Chayacitra

The Lost Palms Oasis Trail - Joshua Tree National Park

Backpacking in Joshua Tree National Park has been a personal dream of mine for some time now. Though I’ve camped and hiked there a couple times in the previous year, I had never been able to work out the logistics for a real backpacking trip- mostly because I couldn’t find a specific destination that seemed worthy of the extra effort required for desert backpacking. It’s no easy task to carry all that extra water (at least twice as much as is required elsewhere), and I didn’t feel like taking the plunge wander around in an alien landscape that I could just as easily explore on day hikes from a comfortable campsite. I love backpacking, and especially difficult trips, but I’m not out to get myself killed.

Desert Fan Palms Near The Lost Palms Oasis Trailhead

But the Backpacking Gods had other plans for me, and they led Sean to strike gold a couple weeks back by forcing him upon a day hiking trip report detailing some dude’s adventure to Munsen Oasis- the most secluded and difficult to access of all of Joshua Tree’s Desert Fan Palm Oases. Munsen Oasis  instantly became our personal Shangri-La. The trail would be arduous, the water scarce, and all the boulder fields immense, but we didn’t care. We prepared for an arduous adventure, and we found it in spades.

Ocotillos Along Joshua Tree National Park's Lost Palms Oasis Trail

Joining us on this trip was our good friend Tommy, who made the journey all the way down to Southern California from Sacramento. Whenever we gear up for epic trips, Tommy seems to be the only one brave enough to throw himself into the mix. He was with us on last Summer’s absolutely breathtaking trip through the Rae Lakes Loop in Kings Canyon and Sequoia Natonal Parks, and I was glad that he could join us for this one too. I’m not sure I would advise doing this trip with any less than three people either, as there are simply too many opportunities for serious injuries, and a two man team would mean leaving an injured man behind, by himself, if something truly terrible were to happen. The Desert is no place to tempt Fate.

Interesting Rock Formations on the Lost Palms Oasis Trail

We arrived at Joshua Tree long after nightfall on Friday evening, entering the Park off the 10 East through the secluded and much less trafficked Southern Entrance near Cottonwood Springs Campground. Finding everything completely full, we had to manage by posting up for the couple hours at a group site, camping in a wash recently flooded by the massive storms that rolled through Southern CA last week. I know it’s not technically what you’re supposed to do, but we were in basically an emergency situation. The weather reports were all clear for hundreds of miles, so it didn’t seem like much of a risk. Definitely not very Eagle Scout-like of me, but whatever.

Lost Palms Oasis - Joshua Tree National Park

I set up camp sans-tent for the first time in months and really enjoyed being able to simply open my eyes for panoramic views of the stars.  It was a new moon while we were out there, so new that I never caught a single glimpse of it, and I was certainly watching for it to appear. While there’s still a little bit of light pollution from nearby 29 Palms, Joshua Tree (the city), and perhaps even the distant cities of Palm Springs and Thousand Palms, the sky was dark enough that we had some pretty incredible views of the stars. And since I didn’t spot any Scorpions, Spiders, Snakes, or any other of scary desert denizens, I decided to forego my tent for the rest of the trip. I’m glad I left it behind.

Desert Fan Palms at the Lost Palms Oasis

Waking up at dawn on Saturday morning we drove to the Visitor’s Center to check for last minute information and verify our directions to Munsen Oasis with the Rangers. We made it to the Lost Palms Oasis trailhead relatively early and found ourselves in the middle of a pretty strong wind storm. It was nice and cool at this point, but the weather didn’t hold for long. After registering at the Backcountry Board and completing final preparations in the parking lot, we set off. Though it was still quite breezy, it was also far warmer than we had been expecting. I made the huge mistake of forgetting to bring along a non-cotton tee-shirt, and I paid dearly for it by sweating like a pig. I was locked in a constant struggle to stop my wet shirt from chafing under the strain of my pack’s hip belt. Next time I won’t forget!

Southernmost Pair of Palms at Lost Palms Oasis

The trail started off relatively easy, with gentle slopes and a pretty minor grade, winding through heavily vegetated desert canyons and some truly barren flash flood washes. Just over 3 miles in we reached the ledge the big canyon that’s home to the Lost Palms Oasis. We paused at the overlook to soak in the incredible view. Joshua Tree is my favorite of the National Parks I’ve visited, due to it’s uniqueness and rugged beauty, and while this Southern part of the Park (Colorado Desert) is much different from the more familiar and more distinctive North-West section (Mojave Desert), it certainly rivals it in natural beauty. The Desert Fan Palms are really an incredible sight, especially after walking through miles of relatively barren desert. I’d rate Lost Palms Oasis as a must see destination.

The First Boulder Field Between Lost Palms and Victory Palms Oases

We stopped briefly for lunch under the shade of the last pair of trees at Lost Palms Oasis. I couldn’t believe how much water we’d seen already- small pools, tiny waterfalls, and a gurgling stream made up the majority of the trail through the Oasis itself. I hadn’t expected to encounter anything but stagnant, disgusting, festering cess-pools, and yet, there we were amongst a literal stream right through the heart of the desert. I had left my water filter in the car because of our expectations, but I was already regretting that mistake. From now on, I’m carrying that thing everywhere. It would have saved us quite a bit of trouble (and probably around 10 pounds of weight each).

Gigantic Rocks in the Second Boulder Field

I love the desert for it’s resourcefulness and efficiency- especially for it’s ability to make so much out of so little (water that is). And this canyon’s abundance seemed excessive compared to the much more arid surroundings- it was almost as if the desert was being wasteful here. Temperatures dropped substantially near the water, dipping down into a much more comfortable range and providing a welcome respite to the screaming desert heat. Each of the Oases that we visited during the trip was at least 10 – 15 degree cooler than being in the sun. I can totally understand why people lost in the desert hallucinate these things, because they’re absolute Godsends!

Self-Portrait - Provides Scale for Boulder Size - I'm 10-15 Feet Off the Ground

We had each started the trip with around 10 liters of water (Tommy is smartest and brought the most), planning to use around a gallon a day for our proposed two-night trip. But by the first evening it had become eminently clear that we were going to run out too soon and would have to head back the following day. In most environments, a gallon of water is plenty for even the most strenuous of activities, but the desert is another animal entirely. I should have known better, considering I ran into the same problem last October during my solo foray into Saguaro National Park. Next time I certainly won’t leave my water filter in the car.

Unnamed Cholla Cactus Garden - South of Entrance to Munsen Canyon

Following lunch we began the real daunting part of the trip- passing through the harrowing Boulder Fields between Lost Palms and the much smaller Victory Palms Oasis. This part of the trek is a tough nut to crack, and I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone who’s afraid of heights or doesn’t have at least a little bit of experience in rock climbing. It’s one thing to scale boulders the size of large trucks with a day-pack, and something entirely different to do it while carrying 40-50 pounds. At times I was forced to lower myself (pack weight and all) between gigantic rock cracks using just my arms. My camera spent most of this part of the trip swinging around from my neck like a pendulum. I’ve got to figure out a better system for carrying it at times like these…

First Sight of Summit Spring Oasis - Joshua Tree National Park

Up and over, around the side, and even underneath at a couple points, we slowly made our way through the three sets of truly enormous boulder fields, occasionally meeting with such difficult points that we had to take our packs off completely and pass them to each other just to continue forward progress. It was as physically demanding as anything I’ve ever done with a full pack, but also incredibly fun. Before I knew about leave-no-trace backpacking (many, many years ago), I used to love bushwhacking trails, but creative route-finding through gigantic boulder fields is something even more exciting. I felt quite fulfilled after making my way through the unique set of obstacles this part of the hike presented.

Lush Greenery at Summit Springs Oasis - Joshua Tree National Park

When we did reach Victory Palms, the smallest of the oases we encountered on the entire trip, we stopped to rest and sit amongst its cool shade, giving our bodies the chance to cool down. I took the opportunity to dry out my now-soaking shirt. It seemed odd that any Desert Fan Palms could make it in this location, because I didn’t see or hear any running water. I began a rudimentary exploration of the area around the sole giant’s trunk, trying to determine how it managed to survive there. Climbing up a steep rock face I caught a glimpse around it’s massive fans and noticed that it’s shade created a cave-like area about the size of a small living room between the trunk of the tree and the canyon wall. I descended into it and found signs of human activity.

Summit Springs Oasis - Joshua Tree National Park

What I had first thought might be some sort of voodoo shrine turned out to be a couple fence posts blocking off a deep cave. It was only 2 or 3 feet high, so I got down on my belly to get a better look, realizing that it was far deeper than I had originally guessed. I then heard the sound of dripping water. There was a large pool of it deep in there- probably 10-15 feet away based on the rocks that I threw- being fed by an internal spring within the base of the hillside. A cool air blew from the cave onto my face, cooling my body, and tempting me to crawl inside. Looking around the little cavern created by the fan palm I felt like I was in a scene out of Apocalypse Now. If I hadn’t known any better, I would have sworn that I was deep in the jungles of South East Asia.

Standing Water Near Summit Springs Oasis

After 20 minutes or so we left Victory Palms behind, heading further East and beginning to watch for the “steep dry fall that’s easily mistaken for nothing more than another canyon wall”. Sean pointed it out (correctly), but Tommy and I both thought that we hadn’t gone far enough yet, so we kept walking. Our cursory glance of the Topographic Map (which wasn’t detailed enough to provide us with much certainty about our location) made it seem like we hadn’t arrived at the correct location yet. And our directions, which had been excellent up until this point, failed us miserably. Rather than telling us to look for a random, impossible to identify canyon, they should have guided us to follow the rusty copper piping we’d seen everywhere since Lost Palms Oasis!

Pool of Water Between Summit Springs and Munsen Oases

We continued for about another half mile down the wash, which opened up into a wide canyon basin here, offering a view of distant mountain ranges hundreds of miles to the East. At this point we figured that Sean had been right, and that we were probably already past the turn off up into Munsen Canyon, but we wanted to make absolutely certain before turning around. Stumbling upon the largest Cholla Cactus garden I’ve ever seen – far larger than the famed “Teddy Bear Cholla Garden” in central Joshua Tree- we took a break to reassess our surroundings and try to pinpoint ourselves on the map. A couple minutes later we were relatively certain that we had gone too far.

Solitary Desert Fan Palm Just South of Munsen Oasis - Joshua Tree National Park

We lingered for some time amongst the cacti before deciding to return West. We set up camp along the Northern bank of the dry riverbed, hoping that a flash flood wouldn’t arrive that evening. Tommy and I took a quick scouting trip to the base of the hillside we thought led to Munsen Canyon, where we uncovered all the clues necessary for determining that it was in fact, the correct one. The piping heading out of the main canyon and up that offshoot was our first strong indication, followed by the discovery of a very dry, but very obvious stream bed that we figured had to be Summit Springs. We returned to camp and started to settle in for the night.

First Grove of Desert Fan Palms at Munsen Oasis - Joshua Tree National Park

As the sun dipped beneath the towering canyon walls to the South, we put on our evening clothes and began collecting up deadfall for a fire. It didn’t take long to amass quite a collection that would last us through most of the night. I set up my tarp just a few feet from the fire, then relaxed in my camp chair and enjoyed the stillness of the impending darkness. Lighting the fire was so easy I could hardly believe it. The stuff out here was even drier than what we found in Death Valley. No kindling whatsoever was necessary- a single chemical block managed to light logs the thickness of my forearm in mere seconds.

Munsen Oasis in Joshua Tree National Park - Second Grove of Desert Fan Palms

About an hour after darkness fell I finally noticed the beauty of the night sky, which was just absolutely filled with stars! It was clear enough that we could spot the haze of the Milky Way, a couple different constellations, and what I still think was Venus and Mars. I really enjoyed sleeping without a roof over my head so I could take in the view. On previous trips I’ve always planned to wake up in the middle of the night for stargazing, but the comfort, warmth, and security provided by my tent has kept me from doing so. I will most certainly be traveling without that extra two and a half pounds on future trips, whenever possible.

X Marks the Spot at Munsen Oasis - We Must Have Arrived Right on Time

We got up early the next morning and packed up everything but water and food. Leaving it behind in Sean’s tent, we set off for Munsen Oasis. The trip there was certainly no cake walk, though I think the boulders between Lost Palms and Victory were probably more difficult to navigate. It certainly made things easier that we were able to leave so much weight behind at camp. Had we attempted the climb through the boulder fields with full packs the day before, I’m doubtful we could have even made it through. It took a lot of energy just to reach Summit Springs Oasis, and Munsen was considerably further North.

Canyon Leading to Boulder Fields South of Victory Palms Oasis

The first view of Summit Springs was incredibly rewarding! At this point we knew without any doubt that we were, in fact, in Munsen Canyon, and heading the right direction. This area hosted some of the largest pools of water I had yet seen on the trip, and I would have wanted to stay a bit longer if I thought we had time for it. There were some bees in the area though (as our directions had warned), and Sean doesn’t know if he’s allergic or not (somehow he’s never been stung…) so we set off after only a momentary stop. I shot some great pictures in this area though, and I’m really glad that I took a couple extra seconds to get them right!

Looking South Over Victory Palms Oasis From the Third Boulder Field

After some more difficult bouldering I finally caught sight of another set of Fan Palms that turned out to be Munsen Oasis itself. This spot is every bit as beautiful as it is difficult to reach. Secluded, serene, and absolutely splendid. An oasis in the very heart of an unforgiving desert, it is a true gem to behold. There’s nothing quite like the rush that comes after wandering through the desert for hours and climbing your way through gigantic boulder fields before finally finding a welcoming grove of Desert Fan Palms. Sitting in their shade, listening to the sounds of the trickling stream, it was hard to believe that we were in the middle of such a hostile environment. It was quite the trip, and entirely worth the extra effort.

Hexagonal Salt Formations at Badwater Basin - Death Valley National Park

These photos of Badwater Basin were taken during a trip to Death Valley National Park on Thanksgiving Weekend of 2009. Out of all of Death Valley’s incredible tourist sights, including Zabriskie Point, Dante’s View, The Devil’s Golf Course, the Artist’s Drive, and the Mesquite Sand Dunes- I most enjoyed my time spent at Badwater Basin.

Badwater Basin’s claim to fame is that it sits at the lowest point of elevation in all of North America, at 282 feet below sea level. Incredibly, the highest point of elevation in the lowest 48 states (Mt. Whitney) is only 76 miles West of here! The area was given its name due to a small pool of water right next to the parking lot, spoiled by the incredibly high concentration of salt, rendering it completely undrinkable.

I didn’t see puddles of water anywhere else in Death Valley, so this place certainly must have been extremely frustrating to early people traveling through the area. The entire basin is covered in complex and intricate salt-crystal structures of magnificent beauty. I can confidently say that Badwater Basin is one of the coolest places I’ve ever been, and I would say it’s a must-see destination. As unique as this place is, you can’t pass it up.

The "Badwater" Puddle - Badwater Basin - Death Valley National Park

Looking North From Badwater Basin - Death Valley National Park

Clouds over Badwater Basin - Death Valley National Park

More Salt Formations at Badwater Basin - Death Valley National Park

Contrasting Colors at Badwater Basin - Death Valley National Park

Detail of Salt Formations at Badwater Basin - Death Valley National Park

Close-Up of Salt Pinnacles - Badwater Basin - Death Valley National Park

Mountains of Salt at Badwater Basin - Death Valley National Park

Salt Formations in Badwater Basin - Death Valley National Park

Concentrated Salt-Crystal Structure at Badwater Basin - Death Valley National Park

Salt Lines in the Sand at Badwater Basin - Death Valley National Park

Dantes View - Death Valley National Park - Self Portrait

These shots of Dantes View were taken during a camping and backpacking trip to Death Valley National Park in November 2009. This point was the location used in the original Star Wars movie (Episode IV: A New Hope) for the shot overlooking Mos Eisley- a “wretched hive of scum and villainy”.

Dantes View Overlook - Death Valley National Park

Dantes View - "Mos Eisley Spaceport" - Death Valley National Park

Dantes View - The Valley Floor - Death Valley National Park

Dantes View - Lines in the Desert - Death Valley National Park

Dantes View - Close Up of Desert Floor Lines - Death Valley National Park

San Jacinto's Summit - Viewed From Joshua Tree

Pentax K10D with DA* 16-50mm f/2.8

Shot in January 2010. Shot near Barker Dam.

Zabriskie Point was the first stop on our whirl-wind tour of Death Valley National Park. We managed to get there just as the sunlight was starting to beat down strongly on the hillsides, offering up some incredible shadows for our Photographic pleasure. I’d love to have gone back and re-shot the area at sunset to really bring out more of the golds and oranges, but this was all we had time for so these will have to suffice for now.

Zabriskie Point Panorama - Death Valley National Park

Zabriskie Point Lookout - Death Valley National Park

View From Zabriskie Point - Death Valley National Park

Zabriskie Point Photography - Death Valley National Park

Zabriskie Point Photos - Death Valley National Park

The Foothills Near Zabriskie Point - Death Valley National Park

Dried Lava Flow(?) in Zabriskie Point - Death Valley National Park

Close-Up of Zabriskie Point - Death Valley National Park

San Jacinto Mountain Viewed From Joshua Tree National Park

Out of all the National Parks I’ve visited in the past year, including some of this nation’s absolute best- among them: Yosemite, Kings Canyon, Sequioa, Death Valley, Saguaro, The Grand Canyon, and Bryce Canyon- Joshua Tree is by far my favorite. While each of them offers something unique, Joshua Tree stands a cut above the rest as the most outlandish, incredible, and captivating of them all.

To put it simply- Joshua Tree National Park doesn’t look like it should exist. My advice to those people currently struck with “Avatar Blues” is to stop staring at glowing rectangles for long enough to get out of the house and visit a National Park- but especially this one!

Hidden Valley Campground - Joshua Tree National Park

A single trip to Joshua Tree should be enough to stop the complaining about our world being “dull”, though I haven’t seen the movie yet, so perhaps even it can’t compare to Pandora. Either way- you’d be doing yourself a huge favor to check the place out, because to me- and I’ve been a lot of places- this is one that you certainly wouldn’t want to miss.

Personally, I’ve never been so inspired by any other landscape, especially one so stark, and yet so full of potential. Perhaps that’s what I love so much about Joshua Tree though- that at first glance it appears desolate and empty, though upon further investigation, one finds it’s anything but that.

Jumbo Rocks Campground - Joshua Tree National Park

The sun-bleached rock piles and scattered gray shrubs littering the desert floor, mostly dead now, will soon return to full splendor with the rain and milder temperatures brought about by Spring and Summer (and the current wave of storms slamming into Southern CA). And as the Joshua Trees and wildflowers begin to bloom, they’ll fill that once barren landscape with a sea of incredible color and beauty. There’s nothing quite like it- the high desert in full bloom.

And though on this past trip I encountered mostly gray, thirsty shrubs, and scraggly looking JTrees, it was still one of my most powerful visits, taking me along for an emotional roller coaster ride- and stirring a deeply spiritual experience.

Jumbo Rocks Campground - Joshua Tree National Park

Our plan to explore the Park was simple, calling for everyone to meet up at Ryan Campground- one of the most popular of the Park’s many camping destinations. Since campgrounds are offered exclusively on a first-come first-serve basis, we decided that if it were full we arrived, everyone would then rendezvous at Jumbo Rocks Campground instead (which is far larger). We had to coordinate for 5 separate cars to arrive at the same location, within that vast expanse that is Joshua Tree, and since cell reception is lost just after entering the Park, I had little hope that it would all work out as neatly as it did.

Fortunately, like so many of my other recent trips- we seemed to have been blessed by Fate and all of the many many pieces of our camping puzzle fell quite neatly into place. Chaz arrived first and found Ryan Campground bursting at the seams with people, but was patient enough to wait a couple minutes to see if anyone would take off, was soon rewarded for the effort, and managed to locate us an excellent spot- seemingly meant to be- at number 26 (a number of special significance for me).

Jumbo Rocks Campground - Joshua Tree National Park

He also happened to paying our campground fee at the entrance just as I pulled up, which was a coincidence of exquisite fortune considering that I couldn’t remember what kind of car he drove, and most likely would have blown right past him on my way through the campground.

After setting up my gigantic tent, which was to serve as the beacon for our later arrivals, we decided to kill the next few hours by heading out to Jumbo Rocks Campground to shoot the area in the early afternoon-light. On our way we happened upon a Red-Tailed Hawk flying low along the road- another omen of particular importance for me- so I slowed my car to a crawl and watched for a few minutes, until it eventually perched atop a nearby Joshua Tree just begging to be captured on camera.

Red Tailed Hawk Perched in a Joshua Tree near Ryan Mountain

I strapped on my biggest lens (it’s only 200mm long unfortunately) and started my stalk. The bird was seemed on edge and didn’t want to let me get very close though, and took to the skies just as I got within a reasonable range for a good shot. It didn’t fly off however, and instead circled my head in a somewhat threatening, but certainly awe-inspiring manner. After a minute of two, it let out a fierce scream that echoed for miles around valley, then flew off into parts unknown, breaking us of it’s spell.

It was an encounter I won’t soon forget, and I snapped one of my favorite wildlife shots ever during the ordeal.

Red Tailed Hawk - Joshua Tree National Park

We spent the rest of the afternoon tromping around Jumbo Rocks shooting the formations and just generally enjoying the tranquility of the area until it was time to return to camp to greet the next wave of arrivals. It was around 1:30 by the time we pulled into our campsite. We decided that a round of Beer Pong was in order and quickly got to work on setting things up on the conveniently-level picnic table at the site. Chaz and I each shot incredibly well, making over half of our throws in the early rounds, but I managed to eek out the win with just a single cup left, right as Sean and Tanya arrived- apparently on cosmic time.

Cassie showed up soon afterward and the Beer Pong game officially took center stage for the rest of the evening. Darkness fell swiftly during a group walk through the near desert, so we got a massive fire going to stay the cold. Surprisingly, it wasn’t all that chilly out there this time- failing to even dip below freezing. Then just as we’d given up hope on their arrival, Jacob and Travis appeared with their dogs (and an interesting story about an encounter with the local cops).

Barker Dam Scenery - Joshua Tree National Park

We went to bed after shushed to quietness by a member of our neighboring site, and to be honest- I think we deserved it. It may not have been that late, but it certainly seemed late. Night in the desert lasts an eternity.

I got up the next day and did some quick shooting under the early morning light, quickly visiting the Wonderland of Rocks and the Barker Dam parking area to see if either would be worth returning to later. When I got back to the campsite, we all packed up then discussed what to do next.

The Wonderland of Rocks - Joshua Tree National Park

There was a consensus on going for a hike, but we limited in options since the Ranger explained that dogs are not allowed on most trails in the park, enforced by an expensive ticket at something like $75.  We decided to try some bouldering and drove to the Wonderland of Rocks area, where the dogs would be allowed to roam with us.

It was mostly empty, and quite an interesting part of the Park. The mountains here are all made of smaller rocks, piled up on top of each other- with larger formations, but smaller individual component rocks. Hiking about a half mile into the surrounding hills, we stopped at one and began a long climb toward that top that only Sean completed.

Sean's Mountain in The Wonderland of Rocks - Joshua Tree National Park

I’m not gonna make any excuses for my failure to reach the pinnacle- and I won’t complain about my camera serving as a ten pound pendulum swinging about neck. I was intent on making it there until Fate itself seemed to intervene on my behalf, making the dog bark just as I was set to execute my most dangerous move of the climb. I almost want to go back just to get to the top. I still say this looks quite similar to Weathertop from the Lord of the Rings movie. It was a great hike, but I was still hungry for additional exploration.

Chaz and got our fix by walking the trail around Barker Dam. And it was entirely worth it! This short hike produced some of my favorite images from the trip. The trail also hosted little signposts explaining the local flora and fauna. I would highly suggest touring this loop as it is chock-full of stunning scenery.

The Deep Blue Desert Sky - Joshua Tree National Park

It even contains a beautiful set of original Native America Pictographs. I was saddened to read that they had been defaced by having some of then chipped out of the rocks to be taken as personal possessions, and that many of them had been colored in recently with spray paint. It’s such a shame that people just don’t understand the simple concept of leaving things alone.

The pictographs were still some of the best I’ve seen in recent years, and I spent a while looking at them, trying to figure out what they meant. It seems to me that some sort of story of an adventure is being told here- perhaps of a migration from one part of the land to another. I haven’t been able to find an explanation for them in online searches.

Native American Pictographs Near Barker Dam in Joshua Tree National Park

Chaz took off following the Barker Dam hike, as he wanted to get off the road before darkness fell. His tires were extremely bald, with the metal strings clearly sticking out of the rubber. Someone in the parking lot even walked by his car and told that it was “Not good at all”, and that he “wasn’t going to make it very far”. I did a little bit more shooting in the surrounding area, enjoying the changing light of the late afternoon that bathes everything in a rich yellow glow.

Joshua Trees Bathing in Fading Sunlight

I put away my camera and decided to sit for a few minutes in complete soaking,  soaking in the sun and the beauty of Joshua Tree. I felt at peace, and inspired to share the beauty surrounding me with others. That’s what I like so much about Photography- I really hope my images will inspire people to get outside and enjoy the natural environment. I left just as the sun began to truly set, making, affording me an excellent view of the young New Year’s most beautiful sunset.

Alternate View of San Jacinto from Joshua Tree National Park

Mesquite Sand Dunes Self Portrait

Immediately after Thanksgiving dinner I wrote up one of my favorite posts yet, called “Taking an Inventory“, which you should check out before continuing through this one. I was forced to race through the post because I had to meet up with Sean in Santa Monica by a reasonable hour so we could get to Death Valley at a reasonable time the next morning. By reasonable hour and reasonable time, what I really mean is entirely unreasonable, on both counts.

After putting the finishing touches on my post and getting all my gear stowed in the trusty Civic, I finally left Irvine around 11pm. “Great”, I thought to myself, “I can hardly keep my eyes open and we’re about to drive 300 miles through the barren desert, in the middle of the night, on the worst driving day of the year. And all to reach a destination aptly named ‘Death Valley’. What the hell am I doing?”

But it was too late to turn back now. I ignored my better judgment, turned up the DJ Tiesto, and sped off to Santa Monica, where Sean’s house is conveniently located in the complete opposite direction of Death Valley, about 45 minutes entirely the wrong way. For such a long drive though (6 hours each way) the slight detour was entirely worth it. And Sean is no slouch, unlike some of our other travel companions. By the time I arrived at his house he was ready to rock and roll.

The drive out was mostly uneventful other than the occasional coyote sighting, a quick stop in Mojave (a far more depressing town than the desert bearing the same name), and the multiple times that we caught each other nodding off at the wheel. In fact, by far the most exciting moments were the getting lost parts (thanks Google maps!) and the minor annoyance that my phone couldn’t place us anywhere closer than “Within 8000 meters”, or the equivalent of 5 miles, of our actual location (nice touch Verizon!). We had to re-route no less than 5 times, but thankfully there are plenty of different ways to get to Death Valley National Park from Southern California. They even make the odd boast that they house “more roads than any other national park.”

Along the way, we each consumed an entire bag of food ending in “tos” (Cheetos & Fritos for the uninitiated), shared more than a few “I think we’re going the right way”s, and enjoyed some pretty damn impressive star gazing. Sean even tested out stealth mode on his car, driving without any lights on in the middle of nowhere- an experience I don’t necessarily want to ever repeat.

We finally saw our first “Death Valley” sign around 5:30 in the morning after entering the official Western boundary of the National Park. Some hair-raising, cliff-hugging, speed-racer style driving got us to Stovepipe Wells in a jiffy, where we found ourselves at a relatively crowded and not-so reasonably priced campground ($12), considering we only had about an hours-worth of good darkness left for sleeping.

We coasted to a stop in the parking lot between the campground and general store, resigning ourselves to sleeping in the car, which as usual, was not so much fun. We didn’t have a whole lot of options though, since we wanted to talk with the Rangers as soon as they arrived for duty at 8:00 am. Showing up at 6:00 didn’t leave us enough time to squeeze in any kind of real exploration or adventure, and we had no idea what there was to see in Death Valley anyway. We hadn’t done any research whatsoever.

Our first run-in with the Death Valley Rangers (which provided some of the most interesting experiences of the trip) was both quite profitable and highly amusing, especially because our informant seemed to be the crack-smokingest human being on the planet! Without exaggerating a bit, this man was capable of fitting something like 10 sentences into the time, space, and breath that your average human typically uses for just 1 or 2. Think of the Micromachines commercials guy and multiply him by two.

Ranger Methamphetamine gave us some great advice on how to spend our time in the Park, providing us with a couple of excellent maps for the occasion, which alone were entirely worth the $20 entrance fee. We used both maps extensively, though I think I preferred the Death Valley Backcountry Roads Map to the regular Visitor Map.  And for those of you with 4×4s, high-clearance vehicles- or more cajones than brains- you’ll definitely want to grab a copy of it.

In typical Tim & Sean form, we had planned absolutely nothing in terms of an agenda, other than the general destination and estimated time of arrival. As I learned on last month’s road-trip through Arizona and Utah [insert link here], flying by the seat of your pants is far more exciting and typically just as productive. Both of us have trouble with sticking to plans anyway, so why set ourselves up for failure – right?

To let you in on a little secret, Park Rangers really do deserve their minimum wage salaries (I kid!) because they actually know what the hell they’re talking about, unlike a lot of the people on sites like Virtual Tourist. I’ve found them to be the absolute best source of useful information on each destination I’ve seen in the past year. They’re the eyes and ears on the ground, and they know every little nook and cranny of the Parks that they protect. If I hadn’t talked to them at each of the major destinations I visited, I would have missed out on quite a few of my favorite spots

And Ranger Meth was no exception – in fact he was my favorite type of Ranger – knowledgeable, friendly, and outright hilarious. He let us know that our outlandish plan to “backpack Death Valley” was an actual possibility, due to certain rules like “You can camp anywhere as long as you’re at least 2 miles from a road”. Well – at least that’s what we thought he had said. It’s just too bad that it’s not the truth, as we would later come to find out. (And for the record, he did tell us the real rules, we simply heard what we wanted to hear).

The first stop on our shiny new, Ranger-informed agenda was to head down tourist row (South Western Death Valley) where we’d be able to see all the sites “from the post cards”. A few minutes later we were standing at Zabriskie Point which fellow Pink Floyd fans should recognize, looking out over a magnificent view. I managed to waste it by leaving my circular polarizer in the car, so these shots didn’t turn out nearly as nice as they could have, but I’m still relatively happy with them as is, and I learned a valuable lesson in the process.

Zabriskie Point, Death Valley National Park

After shooting the scenery, digging the desert vibe, and taking some Chinese teeny-bopper-style photos of ourselves jumping in the air, we were back in the car and speeding off toward the next destination. And what a destination it was. Dantes View is what they call it, and it’s absolutely incredible!

Sean accidentally came up with a much more motif-appropriate name for the place though, calling it “Devil’s View” both as an homage to The Inferno (I actually made that part up while writing this) and for theme unity with the whole “This place will kill you” meme established by “Death Valley”. Whatever it’s name the view from the top is just magnificent.

And it’s also quite famous, though I didn’t recognize it at the time. The shot below is nearly identical to a scene from the original Star Wars, when Obi Wan and Luke are looking down over Mos Eisley Spaceport from the surrounding mountains.

Dantes View, Looking North (Over Mos Eisley)

Neither of us were expecting much from Dantes View, but I’m damn glad we took the chance to visit! And if I’m being honest, I also had no idea that Death Valley was so damn big until we got up there. The perspective from Dantes (at 5,475 feet above sea level) afforded us a perspective on the scope and size of the Park, especially since most of the Valley floor lies right around sea level.

For those of you not paying attention, that’s a 5,000+ foot elevation differential. And even though the pictures don’t really do it any justice, this place is huge, and I mean absolutely massive. It’s hard to explain the sheer size, scope, and desolation that Death Valley inspires, but it delivers on all three counts in a major way.

And when it all boils down to it, Death Valley itself couldn’t have been given a better name. Not that it’s a literal valley full of death (in fact I don’t remember seeing anything dead at all), but that it contains so little life. As far as I could tell, there’s pretty much nothing but ants and shrubs out there. We heard no coyotes, saw just a couple birds, found very little sign (animal droppings), and heard absolutely no noise other than that which we created.

And I really mean that last part about the noise too. It’s not like there was “just a little bit of noise” or even “some quiet sounds”. There was no sound whatsoever! Nothing. Not an insect’s chirp, a frog’s croak, nor a coyote’s howl. All I heard was the sound of the wind-blown dust and sand, of which there was plenty (as my sleeping bag, tent, and camera gear can attest to).

After Dantes we came back West and even further South toward some of Death Valley’s really unique natural wonders. It was here that we saw some things which, to me at least, make Death Valley entirely worth visiting. This place is a must-see destination. It is absolutely out of this world. And the best time to be there is right now.

Next up on our tour was the Devil’s Golf Course, probably the weakest of the major Death Valley destinations, yet still one that really shouldn’t be skipped. It’s a gigantic Salt Pan, and one that given a perfectly appropriate name in terms of both theme-cohesion (“Devil’s”) and appropriateness of description (“Worst Golf Course Ever”). Apparently it derives from an old National Park Service guide book stating that “only the devil could play golf” on its surface. I sure as hell wouldn’t want to try.

The Devils Golf Course

The place may also be bad luck, considering that both Sean and I experienced major camera failures there. Looking back on it though, I think we were both just underwhelmed by this location- partially because Zabriskie Point and Dantes View were so incredible, and also because our cameras stopped working. We only lingered here for about 10 minutes before racing off to the infinitely more spectacular Badwater Basin, which was far more impressive and exciting. I snapped one of my favorite shots of the trip just as we arrived, catching a pretty reflection of the sky in the only pool of water I saw during the entire trip.

Badwater Basin Reflection

Arriving at Badwater Basin, also known as the point of lowest elevation in the entire United States at -282 feet below sea level (yes, that’s a negative),  I totally thought we were in for another major let down.  We were debating whether or not we should even walk out into the area, but since we had nowhere else to be, and nothing better to do, we kept exploring. Much like the rest of the Park, Badwater Basin turned out to be chock full of surprises!

We followed behind a snaking line of tourists on a well-traveled path that soon gave way to some of the most interesting scenery of the entire trip. I was just blown away by the cavalcade of increasingly intricate crystalline structures strewn about the valley floor. I got some of my favorite shots here, and would suggest that this spot is a definite must-see as part of any trip to Death Valley. Just make sure to walk out far enough into it though, otherwise you’ll be likely to leave severely disappointed.

The entire Basin is covered with a variety of salt-crystal structures, looking something like a massive natural kaleidoscope. I won’t try to describe it in words beyond that attempt, except to say that it was absolutely mind-blowing. The formations were so detailed, so delicate, and so different from anything that I’ve ever seen before that I was filled with awe, amazement, and wonder that something like this could even exist. The world truly is an incredible place, and the Badwater Basin is a perfect example of its awesomeness.

Badwater Basin - Simple Salt Formations

Badwater Basin - Structures of Increasing Complexity

Badwater Basin - Intricate Salt Crystals and Pinnacles

Badwater Basin - Mountainous Looking Formations

Badwater Basin - Salt Formation Fault Lines (Don't They Look Oceanic?)

Badwater Basin - View of the Valley (Looking North)

Badwater Basin - Alternate View (Again Looking North)

Sean remarked that “Man could never create something like this, no matter how hard he tried”, and he was dead on. The entire area was absolutely fantastic. I was so taken by the Basin that I plan on returning with my tripod for a full on photo shoot. I’d just love to see the long shadows on this terrain, and the prospect of catching a gorgeous sunrise or sunset here has got me chomping at the bit to return.

We spent quite a while at Badwater Basin, only leaving after we’d become distinctly aware of the rapidly setting sun. We had a long drive ahead of us- down past Ashford Canyon, just about 25 miles South of Badwater Basin. We had planned on hiking in “two miles from the nearest road” to set up a back-country camp for the night. We had been told about a secret parking lot down there which “someone” (the exact word used by the Ranger) had “blocked off with rocks”.

With a wry grin, he suggested that we simply “move the rocks and park in the dirt lot”. We were then supposed to hike the requisite two miles West where we could then legally camp near the base of the foothills bordering the edge of the park. We managed to find the parking lot without any trouble, but the impending darkness looked to be an entirely different issue. We started to worry a bit about just how little time we appeared to actually have before total darkness.

Fortunately, “2 miles” from the nearest road becomes a subjective measure when hiking through Death Valley in fading light, 50 miles from the nearest Ranger Station, and at least a mile from the closest human being. Accordingly, we made it to camp substantially faster than we had thought it would take us. We also managed to catch a pretty awesome sunset along the way.

Sunset Over Death Valley - Near Ashford Canyon

Home for the night turned out to be a small rise in the center of a massive wash, way out in the middle of nowhere and about 200 yards from a large patch of low-growing shrubs. I had wanted to set up camp amongst those shrubs, but Sean vetoed the idea due to irrational concerns over catching the Hantavirus. To his credit, our site provided excellent views of the entire valley floor, and we had both expected it to offer at least a modicum of protection from the wind, but that couldn’t have been farther from the truth.

Once Sean got over the Hantavirus obsession, we broke the rules to collect a little dead wood for a fire that turned out to be the smallest, yet most awesome I’ve ever had the opportunity to enjoy. We were both blown away by its ability to keep us warm, even though it was so small. It seemed to be just the right size, and even seemed like it could last all night since it took so little fuel to keep going. It’s warmth and glow kept us quite comfortable for a couple of hours, lulling us into a false sense of security.

After hours of total stillness, the desert unleashed a furious barrage of wind attacks which caught us entirely by surprise. Our previously cozy and perfectly controlled little fire transported itself from a comfortable position at my feet to a much less convenient one directly on the side of my tent. Literally. And my tent is by no means fireproof- its materials aren’t even “flame resistant”!

It was at this point that I started to feel a bit panicky, having convinced myself that I was under attack by some sort of supernatural force- like one of Don Juan’s “inorganic beings”. Thankfully, Sean had not flipped his own lid and was perfectly capable of springing into action. He quickly put out the fire with some dirt, then deftly maneuvered my tent so that it was better positioned to deal with the oncoming wind gusts.

Just as we finished moving the tent, my flashlight crapped out completely, and I was left with pitch blackness. I immediately jumped into my tent, beginning what would become a night-long vigil as I listened to something patrolling around outside, patiently waiting for me to emerge so it could attack. I felt certain that stepping outside would have resulted in my being torn to shreds by whatever force was prowling around out there. I didn’t get a lot of good sleep that night, but I certainly had myself one hell of an interesting time.

The Following Morning - Looking West From Camp

We finally got up the next morning around 10 or 11, far later than we had planned. After spotting a super-sized storm building up directly over our location, we quickly got to packing up. Our idea was to head back North to Stove Pipe Wells, stopping to check out the few remaining post-card destinations along the way, then backpacking out onto the famous Mesquite Sand Dunes for the night. But Nature had other ideas in store for us.

On the way to our next stop, I had an interesting thought, which was that on this particular trip I seemed to be playing the part of the Lawyer from Hunter S. Thompson’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Sharing my observation with Sean, he responded “Does that mean I get to be Johnny Depp?” Priceless.

Our entire day was pretty much ruined by severe cloud cover and an impending downpour, complete with sporadic drizzle, and absolutely horrendous light for Photographic pursuits. We had gotten up so late that we even had to skip a couple sights too, among them the Natural Bridge, which I now deeply regret. We also mistakenly thought that the Artist’s Drive & Palette would be worth visiting, but the light was so poor that most of the colors on the canyon walls were hardly discernible, and even in great lighting, I’m not so sure that this place would have been all that exciting anyway. So it goes!

Artoo's Arroyo - From Star Wars: A New Hope

The Artist’s Drive, however, does house a famous spot called “Artoos Arroyo” which sort of salvaged the day for me. I didn’t realize it while we were out there, but I took another shot nearly identical to that framed in Star Wars, which is actually pretty cool. I guess I also got a decent shot of Sean driving, in which you can see the clouds building up through the windshield. I also like the cliched self-portrait that I took, but I’m really not all that proud of any of the photos that I shot that day. It’s unfortunate, because Death Valley is so spectacularly beautiful, that even a single day lost is a major waste.

I do think that the Artist’s Drive might have been a sight worth visiting if the lighting had been better, or if I hadn’t already been spoiled by the Red Rocks in Sedona, the hoodus of Bryce Canyon, and the gigantic scale of the Grand Canyon, all of which I’d visited just weeks beforehand. To be fair- I’ve seen some pretty amazing stuff lately, and while most parts of Death Valley definitely compete with those places, the Artist’s Drive left a bit to be desired. I’ll leave it up for the jury to decide, but let’s just say that this was the only part of the Park I don’t feel compelled to revisit. Here’s that aforementioned shot of Sean, along with my own self-portrait.

Sean Driving Through the Storm

Self Portrait - Shot As We Entered The Artist's Drive (Timely, or Just Ironic?)

When we did finally make it back North to the Stovepipe Wells sand dunes, our plans were thrown for a loop. The sky looked far too ominous to venture out onto them without first consulting a Ranger for an updated weather report. I may be an idiot, but I’m not that careless. Unfortunately, the new Ranger on duty (not the same one we’d talked to the day before) had nothing but bad news for us.

“You boys are heading out into a miserable muddy mess”.

“Could we make it to Sequoia National Park tonight?” I inquired, in desperation. I was grasping at straws in an attempt to save the trip.

“Tonight? What are you gonna do? Drive over the highest mountain range in the lower 48? There’s no road through there.”

I had forgotten that Sequoia was on the other side of Mt. Whitney from us.

“Besides, the storm should clear out tonight.”

“Thanks” we muttered and left, dejected, but still undecided on a course of action. At least there seemed to be a chance that things could get better, as the Ranger had pointed out.

But just then, Sean spotted another Ranger in the parking lot and decided to try his luck again. I had a gut feeling that this was a bad idea, but for whatever reason I kept it to myself. Perhaps I was just desperate to get some good news and a nod of approval for our idiotic plan, but what we got from this guy was the complete opposite of that. Looking back, I should have stopped Sean when I had the chance.

As we approached him my body stiffened up and the hair on my neck stood straight and tall. I felt absolutely terrified, though I’m still not sure why. Perhaps it was because the Ranger had an incredibly stern look about him, or maybe it was just the gigantic pistol on his hip. As we approached to within around 15 feet, I swear I saw him unlatch the holster. It was at that point that I fully realized we’d made an absolutely enormous mistake.

“Could we ask you a question?” Sean started in.

“…” He just sort of stared at us with a disapproving look.

“You can ask.”

“Do you think it’s safe for us to camp out on the Dunes tonight?”

“There’s no camping outside of a campground in a National Park”. He had hardly let Sean finish the question before snapping back.

“But we…”

“There’s no camping outside of a campground in a National Park,” he repeated again, with more force than the first time.

Sean and I looked at each other, bewildered.

I started in with, “One of your colleagues told us earlier today that…” but he cut me off immediately. This guy was clearly not in a good mood, and he wanted nothing to do with us.

“There’s no camping outside of a campground in a National Park”. As he said it for the third time, he waved his hand over the word “Ranger” painted on the side of his truck and let us know that he had  “a ticket book right here to prove it”.

Whoa buddy, we get it. Conversation over.

We walked away even more upset than before. I snapped at Sean for putting us through that, telling him that we should have cut our losses earlier, since we’d already been told not to camp out there anyway simply due to the weather. Now we’d been informed that both our plans for that evening and our trip on the previous night were illegal, would get us fined, and possibly even kicked out of the Park. Bad times in a major way.

But Sean was pissed and he convinced me that “Screw that guy!”. So instead of giving up, we immediately made our way back to the Sand Dunes with the full intention of backpacking out onto them, despite what we’d been told. To be fair (we’re not that bad-ass), both of us were fairly certain that the mean Ranger had simply been mistaken, and that it was entirely legal for us to do that. This seemed especially likely since two of his colleagues had previously told us that we could camp on the Dunes as long as we were “at least 2 miles from the nearest road”. And the same statement is also printed quite clearly on both the Backcountry Roads and general Death Valley National Park Maps.

We managed to prepare for departure within minutes of our arrival, but not quickly enough to beat the setting sun. It was well past twilight by the time we started to strap the packs on. We then noticed what appeared to be some pretty serious rain falling across the valley on the other side of the dunes, but heading directly our way- and quickly. A solid sheet of water, mist, and fog, obscured the view of the mountains to the East. Our moment of hesitation lasted long enough for yet another Ranger to drive by in his jeep. I decided the risk was worth it this time, and flagged him down, hoping for another weather update.

“You guys are right. It’s definitely raining over there.” he responded to my initial inquiry. “And the thing about this place is, we either get no rain at all, or a total downpour. I wouldn’t advise heading out there tonight.”

“But are we allowed to? We’ve heard two completely different stories…”

“We’ve got a lot of,” he fidgeted uncomfortably, pausing for an extended beat as he searched for just the right phrase, “turn-over in the Park. We’re not always exactly on the same page. Let me look it up so I can make sure I don’t get you guys into all sorts of trouble.”

We were just happy to get more than a “Screw off” out of him at that point, considering the quality of our last Ranger encounter. Sean and I looked at each other with amazement as he walked back to his Jeep to grab the rules book. At least we had a chance!

And if I can make a quick side note, I didn’t realize it until writing this up, but it sounds to me like there might be some sort of Civil War brewing amongst the Rangers in Death Valley. This particular Ranger’s comment about “turn-over”, the staff being “not exactly on the same page”, and the suggestion to park in the dirt lot near Ashford Canyon which had been blocked off with rocks from Ranger Meth makes me wonder if there’s not some serious dissension amongst the ranks.

While the young Rangers encouraged us to backpack out into the wild, move things around, and generally just do whatever we needed to have a good time, the older crowd seemed pretty much intent on destroying all chances for having any fun at all! Thankfully both Sean and myself aren’t very big fans of doing what we’re told, so we didn’t let it get in the way of our having a good time.

And either way, Civil War or no, it was refreshing to speak with this Ranger, who took the time to converse with us, actually examine the rules book, and explain to us that we’d simply misinterpreted the statements made by his colleagues. Apparently the real rule in Death Valley is that you can camp “2 miles from any road” outside of the corridor established between the Stovepipe Wells Airport and the Ashford Mill.

With that in mind, we hadn’t broken the law the night before, we’d simply heard what we wanted to hear when receiving instructions. What the Ranger had really said (and what we recollected after looking at the map, upon which he’d left annotated instructions) was that we couldn’t actually camp on the Dunes, but that we were to head quite a ways North of them- past the Airport, and well within the acceptable zone for backcountry camping. Duh!

But to get back to the story, while standing out there in the dark and watching a virtual wall of rain bearing down on us, we agreed that backpacking was out of the question. Instead, we went back to the Stovepipe Wells campground, bought ourselves a site, and picked up some fire wood from the general store. Then we had ourselves one hell of a fire, which we lounged around in comfortable camp chairs while watching the storm move across the Valley. We never got much rain, but the wind picked up at just about the same time as it had the night before, sending us off to bed a little earlier than I would have wanted.

Sean woke me up just after sunrise the next morning and let me know that it was time to head out to the Dunes.

“I’d rather rest a little longer” was all that I could muster.

“I’ll come back for you then. After I check them out.”

I was in the car 30 seconds later. And I’m glad I got my ass in gear because I would have been furious if I’d missed out on that part of the adventure.

The Mesquite Sand Dunes turned out to be the star attraction of Death Valley, producing some of my most remarkable photos of the entire trip, and providing some incredibly outlandish experiences. The hike out onto them, and really the entire experience with the dunes themselves, was just interesting as all hell.

Walking through that desolate area, which appeared so much like an ocean in both form and movement, yet was completely the opposite in terms of composition, was absolutely mystifying. And as we approached the ridge lines of the larger dunes, I couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to get lost in such a beautiful, yet unforgiving and outright hostile environment.

Mesquite Sand Dunes - Glowing Sand at Sunrise

Mesquite Sand Dunes - Long Shadows of the Early Morning

Mesquite Sand Dunes - Morning Light

Sean got way out ahead of me, almost making it to the very top of the largest dune. I’m not sure why he turned back before reaching the top, but I’d guess it had something to do with the windstorm that blew in while we were out there. It’s hard to believe how quickly Death Valley’s weather can turn on you, even though we experienced it first hand. I’ve never encountered such violence or ferocity anywhere else (except at extremely high elevation), and we were in the Park during the period which is supposed to offer the best weather all year

The wind arrived with the same force that had attacked us on each of the previous nights, but we faced an entirely different problem out in the sand since we had absolutely nowhere to hide. We were entirely exposed, and knew fully well that we’d fall victim to whatever the storm God’s decided to throw at us- but luckily they held back. As it was, simply turning my back into the wind was enough to shelter my sensitive parts, and more importantly, my camera gear.

I watched as sand poured from the tips of each dune, quite similar in appearance to the spray of water that flows off the tips of crashing ocean waves. These sand dunes perfectly represented impermanence in both appearance and character, providing me with a great lesson in humility by allowing me a glimpse of the real shifting sands of the universe. I truly enjoyed just being able to spend some time in their presence. The following shots were taken over a period of a few hours, during two separate trips out into the sand. I was blown away by the Park’s beauty, and I hope that these photos will encourage you to make the journey out there, because it’s entirely worth the effort!

Mesquite Sand Dunes - Long Shadows

Mesquite Sand Dunes - A Sheltered Alcove of Shrubbery

Mesquite Sand Dunes - Graceful Lines

Mesquite Sand Dunes - Perfectly Oceanic In Appearance

Mesquite Sand Dunes - Golden, Glimmering Sand