Pinyon Well, Joshua Tree National Park

My wife and I took our granddaughter and the chihuahua out for a hike in JTNP about a week ago. The hike is relatively short (a little under 2 miles round trip). However, temps were in the mid-90's, so I was being really careful... carrying lots of water, snacks, hats, sunscreen, etc. There is no cell service in the Park, so you need to be super careful, especially when traveling with a toddler. This is a great hike for a number of reasons. For one, it's remote, so few if any tourists know about it and you will probably have the area to yourself. You take Geology Tour Road to get to the trailhead, and 4WD is recommended. For a great overview of the Pinyon Well area, check out this blog:  http://cali49.com/jtnp/2014/2/18/pinyon-well

My granddaughter started out strong...

But she soon ran out of gas!! The chihuahua picked up a cactus thorn in her foot not once, not twice, but three times! Wish I would have managed to get a photo of my wife trying to pull out thorns without being bitten! It's quite a challenge.

One of the first interesting finds on the hike was this skull of a bighorn sheep. I didn't see any sign of the rest of the carcass. In researching the area, I learned that there is water available further up the canyon and bighorn sheep are common in this area. I also learned that sheep carcasses are occasionally found, which means there are likely mountain lions in the area. I took this shot of the skull, then put it back the way I found it for the next hikers to enjoy.

Photo credit:  http://cali49.com/jtnp/2014/2/18/pinyon-well

The next interesting find is (I think) the actual Pinyon Well location. It's just a big hole in the ground that's been fenced off by the park service).

Photo credit:  http://cali49.com/jtnp/2014/2/18/pinyon-well

Here's a close-up looking down into the well. I nearly missed it, but just above the well, as if guarding the entrance or warning off potential visitors of grave danger, was another bighorn sheep skull! That's two on one hike!!

This got my imagination going (as in the Indiana Jones movie). If I lifted up the skull, would poison darts or something even worse happen??! I picked up the skull to inspect it and fortunately survived the experience!

An old metal water trough. I wonder what it was used for?

Multiple cement water tanks in this area, along with what look like stone foundations of what once was likely mining cabins. The water tanks were probably used for mining operations. At one time, this must have been a thriving area!

Back where we started, as the sun sets and a nice view of Malapai Hill in the distance. There's a lot more to see up this canyon. It's definitely on my list of hikes to do... next time going deeper into the canyon.

Shot earlier in the day... that's Geology Tour Road, AKA, our road back home!

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