NEEDLES, CA (Day 2).  Today we drove to the Mojave National Preserve, a desert park that carves out a portion of the Mojave Desert between I-40, I-15, and the Nevada border.  It is typical desert except for hundreds of acres of Joshua Trees.  There are far more Joshua Trees here than there are in Joshua Tree National Park.

We visited the Kelso Depot Museum, an old ornate train depot converted into a visitor center/museum.  Freight trains continue to pass by there along five tracks separated off by a fence.  We watched two videos about the desert ecology, plant and animal life, the amazing seasonal transformation seen there, and history of the region.

We then drove the long road to Teutonia Peak Trail, where we hiked and shot photos of the acres of Joshua Trees in their natural environment. A lot of driving and hiking.  We were pretty pooped by the end of the day, then a long drive back to the RV park.

Kelso Depot Is an Oasis in the Desert

Just Add Irrigation and Things Turn Green

Inside the Depot/Visitor Center

Trains Continue to Pass Through Here

Mojave Cross on Way to Teutonia Peak Trail

Dedicated to Veterans of All Wars

Teutonia Peak Trail in the Mojave Desert

Joshua Trees of Many Sizes

The Trail Stretches on a Long Way

Many Kinds of Cactus

Record Blooms in the Desert This Year

Cactus in Bloom

Some Large Joshua Trees

Joshua Trees Will Blossom Soon

Betty Photographing in the Desert

Joshua Tree Pointed Leaves

We Hiked  a Long While but Turned Back Before Trail's End
Too Long a Hike in the Hot Desert Sun

On the way out there we were told that there would be no food, water, or gas service in the desert, so top off the gas tank and take a lunch and plenty of water.  We did this, but stopping on the outskirts of the preserve to get gas leaves everyone at the mercy of gougers who have a monopoly on service, one at one edge of the preserve, and another at the other edge.  Regular gas cost $5.869 per gallon.  The price of any supplies inside were equally exorbitant.

More Crowing About Route 66 at Gas Station

Inside Were Over-Priced Nostalgia Items 

High-Priced Small Bottles of Drinks from a Bygone Era

Three Packages of Beef Jerky for Only $19.95