Joshua Tree Daytrip

Bryanseye

Adventurist
I will be able to carve out a day (maybe 2) in Joshua Tree NP later this month. My usual stomping ground there is around Barker Dam. Will have kids and a 2wd. Any other suggestions? It has been a while so I don’t remember the area as much and bouldering up Queen Mountain is out of the question.
 
Doesn't have to be the actual park either. I feel obligated to get coffee and a tuna sandwich at a place in Yucca Valley, and eat a burrito from Santana's, but the coffee shop is renamed and Santana's has turned into a regional chain, so I'm up for anything. That's just caloric intake anyway, I am looking forward to exploring a little. Hoping for local/frequent visitor advice.

Barker Dam is (was) a good spot to see desert sheep and some petroglyphs, but I know there are plenty of other spots. Used to ride around the BLM land and find old mines too and willing to do that again within the limits of a rental (I wish I could bring my vehicle :().
 
Behind the KFC in Yucca Valley in the strip mall is a place called Two Guys Pizza. Familiar name but not a part of the chain.

Pizza is very good and as an Italian raised on traditional foods. It is one of two places that I can eat the spaghetti. Also a very good BBQ place in 29 Palms on the south side of Hwy 62. Look for the big BBQ's out front.

Two wheel drive and kids. Have you taken them over the hill from 29 Palms to the north to the volcanos? A really cool place is out Hwy 62 near Eagle Mountain. Patton old training ground headquarters.

Enjoy
 
Behind the KFC in Yucca Valley in the strip mall is a place called Two Guys Pizza. Familiar name but not a part of the chain.

Pizza is very good and as an Italian raised on traditional foods. It is one of two places that I can eat the spaghetti. Also a very good BBQ place in 29 Palms on the south side of Hwy 62. Look for the big BBQ's out front.

Two wheel drive and kids. Have you taken them over the hill from 29 Palms to the north to the volcanos? A really cool place is out Hwy 62 near Eagle Mountain. Patton old training ground headquarters.

Enjoy
Thanks for the suggestions. Amboy Crater? What a great area to feel like the world has ended! I always felt like my truck was rusting when driving through the salt flats. Haven't been there since EAS from 29 Palms. May have to scare the fam by stopping for lunch at The Palms in Wonder Valley.

Was there another volcano you had in mind because that is all I remember? Never did Eagle Mountain either.
 
Eagle Mountain is near the training area. Might be best to save that for an overnighter. Go to the end of Hwy 62 and turn left.

In my minds eye I see two major cones. Amboy Crater and another one a bit west of there. Mining activity in the area but you can see the cone from Hwy 66 and just wheel on up. No problem if you want to hike to the top.
 
Highly, massively, can not further recommend the Dean Martin at Pie for the People in Joshua Tree on the north side of the turn into the west park entrance. Heaven on a crust!

Desert Queen Mine is a short hike but can be lengthened by parking at Marked Location https://maps.apple.com/?address=Jos...2QEAxKitUHjwMXcA5hI0Y19QNQUBB54da9E/+XMA=&t=h and hiking ESE and taking the washes north to the mine site. It’s not demanding or difficult to navigate but must have a map to verify your route. I have the National Geographic map I bought at Nomad Ventures at the turn for park road in JT.
 
Since staying in the park is not a requirement, you can day trip up 2no2 from Pioneer town to big bear for lunch and beat the heat. It is easily navigated in a high clearance 2wd
 
Highly, massively, can not further recommend the Dean Martin at Pie for the People in Joshua Tree on the north side of the turn into the west park entrance. Heaven on a crust!

Desert Queen Mine is a short hike but can be lengthened by parking at Marked Location https://maps.apple.com/?address=Joshua Tree National Park, Desert Queen Mine Rd, Desert Hot Springs, CA 92241, United States&ll=34.017951,-116.082400&q=Marked Location&_ext=EiQp7PhhcMD2QEAxKitUHjwMXcA5hI0Y19QNQUBB54da9E/+XMA=&t=h and hiking ESE and taking the washes north to the mine site. It’s not demanding or difficult to navigate but must have a map to verify your route. I have the National Geographic map I bought at Nomad Ventures at the turn for park road in JT.
Thanks. Looks like we have some pizza competition in JT/YV.

Since staying in the park is not a requirement, you can day trip up 2no2 from Pioneer town to big bear for lunch and beat the heat. It is easily navigated in a high clearance 2wd
"Home" is in Claremont so up to Big Bear on the way back isn't too terribly out of the way and a scenic drive. Thanks, found the route.
 
Highly, massively, can not further recommend the Dean Martin at Pie for the People in Joshua Tree on the north side of the turn into the west park entrance. Heaven on a crust!

Desert Queen Mine is a short hike but can be lengthened by parking at Marked Location https://maps.apple.com/?address=Joshua Tree National Park, Desert Queen Mine Rd, Desert Hot Springs, CA 92241, United States&ll=34.017951,-116.082400&q=Marked Location&_ext=EiQp7PhhcMD2QEAxKitUHjwMXcA5hI0Y19QNQUBB54da9E/+XMA=&t=h and hiking ESE and taking the washes north to the mine site. It’s not demanding or difficult to navigate but must have a map to verify your route. I have the National Geographic map I bought at Nomad Ventures at the turn for park road in JT.


Will be trying that pie within a month.
 
Exploring out on Gold Crown/Old Dale roads has proven worthwhile...some cool mining relics and history out there. If you're into geocaching, there's a boatload of cool hides in and around that area. Fairly 2WD capable with airing down and common sense.

Some of our pics for a trip out that way in the spring of 2017...

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Had a close call with this desert dweller...

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It's no wonder they get run over...he was making headway right in the pass side wheel track. We were able to navigate around and grab a few non-invasive snaps...

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Also caught this "little" guy taking a sun nap, right in the middle of Old Dale Road...

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Really cool site, with lots of foundations to explore, and the tailings of the cyanide run-off evident by the coral colored slag field below...

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Thanks. Yup, those Desert Tortoises (Tortoisi?) love to walk in the road. I guess it is the same as us, attracted to the smoother route, but we are typically quicker to get out of the way. Nice pics!
 
Went to pick up the rental with an 8 am reservation this morning, but they weren’t ready and we ended up with a 2 hour late start. A dash to the east on i10 got us out of the urban sprawl as the cultivated palms and lantanas gave way to creosote bushes and windmills.

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Per recommendation, we tried Pie for the People, but ended up with a ready to go slice of David Bowie since we were behind instead of the aforementioned Dean Martin. It was okay. Then we headed into the park to hike around Barker Dam hoping to spot some of the desert bighorns that I have been fortunate enough to see several times in the past. The water was really low (expected), but a family was camped out in the middle of the wetland and every major rock formation had a cluster of climbers with GoPros, so no sheep. It was nice out, 85 degrees with puffy clouds regularly providing ample shade. A peek at the petroglyphs rounded out the walk before jumping back into the vehicle and stopping at Skull Rock.

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Now we had to decide whether to head up to Big Bear from Pioneer Town or out to Amboy. The coolish weather and overcast sky lured us deeper into the desert. We broke 100 before leaving Wonder Valley and the Palms Restaurant didn’t open until Thursday. Booo! Oh well, we had come this far, and we proceeded over the pass to Route 66.
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I have driven by Amboy Crater many times but never stopped. There is a small parking lot, a few covered picnic benches, a several signs saying it is too hot to hike. We obeyed, with a 5 year old that was already a little whiny about the 105* heat in the parking lot, I decided to live to fight another day. Instead we viewed the cone from a distance and spent a little while exploring the lava flow.
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Feeling a little salty now, we made it back to Yucca Valley and John’s Place restaurant for dinner as the sun set behind the rough hills just outside of town. It was a good day.
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