Saturday, April 9, 2016
We woke up this morning to no rain, so we headed back to Joshua Tree NP to do some hiking.  We picked the shorter hikes first, in case it decided to rain on us, but we got lucky and finished all three hikes with no rain.  We did Split Rock Trail first and that was pretty scenic (if you like rocks) and quite a few different flowers.  An earthcache took us to Arch Rock.  This hike was quite short, and it was in a campground area that allowed only tents.  Then it looked like we could get a 4 mile hike in, so we did a total of 7 miles today.  The latter tested our lungs and legs a bit, as it had some elevation to it, but it was good to get to the finish line!  This hike took us to an oasis in the desert and many fan palm trees out among all the rocks and desert!  We met a nice couple from Vancouver, BC and chatted with them at length, and shared good trails to do and places to eat.  They were our kind of people!  Not so much conversation tonight, but lots of pictures.

                            This is the split rock at the trail head for the hike it was named after.

                                                         Leaning 'rocks'

        This is Face Rock on the Split Rock Trail.  I think it looks like George Washington.

 I found a flowering Joshua Tree today in the lower elevations.  All those in the higher elevations are spent.

             Jim is under the Arch Rock, which was an earthcache.  Quite the interesting formation.

This moderately strenuous hike took us back to the 49 Palms Oasis.  Evidently the Big Horn Sheep come down here to drink at night. 

 This is a view from the 49 Palms Oasis to the valley.  There isn't much green between here and there!

This picture is especially for our hiking group in AJ.  We always see the Barrel Cactus with the 'fruit' on it and this is what it looks like when it blooms.  And you wouldn't believe all the animals I saw in the rock formations today!