Winter is here and so begins my winter wanderlusting. I started these seasonal series as a way to keep myself adventurous and avoid mundanity at all costs. As a risk-adverse individual, it’s sometimes difficult but always rewarding. And with perfect timing, I’ve taken on LifeProof’s Winter Bucket List contest to help spearhead some more winter exploration.
First destination to be crossed off the list was Joshua Tree National Park. I never realized how close this park was to Los Angeles and it’s really a shame that it took me this long to make a trip. I was only able to make a short day trip but I loved every minute and am only more inspired to return again soon.
I didn’t expect the park to be so filled with visitors just a few days after Christmas, but I guess it makes sense. It took almost an hour just to enter the park! But once we passed the entrance (shout out to Papa Lu for his senior citizen card and getting us to skip part of the line!) it was smooth sailing from there.
The park is so open and spaced out that you really could stop anywhere along the road, get out, and start climbing any rock formation you wanted. And this is precisely what I saw. Our first stop was to the Barker Dam Loop. This was the most packed spot and it was almost bumper to bumper while walking the trail. Although crowded, it was still a beautiful scene with crisp blue skies, parchment colored rocks, and Joshua Tree's signature trees.
Our next stop took us to Jumbo Rocks where we climbed over huge boulders and tried not to freeze to death. It felt like another world seeing row after row of giant rock mountains. People seriously looked like tiny ants scattered across the tops. Finally, we ended the trip at the Cholla Cactus Garden where we enjoyed the sun set and watched the sky fade from a bright blue to a creamy caramel infused with lavender highlights.
Although it was a short trip I can’t say anything bad about it. It was a great way to end the holidays with my family and just get out to experience something new. I have a few planned trips coming up and just participated in my first instameet. And as last week's bucket list winner, LifeProof hooked me up with a $250 gift card to REI. So be on the lookout because I'll have lots of adventures to share :)
