Whitewater Preserve via the Outlet Mall

After a morning of coffee, dark chocolate almonds clusters, and the latest current events via our smart devices, my folks and I headed for Whitewater Preserve. The canyon, managed by The Wildlands Conservancy, is conveniently located off Interstate 10 close to the Highway 111 exit to Palm Springs. It is a favorite destination for its beauty and close proximity. Last year we were treated to a super bloom of yellow California Brittlebush (see Whitewater Preserve from 2017), but weren't sure what to expect this year.

Welcoming trail heading up the canyon

Whitewater Preserve picnic grounds with cottonwood trees

Exploring Whitewater Preserve

The day was cool and beautiful, and the air swept clean from the recent stiff breezes. The cottonwood trees in the picnic area hadn't leafed out yet. We've been grateful for their deep cool shade over the years as we've eaten our lunch or rested after a hike in the hot sun.

Intrepid hiker

River crossing

Dad walked up the trail, while Mom and I headed for the river. The Whitewater River changes course every year, and this year it was right up next to the cliffs It was fairly full of water, so we were grateful for bridges.

Whitewater River

We saw few flowers this year, in contrast with the super bloom last year. We saw an occasional Brittlebush or Bladderpod in bloom, but that's about it. However, the willows and shrubs were green from recent rains, and the San Jacinto and San Gorgonio mountains were snow topped and visible in the distance from various vantage points.

Borrego sheep (expand the picture, and follow the ridge line to the white specs)

The real treat was watching a herd of 16-17 Borregos grazing up on the hillside. We spotted a couple of mothers with lambs and the Big Daddy keeping watch. We enjoyed our unhurried ramble in the Preserve, but you can also follow the 3.6 mile Whitewater Canyon Loop trail for a more comprehensive hike (see AllTrails for details).

Desert Hills Premium Outlet Mall near Cabazon

We squeezed in a quick stop at the Desert Hills Premium Outlet Mall (right on the way) for a brief shopping spree at Carter's/Oshkosh (spring wardrobe for the new baby - see Holiday Memories from Seattle) and Coach Outlet (a new purse). And then ended the day with delicious dinner, pie, and conversation at Polly's Pies (according to Dad's app, we walked 6,197 steps), and an episode of the Danish political drama, Borgen, on DVD. I love the kind of day that spans shopping at favorite stores to hiking in a wild preserve with Borregos. A great day!

The spoils of our shopping trip

Joshua Tree National Park

Every spring for the last 10 years my folks and I have been meeting in Southern California for a week of flower viewing – they fly down from Southeast Alaska and I fly in from the San Francisco Bay Area. We mix up our destinations yearly, but do have some favorite spots to visit. We have seen everything from super blooms like last last year in Anza-Borrego, to bone dry years like the fourth year of the drought in Joshua Tree. Whether we see flowers or not, we always see interesting flora, fauna, and natural history, and enjoy our time together.

Joshua Tree National Park

This year we lucked out with wonderful cool weather early in the week, terminating with hot weather later in the week. We planned our excursions accordingly, and headed for Joshua Tree National Park first, with clear skies and a temperature hovering around the mid-seventies. 

Dry specimen at the Cottonwood Visitor Center

We entered the park from the southern entrance and stopped at the Cottonwood Visitor Center to check in with the naturalist. We wanted to find out whether any flowers were to be found (the website had already informed us that there were few flowers except possibly in the upper elevations). No new developments, so we took a few minutes to stroll through the specimen garden. Lots of seed pods from last year, but not much new activity.

Ocotillo Patch

Cholla Cactus Garden

We enjoyed the beautiful green vegetation, and clear blue sky of the Colorado Desert, stopping first at the Ocotillo Patch to walk among the red flowering plants, and then at the Cholla Cactus Garden to stroll along the prickly cactus. The plants seemed to be thriving from the recent rains, though we observed damage from previous drought years. I was glad to see the Cholla Emergency Kit (complete with pliers) in case we had an encounter with one of the pups!

Posing at the Cholla Cactus Garden

Cholla Emergency Kit

At the transition from the Colorado Desert to the Mohave Desert, we entered the wonderfully weird land of the Joshua Tree and the large, round rock formations piled up across the desert floor. In past years the Yucca and Joshua Trees were full of blossoms; this year we only saw the dried husks of previous years. 

Joshua Tree

Big Rocks

Since the air was so clear, we drove up to Key's View for stunning views to the south of the Salton Sea and down to the Mexican border, and to the north to the snow-topped Mount San Gorgonio (11,503 feet or 3,506 m.) The brisk wind kept the skies and vista clear, and prompted us to bundle up for the walk up to the highest view point. Great signage helped us identify nearby locations.

Key's View

Key's View of the valley below

On the way back we stopped at Ryan's Campground to walk among the Joshua trees, climb on the big rocks, and explore the Indian Cave, with its rocky shelter and ancient metate used to grind acorns into flour. We discovered several bushes with thriving colonies of tent caterpillars. We've seen their empty tents in past years, but never seen them moving about in their snug nests.

Indian Cave at Ryan's Campground

Metate and Shelter

Tent Caterpillars

Afterward, we left the Park via the Oasis Visitor Center entrance, and headed for The Rib Company in Twentynine Palms, for half racks of ribs and all the fixings, and great conversation about all we had seen during our visit and in previous years. Dad kept track of our steps for the day, using a feature of his iPhone calendar, and reported we took around 4,055 steps for the day. We drove home with the sun in our eyes, and great memories of a day together under clear blue skies, walking among the plants, rocks, and Joshua Trees. 

Ready to Travel

Part of getting ready to travel is stocking your phone with apps for the journey. This includes all the practical apps, for airlines, hotels, restaurants, and maps; but also some apps for fun and local interest. Here are a few favorites for my annual wildflower expedition to the deserts of Southern California with my folks.

One is the Anza-Borrego Wildflower app (efMer). The app provides a database of desert flowers organized by color, making it a great field guide. I use the Google version, but an iPhone version is also available. Some of the flowers are endemic to Anza-Borrego area, but I can typically find flowers for any of the deserts we visit. You can choose between a scientific view, full guide, compact guide, or flower only. Click on a photo to toggle between the flower and the whole plant. This is definitely worth checking out if you love desert plants!

Find and identify wildflowers in the California deserts

Another is the Palm Springs Modern app (Desert Publications, Inc.). The app is huge (the database requires 241 MB) and available for a modest fee. It provides self-guided tours of over 80 mid-century landmarks in Palm Springs. They are arranged into three regions, provide history about the architect and architecture, maps, and interesting detail. You can sort by interests such as architect or region, and you can follow one of their tours or design a custom tour of your own. If you love the clean, hip lines of mid-century architect and have space on your phone, this app is for you. It is available in Google or iPhone versions.

Learn about mid-century architectural treasures in Palm Springs

A recent discovery is the AllTrails app (AllTrails, Inc.), recommended by my friend and hiking buddy, Leslie (see Wildcat Canyon Regional Park and Redwood Regional Park). You can search for trails in an area, learn how difficult they are, mark them as favorites, view them on a topographical map, and drill to find the details. You can read comments from others, upload photos, check in, and make trail recommendations. If you like to hike while travelling, this is an app for you! It too is available in Google and iPhone versions.

Take a hike and see the native habitat while you travel

Do you have any favorite travel apps?

Spring at Bishop Ranch

Spring is erupting at Bishop Ranch! We've weathered the long dark days of winter (see Winter at Bishop Ranch), the weeks of rain, and the spikes between cold and hot days that is normal here in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Everything sparkles in spring

The days are long now, after the time change, and extend delightfully into the evening. Trees are leafing out with the most beautiful shades of green, and the hills surrounding San Ramon are green with recent and prolonged rains.

The willow trees are all leafed out

Flowering trees in shades of pink

Flowering trees and plants are blossoming as the days grow warmer. Many of the plants that were trimmed severely in the fall and winter are now blossoming to attract pollinators.

The air is clean and bright, and the light makes everything sparkle. The man-made lakes are frequented by migrating ducks and geese. Resident herons and hawks pause for rest.

Shrubs are in full bloom and buzzing with bees

Drought tolerant native shrubs in bloom

Patchwork of lake-side texture

Everyone seems to find a reason to get out of the office periodically to walk or jog or explore the nearby stores, paths, and parks.

An allee of trees, just starting to bud

Bridge with a View

I finally discovered how to get to the glass bridge that connects two buildings at Bishop Ranch (it wasn't that difficult, but it was off my usual route). It's like a giant hamster run, with windows on three sides, and wonderful views of the hills in the distance on both sides, and a unique view of the landscape below.

The bridge from below

The glass bridge

Morning is a favorite time to visit with the rosy pink light touching the landscape.

Rosy morning light hitting the hills to the west

Afternoon is also a beautiful time, although the western facing side can be pretty bright. On the eastern side you can see Mount Diablo in the distance.

Dramatic skies to the east and a glimpse of Mount Diablo on the left

The security guard tells me that I should experience the bridge on a rainy day, with rain pelting or drizzling on three sides. That's definitely on the bucket list for one of life's small pleasures.