Arriving at camp in Joshua Tree after dark we set off on a night hike beneath a sea of stars.
This is the best time to experience this foreign world; the funky silhouettes of the Joshua Trees reaching for the vast starry sky above appear truly extraterrestrial.
With the moon setting we have a little fun before heading back to our sleeping bags.
This is why sunrise is always worth waking up for on a camp trip. Every so often, there's a truly once-in-a-lifetime show.
As the sky continued to burn like a colorful inferno, we wandered in amazement among Joshua Tree's alien landscape.
Even as the color began to fade the clouds caressed the rock towers creating a sensationally beautiful morning.
A fallen Joshua Tree rests among a forest of old friends. A small reminder that nothing is permanent.
Before heading off to Barker Dam, we hike out to explore further off from camp.
Alien looking branchless Joshua Trees are in the early stages of development, usually no more than a few decades old.
Large mature Joshua Trees with several branches are anywhere from 60 to 500 years old.
Alas we reach Barker Dam itself, built over 100 years ago around the 1900's.
After checking out the dam we decide to climb some nearby rocks to gain a birds eye vantage point.
Joshua Tree isn't the first place you'd think of to have Pine Trees, but the rocks filter enough water over isolated patches of soil for them to survive the brutal heat.
What we thought was going to be a simple rock scramble turned out to be a little more precarious, but only in a few small stretches.
Once we climb high enough its like nothing but the deep blue sky and jumble of rocks before us exist. A strange simple beauty.
Continuing up the maze we near the top.
Behold! We find the view we were looking for!
Joshua Tree has no natural lakes, making Barker Dam a refreshing site in the normally bone-dry desert.
Ready to begin our journey back down, we clamor along the narrow spine.
The beginning of our descent is straight forward and relatively easy.
One of the best aspects of Joshua Tree is the huge amount of non-technical climbing routes. There's a variance of climbing for every skill level.
A quick break to soak in our fleeting birds-eye view is well worth it.
Closer to the bottom we find ourselves bouldering more than expected, but enjoyed every bit of it!
Our walk back to the car offers a final grand view of this rocky garden as our short desert Misadventure comes to a close.