Cottonwood Spring Oasis

Off to explore Cottonwood Spring Oasis this morning. The oasis is at the south end of the park about 4000 feet lower than the campground. On the way we decided to check out some of the other campgrounds on our way. Belle Campground was really nice and had some sites we would have fit in. The sites were nestled in among the huge boulders and more private than where we are.

Traveling along the Pinto Basin Road there are exhibits telling about the plants, geology, animals and history. We turned into one exhibit which sat at the entrance of a dirt road! We had to go.... A couple miles in we came to a cul-de-sac in an area piled high with boulders. The map said this was Wilson Canyon and there was absolutely no one there! We walked through the canyon and found a hidden rock valley with jumbled boulders balancing precariously on top of one another. Ken said this was "Lone Ranger" country. History says rustlers and 'bad guys' used to hide out in these canyons - you'd never find them...

The desert floor is really changing. We are enjoying learning about all the different plants. The Joshua Tree is the namesake for the park. The tree got it's name from the Indians saying it looked like a spirit welcoming them with open arms. The settlers later named it after Joshua because they thought the tree looked like it was leading the way to their new homes. It isn't really a tree but a member of the Yucca family. It has waxy dagger-like leaves and can grow over 40 feet tall. Unfortunately we will miss the cream colored flowers that will be blooming in another week or so. The trees had long spike like buds on them but no flowers. The side of the road is covered with Brittle Brush with clusters of yellow daisy like flowers. In the crevasses the Barrel Cactuses are turning pinkish in the sunlight. We passed paths that led up into the foothills to the remains of the Silver Bell Mine where they mined for gold.

Going down in elevation the Joshua Trees start to disappear and there is more cactus, mesquite and creosote bushes. Creosote is known as desert Governors. They can secrete a chemical through their roots to keep other plants from growing next to them. Their roots can go down as far as 60 feet. We notice a lot more Cholla Cactus and pull into the Cholla Garden. The garden is located on the western rim of the Pinto Basin. The basin seldom gets more than a scant four inches of rain fall within a year's time. Down the self-guiding nature trail we went. There are several types of Cholla (Jumping Teddy Bear and Silver). The cactus is covered with soft, silvery bristles which account for the Teddy Bear name. These are nasty little plants and the spikes can be very painful if you get stuck with one. They are getting yellow buds on them. The ground and mountains are starting to take on a greenish tint in spots replacing the winter browns. It's fantastic to see the seasons change. In another few weeks this desert area will be a spring fantasy of blooms!

The Cottonwood Spring Oasis is one of the best kept secrets in the park. The spring is the result of earthquake activity and was used by the Cahuilla Indians who left bedrock mortars and clay pots in the area. Later the spring was an important water stop for propectors and miners traveling to the mines. We took the 1 mile walk through the Wash. The spring is an oasis and has a large stand of Fan Palms. When you're at one of the park's oasis you're on top of a crack in the Earth's crust. Man geological faults crisscross the park. When groundwater hits a fault, it comes up to the surface and sets conditions for an oasis. We sat on a rock and listened to the silence. It was a beautiful walk.

Heading back to camp we drove past Pinto Mountain and through Smoke Tree Wash. Yes thre are such things as Smoke Trees. They are small and have feaythery leaves. The color is a light taupe brown and green which does look like smoke and blends perfectly with the desert landscape. On the way back we stopped again in Wilson Canyon and had a picnic lunch, then climbed some rocks (not as easy as it looks!). We did feel like kids again.

Back at camp we relaxed for a while. After dinner we took the mile nature trail to Skull Rock. There is a huge rock that is worn by wind and rain and looks like a giant skull. It was a nice trail that led right out of the campground.

Today was good and we walked about 3.75 miles today through all kinds of terrain. We decided to stay another day so we can see the rest of the park. Now it's time to hit the hay.....