JT Backcountry 01

Desert / Ghost Town Trek #32b

Joshua Tree National Park backroads, April 2013
JT Backcountry 01

JT Backcountry 01

28 Mar 2013 80
Decided to explore some backcountry 4WD roads in Joshua Tree National Park. Fist up, Black Eagle Mine road in the southeast corner.
JT Backcountry 02

JT Backcountry 02

28 Mar 2013 86
After nine miles it leaves the park into BLM and the roads go from rough to worse. It'll take a Jeep to get to the mine.
JT Backcountry 03

JT Backcountry 03

28 Mar 2013 93
I walked over to this curious line in the distance, and it turned out to be the original road, paralleling ours but abandoned, with years old sage in the roadbed.
JT Backcountry 04

JT Backcountry 04

28 Mar 2013 83
Then I noticed another one farther parallell, which was abandoned probably decades ago.
JT Backcountry 05

JT Backcountry 05

28 Mar 2013 98
This view going east the road completely disappears.
JT Backcountry 06

JT Backcountry 06

28 Mar 2013 53
Lots of interesting fire-orange rocks back here.
JT Backcountry 07

JT Backcountry 07

03 Apr 2013 89
JT Backcountry 08

JT Backcountry 08

29 Mar 2013 72
Next day, set out to hike another mine on foot near Keys View Road on the west side of the park.
JT Backcountry 09

JT Backcountry 09

29 Mar 2013 68
Passing through an old fire zone, very desolate.
JT Backcountry 10

JT Backcountry 10

29 Mar 2013 51
Snow capped Mt San Jacinto in the far distance.
JT Backcountry 11

JT Backcountry 11

29 Mar 2013 54
View northwest.
JT Backcountry 12

JT Backcountry 12

29 Mar 2013 83
Up on the ridge at about 5,000 ft is the Lost Horse Mine.
JT Backcountry 13

JT Backcountry 13

29 Mar 2013 86
JT Backcountry 14

JT Backcountry 14

29 Mar 2013 50
JT Backcountry 15

JT Backcountry 15

29 Mar 2013 78
JT Backcountry 16

JT Backcountry 16

29 Mar 2013 65
JT Backcountry 17

JT Backcountry 17

29 Mar 2013 69
JT Backcountry 18

JT Backcountry 18

29 Mar 2013 68
66 items in total