Today we're heading out to a location called the Quail Springs Pump House in Joshua Tree National Park. It's been quite a while since I've visited, and I'm hoping it's as interesting and well preserved as I remember.
I was lucky I chose today for a hike. A little light rain as I drove into the park, and dramatic skies for the entire day.
A nice benefit to hiking to the Pump House is that there are some cool things to see along the way. This old rusty car is a favorite. I'll bet it has some stories to tell!
I've even photographed it back in 2019 at night under the Milky Way:  |
| "Historic" trash. |
Not far from the rustmobile is a collapsed homestead cabin. It's likely whoever lived here owned the car. I've never been able to learn who this cabin belonged to. It's quite a mystery.All that's left is a bunch of wood on the ground and some nice stonework that must have been the front porch. The coolest thing about this old cabin is that it has a cellar!
Part of the floor has collapsed down into the cellar, but at one time, it would have been quite large. Nice craftmanship on the stonework!
The front porch, and more beautiful stonework. Spectacular desert views. Sure makes you wonder who lived here and what he/she/they did!
Time to continue my hike to the primary objective (the old pump house), but first let me show you what the skies look like:
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Ta daaa!! The Quail Springs Pump House in all its glory! I'm pleased to see it's still standing and actually looks to be in very good shape. It's about 1/2 mile from the old (collapsed) homestead cabin. Seems like you would want to put your well closer to your house, so not sure if the cabin owners had anything to do with this pump house. Then a friend of mine sent me an old Park Service map: Unfortunately, it's not dated, but it shows "Horse Camp" near where the pump house is located. It appears that back in the day, you could come to Joshua Tree National Monument and rent horses and go horseback riding! It's also possible the Park Service built this well and pump to keep the horses watered.
The pump house has an old fashioned pump connected to a pipe that leads to a trough. And here's the best part: IT STILL WORKS!!
Let's take a closer look inside the pump house:
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| Found just outside the pump house (and left it where I found it). |
I love this old pump house, but it's time to continue on. I think I have enough daylight left to hike over to Samuelson's Rocks (I'll save that post for next time). Before doing that, I hiked to the top of a hill next to the pump house for some nice desert views.
Thanks for joining me on this hike to the old pump house!
Absolutely incredibly beautiful
ReplyDeleteThe old car wreck is a gift to find
I'm amazed the pump still works. Not so much the works, but that there's water there. I know I heard various entities wanted to take the groundwater from the desert... Glad to hear that hasn't happened there.
ReplyDelete...you had gorgeous skies to enjoy. The rusty car is art!
ReplyDeleteGreat entry pic and that car! A sad beauty.
ReplyDeleteWow on the night pic, you´re a wonderfully skilled photographer, thank you for sharing all this!
A cellar, very interesting.
It must´ve been strong, brave people building this and living there. Great sky pic again!
And WOW on the pump still working! That is really... wow.
Thank you, this is super-interesting!!!
And beautiful. And just to imagine how they got all the gear out there, the knowledge to build this - sad there is no time stamp available.
Looking forward to your next adventure (but somehow doubt you can top this!).
the skies were really dramatic that day
ReplyDeleteBeautiful shots.
ReplyDeleteThis is a beauty! The rustic car shell is indeed a wonderful foreground interest for Milkyway. The stone porch or a mine shaft looking tunnel is a great find. Love the desert landscape in your series
ReplyDeleteWow! You sure do find fascinating place in the desert plus of course, ominous skies and landscapes ~ Beautiful! ~ The vintage auto and old house foundation is fascinating to see and the the Old Pump House is a story unto itself ~ great photos and amazing the pump is still working ~ Great map your friend sent ~ Such history! Xo
ReplyDeleteWishing you good health, laughter and love in your days ~
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
PS ~ how is your grand daughter? All grown up?
It seems there is always something interesting to discover in Joshua NP. I love the skies you have captured here, and amazed that the pump is still working (presumably the water is drinkable?). I was a little sad to see what once must have been a much loved home (the stonework is incredible) is now only a pile of wood, but derelict places always affect me that way.
ReplyDeleteDearest Peter,
ReplyDeleteWow, that was quite a joy to find the old pump house still up and working!
One wonders from how deep that water has to come up.
Excellent photos taken on a picture perfect day!
Hugs,
Mariette
Neat! It’s fun to see old stuff in situ.
ReplyDeleteAmazing that old pump works! I love the sound it makes. Of all your incredible photos, my favorite is the KC Baking Powder can. Why? Because I bought a vintage KC Baking Powder print at a thrift store this summer, and just today got it framed and hung on the wall!
ReplyDeleteWow, so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy scrolling down your blog and anxiously await what is shown and explained next. I really enjoy your hikes. You always have a destination. You take us along on the adventure and show us what you find a car, a pump that works and the what the desert looks like and the skies. I want to thank you for these wonderful cyber trips. I enjoy them so much!
ReplyDeleteI would have liked to see that house when it was new. The porch and cellar were great.
ReplyDeleteSo many pictures of places in the desert--- Like the sea, it's always the same, yet always different. Your pictures in this post (as always) amazing.
ReplyDeleteLove the dramatic skies and the vastness of the desert views.
ReplyDeleteI have no words to tell you how amazing your photos are, the skies are incredible, the trees are something I want to see and I love love love rust. so beautiuful. I could enjoy time on that stone porch even as it is
ReplyDeleteAnother one of your great expeditions in for the most of us unknown terrain. Very nice rusty finds here.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Amazing series of photos.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been around here lately and am really enjoying all the photos. For a Spare Parts guy you really hit the mother lode here and the capture you presented is very well composed. Have a blessed weekend!
ReplyDeleteStunning photos as ever, I just love the way you capture so much detail in the picture.
ReplyDeleteThat old cabin is amazing. A lot of work went into that cellar. Still amazed that you get down into potential snake dens but hey. You got the photo.
ReplyDeleteI love the old pump house and the pump still works!! How does that happen?
Amazing, from the pump, to the stonework in that cellar. I hope you can find the backstory on that cabin and let us know one day. My favorite photo was the rustmobile under the Milky Way. Stunning!
ReplyDeleteWhat a grand find that old pump house was and it's incredible that the pump still works. The old rusty car is priceless, it makes you think about when that car was left behind, did the person think it would still be there all these years later. The stone work on the front porch is absolutely goergeous. Thanks for taking us along, I enjoyed the tour.
ReplyDeleteAmazing captures of fascinating objects and wonderful skyshots!
ReplyDeleteWonderful walk and fabulous find-- but so many unanswered questions.
ReplyDeleteHi SP&P, First of all, I love your header … very cool! It’s just a joy to look through your pictures in this post. The old rusty stuff is just so neat. Your daylight photos are great, but even greater is that 2019 view under the Milky Way. Award winner for sure! Thanks for stopping by John’s Island and your kind comment. John
ReplyDeleteWOW!! First of all, during my visit to your wonderful blog, your sky images blow me totally away!! And I love to walk side by side with you through this impressive and strange world. Thanks a lot for this gorgeous opportunity!
ReplyDeleteGreat finds and beautiful photos of the finds. I do hope one day you will get the answers to who was the owner of the car and cabin.
ReplyDeleteGreat finds and photos.Who build this cabin, had hard worked...
ReplyDeleteWohoooooooo, the pump house is still living!