Ha ha, so I did managed to climb down (stumble down) the steep rocks from Lost Arch (aka Dragon's Eye Arch) and live to tell the story. My astute readers figured this out right away, since I was able to publish the post. Seriously, this was a solo hike so I had to be extremely careful. Once safely down from the arch, I still had about an hour of daylight left. Lets do a little more exploring...
One nice thing about hiking alone is you can really focus on your surroundings. This trap door spider den blends in perfectly and would have been really easy to miss. Does it look like the spider jumped out and chomped off the end of my thumb??! Just kidding... No sign of the spider.Exploring the wash below Dragon Eye Arch turned out to be very productive. This was mid-March, so lots of wildflowers keeping me company under a gorgeous sky. |
X marks the spot!
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Bird rock!
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A beautiful little arch!
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The Coxcomb Mountains off to the east serve as a great point of reference when hiking this area.
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Space ship??
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| I believe this long, spindly plant is some kind of desert milkweed. I've never seen it flower before. |
3 1/2 months later I came across identical plants in the same general area. The flowers were long gone, but these seeds were floating around, being pushed by the wind. Looks like milkweed seedpods to me!
Walking along, lost in my own thoughts and enjoying the wildflowers, I spotted yet another arch! It's a nice one! From this angle, the rock is straight up and down so no chance to climb up for a closer look from here. But further ahead there is an area that allows me to circle around and get up to the arch from the other side.
As I get up to the arch, I catch my breath and take a second to capture the beautiful view. Below are shots from inside the arch. I'm thinking of calling this one "Two Finger Arch" because, from the inside, it looks like a couple fingers hanging down.
One final view from atop Two Finger Arch. If I were to continue my journey, I would be hiking forward in the direction of view seen here. It's an area I have never hiked, and likely few others have hiked it, but it will have to wait for another day. I'm tired, hot, sweaty, and losing daylight. Time to start my trek back to the car.
Thanks for joining me on this adventure.
Stay safe and stay healthy!!
Bellas imágenes de una Naturaleza prodigiosa.
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteBeautiful views, I love the arch and gorgeous sky captures. X marks the spot is great.
Your spaceship rock formation is cool. The wildflowers are beautiful too. Another awesome hike and photos. Take care, enjoy your day! Wishing you a happy weekend ahead.
Truly fabulous please stay safe!
ReplyDeleteWhat an adventure, again. I love your two finger arch. I have this feeling that people from long ago sat up there looking at the same thing.
ReplyDeleteWell you lost me for words there, stunning shots. I think it was wool on the fence in my first photos. Might add they were all taken with my iPhone 8
ReplyDeleteWow such a wonderful hike!!I am amazed!
ReplyDeleteSpaceship? It looks like feet to me. You certainly explored a lot on that day. Do you find you take more pictures or do more hiking on these treks?
ReplyDeleteHi Liz. Early in my hike, it's a lot more hiking and a lot less photography. By late afternoon, as the shadows get long and the light turns to gold, I'm taking lots of pics and hard to get much hiking done! I also take a lot more photos when I hike alone.
DeleteYou are one adventurous soul and finding awesome desert gems ~ love the 2 fingered arch ~ Beautiful desert flowers too ~ Fantastic photography from your adventure ~
ReplyDeleteLive each moment with love,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
spring wildflowers and amazing skies - great post!
ReplyDelete...OK, I admit it, my idea of a hike and yours are miles apart. But I'm thankful that you are the adventurer that you are, thanks for taking me along with your gorgeous images!!! Take care, I'd like to do this again.
ReplyDeleteThe blooms are beautiful but the seeds are a work of art.
ReplyDeleteI love the trap door spider den!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures! Looks like you had a perfect day. Love all the clouds. I will have to go looking for the lost arch myself someday.
Dearest SPP,
ReplyDeleteFor as long as there is sufficient daylight one could roam around and ponder and drink in the many wonders of nature.
Beautiful photos of the wildflowers and their seeds.
Also those rock formations are very intriguing and inviting for up close exploration.
But you wisely decided to head back to your car!
Hugs,
Mariette
Love, love, love these pictures. Great captures.
ReplyDeleteAmazing scenery.
ReplyDeleteYou amaze us with your photography. Enjoy every minute of our visit here. Thanks. WE were hoping to get to walk some near Joshua Tree on our last trip around the USA, but with engine problems we did not slow down until we made Death Valley and then the Cummins died. We did get back on the road but missed some Last Chances for us, since we re in our 80s now.
ReplyDeleteNever sen nor heard of the trap door spider. Neat. All the shots were breath taking.
From Florida, preparing our last nest,
Sherry & jack
The shot you called Spaceship looks to me like one Sasquatch in the back, mourning a second Sasquatch - all that remains are its toes! Lovely photos, oh reliable one!
ReplyDeleteSo many arches, and wild flowers! Love your second capture. You saw a space ship, I saw a shepherd with some sheep:) Anyways, a great view of when the desert blooms!
ReplyDeletewonderful post and pics.
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot for sharing.
Stay well. Happy Weekend.
Quite a hike, yet again. And great pics, yet again. You have to have sturdy hiking shoes to not twist your ankle on that harsh terrain. And you have to be in good condition to hike there in the first place. Kudos!
ReplyDeleteAll superb. When I lived in San Diego for a couple of years in the late 70's I took some time to explore the Anza Borrego desert in bloom. Later, when we lived in Laguna Niguel, I wish I'd gotten out to see the places that give you so much treasure to photograph. No desert now, though.
ReplyDeleteInteresting and so great photos!
ReplyDeleteI see Shrek instead of spaceship. cool images as always.
ReplyDeleteYou certainly get to hike through some breath-taking scenery! Love seeing the pictures of the different wildflowers too.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful as always. It only proofs that the subject on the photo is 99,9% of the appreciation send there by the brain behind the camera.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic hike again, Peter. These rock formations and the arches are great, but those flowers in the middle of the desert are really enchanting.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely variety of photos. I'm glad you stayed safe on your solo hike.
ReplyDeleteSeriously good desert photos. Nice to see a few flowers too.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful desert scenery! Love the wildflowers too. So different from the PNW forests where I hike.
ReplyDeletewow, all those rocks and so many images to see in them. wonderful photos.
ReplyDeleteDear Peter,
ReplyDeleteexcellent images do you present us.
Best regards
Bernhard
Amazing hike and photos. Beautiful photography, stunning results. Thanks for sharing, have a wonderful weekend and stay safe!
ReplyDeleteScotty, Beam Spock Down Immediately, This Pace Is Magical - Thanx For Getting Out There And I Really Appreciate You Sharing These Hidden Gems - Way Cool - Brilliant X There
ReplyDeleteCheers
Incredible topography! You've captured it beautifully.
ReplyDeleteBreathtaking photos of a great landscape! And: I never saw a trap door for spiders before... thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteGreetings from the small Germany
Beautiful wildflowers add charm to the place indeed.
ReplyDeleteThe X is very useful to mark the place... LOL!!
When you hike alone, you can take your time to enjoy your surrounding and focus on what you want to do. The trap door thing is new to me. Pretty flowers in the desert.
ReplyDeleteLove the second shot most
ReplyDeleteBeautiful rock formations! Lovely flowers, too!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful weekend!
Well you certainly did make brilliant use of every moment of that hour of daylight SPP, you really do take the most wonderful shots of your Joshua Tree National Park, a joy to behold 💛
ReplyDeleteSo many awesome discoveries and amazing rock sculptures! The spider den is new to me. How clever. Nature through your lens is elevated. Always.
ReplyDeleteWow - truly gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteYou find so many interesting places to explore. When we go out quad riding sometimes Wayne goes ahead on steeper logging roads. With my fear of heights I wait behind and get to explore in more detail on my own. I enjoy that a lot more than finding a lofty view. - Margy
ReplyDeleteI have never seen a spider den complete with a door! Those are some beautiful wildflowers growing in the midst of all those arches and rocks and those seeds did look like milkweed. The spaceship rock looked more like a giant monster to me, all in the eye of the beholder I suppose.
ReplyDeleteEverything is wonderful. I thought the Space ship looked like a big old sea lion. But it’s cool no matter what. No disagreement with the two fingers That’s the perfect interpretation. The arches are gorgeous, as are the wildflowers, brave little beauties they are to bloom in those surroundings! It’s amazing to me how well you know your territory in every season, as comfortable with it as ordinary people would be in their front yard!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean, though in my case it was only some safe city trips by myself. You can focus. No one saying, oh, come on, hurry up!
ReplyDeleteBut ewww.... that spider thing I´d stayed far away from!
Beautiful flowers and that space ship is the coolest! As the fingers, a tad scary!
I´m not such a good trecker. 20 km in one piece tops, took me 3 hours and I was knackered!
Impressive shots, wonderful !
ReplyDeleteWow! Incredible geology and your picture of the seeds is wonderfully delicate!
ReplyDeleteSeems like a magical place - these are magnificent photos!
ReplyDelete