camping without any hookups. But we were much farther from the restroom, in a more remote spot. This would turn out to be a lucky change in my quest to photograph Bighorn Sheep.

Borrego Palm Canyon Campground has full hookup camping (parking-lot-style camping, completely booked) and dispersed campsites (some spotty availability during the week). There’s a very well-maintain restroom with flushing toilets, sinks, and hot private showers that require tokens (2 for $1). Scattered around the dry-camps are also vault toilets and water faucets to fill containers. It’s a very nice State Park campground – highly recommended.

13-22 Feb 2022: Indio/Anza-Borrego/Joshua Tree

by JamesFebruary 13, 2022April 16, 2024Anza-Borrego State Park / California / Campgrounds / Joshua Tree National Park / RVing / Trips

Our original plan to head east through Arizona to New Mexico this month changed because of the cold front that hit much of the US mid-Feb. On our way back from New Mexico, our hope was to stop in Peoria & see a few Padres Spring Training games. So with Spring Training being canceled & Albuquerque down to 18°F, we decided to camp closer to home where we knew it’d be warmer.

Since we enjoyed our stay last month at Indian Waters RV Resort, we booked 3 nights this trip. This would give us a chance to visit family on Valentine’s Day. We picked a premium grass site this time since last visit they looked nicer. Turns out grass vs gravel really didn’t make much difference for us. Perhaps if we spent more time outside the RV in the evening. The only issue with the grass sites is lawn maintenance every few days plus sprinklers. Mowing means you have to move any gear onto the concrete pad.
After staying in Indio for 3 nights, we moved to Anza-Borrego Palm Canyon Campground and dry-camped for 3 nights. On our Jan 2022 trip to Indio, we day-tripped into Anza-Borrego and saw there much more we wanted to explore. So, although we couldn’t get more than 3 nights, we were able to dry-camp in the park. I really hoped to see & photograph the Bighorn Sheep that are often spotted around Borrego Palm Canyon.
After Anza-Borrego, our next stop was TwentyninePalms/Joshua Tree National Park. Every campsite inside the park was booked so our only option was to stay in Yucca Valley or TwentyNine Palms. TwentyNine Palms RV Resort had full-hookup sites available and is just a few miles from the North Entrance. We wanted to camp inside the park but enjoyed the full hookups after dry-camping 4 days.

22 Jan 2022: Salton Sea

by JamesJanuary 22, 2022April 16, 2024California / Day Trips / Hikes / Indio/Palm Springs / Sightseeing / State Parks / Trips

After a lot of driving to Anza-Borrego & Fonts Point yesterday, another long drive into Joshua Tree will wait till next trip. So while Carol visited family, I did a shorter drive to the Salton Sea. I’ve seen photos of this area and thought it looked interesting photographically. It was still windy and there were great clouds that made for beautiful light.

21 Jan 2022: Anza-Borrego Day-Trip

by JamesJanuary 21, 2022April 16, 2024Anza-Borrego State Park / California / Day Trips / Hikes / Sightseeing / State Parks / Trips

^{Route to Fonts Point & Anza-Borrego State Park Visitor’s Center}

Although we have lived most of our lives in SoCal, we’ve never visited Anza-Borrego. It’s always been on our list of places to go but we’ve just never made it out there. Working as an oceanographer, with month-long cruises in Jan and April, kept me busy during the prime months to visit. Now that we are retired, it will become a regular destination when we are itching to get away during the winter months.
The park’s visitor center is 75mins away from Indio/Indian Waters RV Resort. There are some great hiking trails there but we opted to hunt down the metal sculptures that are a mile or so east in Borrego Springs. These are another group of local landmarks we have never visited.
Note: parking & hiking at the State Park Visitor Center (and two other popular parking areas in the park) requires paying a day-use fee but everywhere else is free and open. Dry RV camping in several areas is ‘no reservation first come first serve’.

Our Indio family, Jim & Susan, had posted beautiful photos of Fonts Point (see map) they took while off-roading in their new Jeep. The amazing panoramic views of the Badlands looked worth the slow 4-mile washboard road trek. Like their Jeep, our Tacoma TRD Offroad 4×4 is also very capable on roads like these. We made it a point to visit in late afternoon and wait till sunset. As the sun set, the wind really picked up and it got cold quickly. The drive home in the dark through a dust storm added to the adventure.
Directions to Fonts Point Trail Junction can be found using Google Maps. Note: this is the turn onto the 4mi dirt road leading to Fonts Point. There is a small sign but its easily missed. Navigating to Fonts Point using Apple Maps will take you to the wrong endpoint. To reach Fonts Point lookout, you drive 4mi south on a washboard dirt & soft sand road. It’s mostly wide and level with sections of soft sand, a 4-wheel drive is recommended but not necessary. We saw many 2-wheel drive vehicles parked at the lookout. Just avoid the soft sand.

17-20 Oct 2021 – Silver Strand Beach

by JamesOctober 18, 2021April 16, 2024California / Campgrounds / Day Trips / E-Biking / RVing / Southern California / State Parks / Trips

When we first brought our 20ft travel trailer home in Nov 2020, we wanted to camp locally to practice & learn. We ended up staying at Campland-On-the-Bay, which was a great 1st trip. But we also were interested in staying at some other beach campgrounds like Silver Stand State Beach in south San Diego. Unfortunately, it was booked solid for months but Carol found a block of three nights available. This opening was Oct 17-19 2021, late into our camping season. In fact, pretty much ending our summer camping season. This state beach is open year-round and a great place for winter camping although the ocean is obviously colder in autumn or winter.
Across the bay from Sun Outdoors RV Resort, which we enjoyed in August. Silver Strand State Beach campground is a small, beach-front ‘parking lot’ with water & electric hookups. There is a fee-based ($10) dump station but we noticed most rv’ers preferred to hire a mobile pumping service. The campground is the last of three large parking lots next to the road so road noise is noticeable, louder that the waves.
We brought our e-bikes since we figured this flat stretch of beach would have good bike trails and we were right. There is a great bike trail next to highway 75, Silver Stand Blvd, dedicated to pedestrians, joggers, & (e)bikes. Being later in the season, the beach weather was cool and windy so we did not spend too much time on the beautiful, wide sandy beach. We brought our dog Bodhi, our ~38lb terri-poo, since he did not travel with us to Zion. Bodhi tolerates RV travel because he loves being with us 7/24. But because we started rv’ing later in his life (9yrs old), he does not adapt well to the tight confines of Howie & trailer living. But he does enjoy getting out with us, he just doesn’t have the stamina for long outings. Coronado has a great dog beach about 6mi north so we took him in the late afternoon when the tide was low. Both the bike trail, which we rode to the Hotel Del Coronado, and the dog beach are highly recommended if you stay in this area.

30 Sept 2021 – Leaving Zion

by JamesSeptember 30, 2021April 16, 2024National Parks / RVing / Utah / Zion National Park

Zion Canyon RV Resort cleared out Tuesday & Wednesday so if you are trying to get a spot. Your chances on these days are better than nearer to the weekend. Yesterday’s hike to Angel’s Landing was less crowded on the shuttle than Monday when we hiked the Narrows. We considered e-biking early today but settled for packing up and getting on the road back south. This time we reserved a site at the Barstow-Yermo KOA instead of Baker.

29 Sept 2021 – Angel’s Landing

by JamesSeptember 29, 2021April 16, 2024Day Trips / Hikes / National Parks / Sightseeing / Utah / Zion National Park

The 2nd most popular hike, or tied at #1 with the Narrows, is Angel’s Landing. A hard, out-n-back 4.4mi hike that changes elevations ~1600ft. The trail is one of the busiest and the main reason it’s so dangerous at the summit. A lot of people of various skill & physical ability on a narrow, vertical, cliff-sided ridge climbing in both directions. Hikers will step aside as groups take turn going up or down but there isn’t a large margin for error. Because there were so many people, the time to go 0.5mi from Scout Lookout to Angel’s Landing was an hour 20min. We decided Scout Lookout was an adequate end point. The weather was great for our hike but the climb will definitely challenge your stamina. The first 1.2mi of the hike are uphill but when you reach the West Rim Trail, it flattens into a shaded level trail. Then you hit Walter’s Wiggles, a set of 21 quick switchbacks that takes you vertically 200+ft in a really short time. Once past the switchbacks, it’s a gradual climb to Scout Lookout, ~5340ft at 1.8mi. You can continue to the summit 2.2mi further along but we stopped here.

Angel’s Landing Trail & Elevation Change

28 Sept 2021 – The Narrows

by JamesSeptember 28, 2021April 16, 2024Day Trips / Hikes / National Parks / Sightseeing / Utah / Zion National Park

At the top of every Zion visitor’s list of places to hike is the Narrows. A river hike in the Virgin River through Zion Canyon. With its popularity, this can be a crowded ‘trail’ so we got an early start. But not as early as originally planned since morning temperatures were mid 50s. We layered our clothes so as the day warmed & we started hiking, we could be comfortable. We caught the Springdale shuttle at 8am and entered the park by walking over the bridge to the pedestrian entrance.
The Zion Canyon morning shuttle was already getting full, standing room only. So we waited for the next shuttle to get seats since the ride to the Temple of Sinawava takes awhile, making several stops along the way. Temple of Sinawava is the last shuttle stop & the Narrows trailhead. The 1mi Riverside Walk is a level, paved scenic path to get to the Narrows starting point. There are no restrooms beyond the shuttle stop so it is highly recommended to take the time here.
Since autumn conditions were underway & the river is cooling down, we rented gear from Zion Outfitters ($31/person). This includes a sturdy walking staff, neoprene socks, & water boots with great ankle support (highly recommended). Since you can warm up hiking, although cooled by river-wading, most people wear layers & shorts. I fortunately picked water repellent Eddie Bauer long pants and was surprised they shedded water so well. Carol had similar pants but they did not have the same water resistance.
The hike is amazing and we can see why its at the top of every hiker’s list. You crisscross the river through the canyon and enjoy the spectacular views of the river, canyon, and cliffs. The river depth ranged from ankle to waist-deep. We hiked ~2.5mi into the canyon, turning around near Wall Street. In hindsight, even though I felt I had experienced the Narrows, we should have continued further up. Our Narrows hike did end up totaling 8 miles. But take a break, rest, and go further is my recommendation.

27 Sept 2021 – Zion Canyon RV Resort

by JamesSeptember 27, 2021April 16, 2024Campgrounds / E-Biking / National Parks / RVing / Utah / Zion National Park

Although visiting Zion National Park is only a 25min drive from St. George or Hurricane campgrounds. If you can stay closer, it’s easier to get an early start. In late September, afternoon temperatures are in the high 80s low 90s so morning excursions are recommended.
We were lucky to book 3 nights in Zion Canyon RV Resort in Springdale, 0.4mi from Zion NP south entrance. This is a private campground with full hookups, unlike more primitive campsites inside the park. Since we postponed our original dates by one week, because it was over 100°F, a riverside site was available. Definitely worth the extra expense if you can book a site next to river. But the riverside sites are smaller and back-in only, unlike the many pull-thru sites at this campground. Howie’s only 20ft so we backed in & really enjoyed the view from the rear dinette, Howie’s best feature.
Zion National Park Visitor Center, Zion Canyon RV Resort, and other places on the Virgin River were heavily damaged by a flash flood on Jun 29 2021. Most of the damage has been repaired but cleanup continued and there was a lot of construction going on. The main lodge that used to greet people at Zion Canyon RV Resort was gone and new construction underway. The offices are housed temporarily in small office trailers.
Since it took less than an hour to move from the Hurricane KOA here. We unfolded our two Lectric E-Bikes and rode into the park. Having an America the Beautiful Park Lifetime Pass makes coming and going simple & free, bypassing the regular line. We rode the Pa’rus Trail which runs along the Virgin River, through the South Campground into Zion Canyon.

27 Sept 2021 – Red Reef Trail

by JamesSeptember 27, 2021April 16, 2024Day Trips / Hikes / Hurricane/St. George / Sightseeing / State Parks / Utah

Since we didn’t hike yesterday and we weren’t leaving the KOA till noon (late checkout request okayed by KOA). We wanted to do a short hike to Red Reef Trail next to the campground. We checked it out yesterday evening, going through the underpass directly across from the KOA – it would be a great e-bike excursion.
Normally, the hike is along a creek to a waterfall but this late in the season. The creek bed was dry with scattered pools of water along the trail. Still, the hike is worthwhile and easy, with only 200ft elevation gain. You enter the trailhead near campsite #2 after parking in the day-use slots. There is no one at the ranger’s station so you pay $5 at a fee station.
A short, easy, scenic hike to end our stay in the St George/Hurricane area. The upper section of the trail above the waterfall narrows into a slot canyon. But you have to boulder up a side wall to reach the upper section. There isn’t a rope & steps like the lower section by the waterfall. Since Carol was waiting below, I didn’t venture further. Plus we needed to be back by 10:30am to be on the road by noon & head to Zion Canyon. There’s plenty more to see here but we are ready for Zion National Park & our main hikes – the Narrows & Angel’s Landing.