Here are some photos from my trip to Joshua Tree in the four days following the Association of American Geographers conference in Los Angeles.

49 PALMS TRAIL

This trail is one of my favorite trails, as it winds its way through the desert, over a moderately sized mountain, after which off in the distance amid the stark terrain you can see a cluster of I suppose 49 palm trees (and no, I didn't count them).

• The approach to the oasis.
• The trail leading in.
• Inside the oasis.
• More inside the oasis.
• Looking up!
• Self-portrait, happy to not be getting more sunburned for a moment.
• Impending doom on the return hike (City of 29 Palms in the background)!

BARKER DAM TRAIL

This trail led to an an old dam built to help trap what moisture was available in the desert. As you can tell by the photos, there wasn't much when I was there.

• On the dam.
• Scenery near the dam.
• Climber near the trail's entrance.
• Coyote!

INSPIRATION PEAK

The biggest inspiration on this trail was that I discovered trails not marked on the free map the Park Service gives you are much more fun.

• Inspiration Peak.
• View from the top.
• View from the top.
• View from the top.

LOST HORSE MINE

• May have lost the horse, but you really can't lose the trail.
• The old mine.
• The dangers of timed self-portraits.
• The return trail.

OTHER PHOTOS

While Joshua trees are incredibly beautiful, it doesn't take long before you suddenly can't remember where you saw which one. So here's some other photos I liked.

• Skull Rock.
• Yours truly after the climb up Mastodon Peak.
• Small crevice from the 1992 Landers Earthquake.
• The "teddy bear" cholla cactus that'll rip your skin off.
• The sparse landscape typical of the lower elevations of the park (note no Joshua trees).
• Some rocks in Hidden Valley near sunset.
• An incredibly balanced Joshua tree.
• A lone tree.
• More trees.
• Yes, another tree.
• Near sunset.
• Note the contrails!
• An afternoon of contrail clouds?
• One of my black and white photos of the park.