Joshua Tree National Park: Wonderland Ranch & Wall Street Mill

On another visit to Joshua Tree National Park, we hiked to Wonderland Ranch and Wall Street Mill.

An interactive map of our route, going in the north entrance for a change, then to Wall Street Mill, and a picnic dinner on Keys Ranch Road, and finally back out the main west entrance:

An interactive map of the hike; zoom in to see more details:

North entrance sign:

Entrance sign

Wall Street Mill Trail:

Wall Street Mill Trail

Wonderland Ranch ruins:

Wonderland Ranch ruins

Windmill:

Windmill

“Here is where Worth Bagly bit the dust at the hands of W.F. Keys, May 11 1943″:

Bit the dust

Truck ruins:

Truck ruins

Wall Street Mill ruins:

Wall Street Mill ruins

Truck ruins

Wall Street Mill info

Wall Street Mill ruins

After the hike, we had a picnic dinner along Keys Ranch Road:

Picnic dinner

Rocks

Sunset:

Sunset

Joshua Tree National Park: Hall of Horrors

On another visit to Joshua Tree National Park, we hiked around the Hall of Horrors, an imaginatively named and fascinating set of rocks.

An interactive map of our route, heading in the main (northwest) entrance:

Another interactive map of the Hall of Horrors Area; zoom in to see more detail:

We stopped by the main visitor center:

Visitor center

Park road:

Park road

Hall of Horrors hike:

Hall of Horrors

Sequoia National Park: northern side

We visited Sequoia National Park in California, including the Lodgepole Visitor Center and Grill, and the General Sherman Tree, the largest tree in the world by volume. And saw a couple of bears in a tree.

An interactive map of our route:

Relief map in the visitor center:

Relief map

Visitor center

General Sherman Tree trail, a half mile (each way) path from the parking lot to the tree, through the Giant Forest sequoia grove:

Sherman Tree trail

Footprint of Sherman Tree:

Footprint of Sherman Tree

Path and steps:

Path and steps

General Sherman tree, the largest tree in the world by volume:

General Sherman tree

Other big trees:

Another tree

Tree cross section:

Tree cross section

On the way back up the path, we saw a couple of black bears in a tree (not very close, fortunately):

Bears in tree

Kings Canyon National Park

We visited Kings Canyon National Park in California, including the Kings Canyon Visitor Center, General Grant Tree, and a scenic drive through the canyon.

An interactive map of our route:

Relief map of the canyon:

Relief map of canyon

Visitor center:

Visitor center

Gift store:

Gift store

Sequoias:

Sequoias

The General Grant tree, the third largest tree in the world by volume:

General Grant tree

Gamlin Cabin:

Gamlin Cabin

Kings Canyon National Park is split in two parts, separated by Sequoia National Forest, which has some rather nice scenery:

Sequoia National Forest

Back into Kings Canyon National Park:

Kings Canyon National Park

And on the return trip, back into Sequoia National Forest:

Kings Canyon National Park

Sequoia National Forest

A small waterfall (at this time of year):

Sequoia National Forest

New River Gorge National Park: Thurmond and waterfalls

We visited the Thurmond area of New River Gorge National Park, plus a scenic drive to a couple more waterfalls.

The NPS map of the whole park; click or tap to interact on their site:

An interactive map of our route for visiting Thurmond and the waterfalls:

Waterfall on the way to Thurmond:

Waterfall

One-way car and rail bridge to Thurmond:

One-way road and rail bridge to Thurmond

Bridge

Thurmond:

Thurmond

Train engine:

Train engine

Passport stamps:

Passport stamps

Visitor center:

Visitor center

Train engine:

Train engine

Train

Historic Thurmond:

Thurmond

Back over the one-way bridge:

Back over the one-way bridge

Glen Ferris falls:

Glen Ferris falls

New River Gorge National Park: Canyon Rim and Bridge

We visited the Canyon Rim area of New River Gorge National Park, the newest full National Park in the US. The Canyon Rim section has a visitor center that overlooks the iconic New River Gorge bridge, plus has a winding scenic drive down into the canyon, that passes under the bridge three times.

The NPS map of the whole park; click or tap to interact on their site:

An interactive map of our route for visiting Canyon Rim etc:

Going over the New River Gorge Bridge:

New River Gorge Bridge

Visitor center:

Visitor center

Gorge viewpoint:

Gorge viewpoint

Bridge viewpoint:

Bridge viewpoint

We did the scenic Fayette Station Road driving tour, that goes down into the gorge:

Fayette Station Road driving tour

Narrow road

Bridge virw from road

One way bridge:

One way bridge

A view of the New River Gorge Bridge from the one-way bridge:

New River Gorge Bridge

Bridge view

New River Gorge Bridge

New River Gorge National Park: Sandstone Falls

We visited the Sandstone Falls area of New River Gorge National Park, the newest full National Park in the US. The Sandstone Falls section features a 1500 feet wide waterfall on the New River.

The NPS map of the whole park; click or tap to interact on their site:

An interactive map of our route for visiting Sandstone Falls:

Sign

Boat

Path

“Masks are optional”; haven’t seen any mention of COVID-19 for a while:

Masks are optional

Visitor center exhibits:

Visitor center

Viewpoint overlooking Sandstone Falls:

Viewpoint

Sandstone Falls boardwalk:

Sandstone Falls

New River Gorge National Park: Grandview

We visited the Grandview area of New River Gorge National Park, the newest full National Park in the US. The Grandview section overlooks a bend in the New River.

The NPS map of the whole park; click or tap to interact on their site:

An interactive map of our route for visiting Grandview:

Grandview sign