Twin Tanks Revisited

 These days, probably 95% of the people stopping at the Twin Tanks parking lot in Joshua Tree National Park are there to catch the short trail over to the White Tank area to see Heart Rock or Arch Rock. Both have become major tourist destinations and their photos are plastered all over Instagram. Another 2-3% are backpackers who are there to catch the California Riding and Hiking Trail and spend a few nights in the park. The last couple percent are the crazies who wander off-trail to explore the backcountry in hopes of seeing things rarely seen by others and enjoy the solitude of pristine desert spaces. I fit in the last category.

If you use the search bar on this blog to search "Twin Tanks", your going to see a handful of posts. I've hiked Twin Tanks a number of times over the years. My first hike was back in 2017. I remember talking to my friend Pat Tillett before going on the hike. He warned me that the washes in the backcountry are numerous and criss-crossing, and very easy to get turned around. Pat has always been a reliable and trusted source of information, so I took extra precautions, including extra GPS points and even leaving some stone markers (like Hansel & Gretel's trail of breadcrumbs😆) to help me find my way back. 

The last time I hiked Twin Tanks was in Oct. of 2022. So a couple months ago when Mitch and I were scratching our heads over where to hike, I suggested Twin Tanks. It had been almost two years since I last hiked the area. Also, it had rained a couple weeks prior, and Twin Tanks has some natural "tanks" (areas that catch and hold rain water). With any luck, we might find some small puddle areas, which is a real treat in the desert. Mitch liked the idea, so off we went!

And yes, it wasn't long before we came across some shallow puddles of water. Some would call this a tinaja, which translates to a pocket or pothole that catches water after a rain. They can be an important source of water for desert dwellers.

 

This is one of the two "tanks" at Twin Tanks. It a man-made tank (what I would call a dam) and was built many years ago by ranchers. Both tanks have slowly filled in with sand and don't hold much water anymore. However, both tanks have natural tanks just downstream that still hold quite a bit of water, at least by desert standards. They are in the shade, formed out of granite, and hold water for quite a while.

 

A natural tank just below the dam (or man-made tank).

 

Another small natural tank.

 

Another treat for the intrepid backcountry explorer in the Twin Tanks area are the mysterious white quartz boulders. Jutting up from a rocky hillside and surrounded by tan colored granite are these ultra-white quartz boulders. They really stick out and appear as if they don't belong here, like some alien beings brought them in from another planet! Photos don't do them justice... they must be experienced in person.

 

 

Some of the white quartz boulders have tumbled down the hill.

 

The second of the twin tanks. The stone dam at the top of the photo is the man-made tank, and is a little larger than Twin Tank #1. Below it are two natural tanks.

This natural tank holds water for quite a while because it's deep and shaded. No doubt the Native Americans knew this spot well. Look closely at the boulder on the right side of the dryfall. Those little round etched markings are called cupules or cupstones. They are thought to be very ancient. Some Native American groups used them as "rain rocks" to control the weather. They would pound the cupules to induce rainfall.

Reflection off the water (something you don't see often in the desert!). Photo credit: M. Miller.

 

A strange rock pedestal. I tried climbing it...

 

...nope, not gonna happen!

 

The Twin Tanks area, probably because of seasonal availability of water in the "tanks" after a rain, seems to have been favored by Native Amercans. It's one of the reasons I love exploring this area. It took me two or three attempts before I found the petroglyphs (below). And I'm sure there's a lot more waiting to be discovered!

Thanks for dropping by!!

Linking with Skywatch Friday.