How are the wildflowers this year (Joshua Tree, Mojave)?

LOL, my favorite color, mud!!

Had to get used to the vacation rule of my DH and his son - it's not a vacation unless you've driven a road with grass growing in the middle. You guys would have to amend that a little, but the concept is the same!

Our family station wagon did its share of off-roading (or "goign on a picnic" as my mom called it), and it wasnt' really designed for the job. LOL

OK, I've been wondering... since the wildflowers will probably have peaked in Mojave & Joshua Tree by early April, and since higher elevations = more wildflowers, would we see more if we went to the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert area instead? That's a little further north and definitely higher elevation...

I just really, really want to see some desert wildflowers or flowering cacti on this trip!

Thanks!!

Hmm, maybe if I'm asking about points west of CA I should be asking in the SouthWest forum... ?

I appreciate all the input you've given me... not only very helpful in planning, but wow what wonderful photos!!

Critter, you should be able to find some flowering cactus in AZ. So many different climates there. I was amazed to go through the upper desert, an alpine forest, a lower desert, a pine forest, and of course the lower desert. All in one day, all in one state. WOW!
I've got a bunch of wildflowers I've been meaning to post. Will find time this week.
Calif_Sue, sending a photo of my baby girl. She is called Pearled Lightning. She is a replacement for my Red Jeep (my war pony), that died in 2005 saving our lives. Although she looks clean, DH said she was filthy and took her through the car wash after this photo was taken. He said he couldn't see through the mirrors. Even still he had to wash the mirrors by hand. LOL!
WIB!
SW

Those are nice vehicles, in the photo I posted above with the 2 vehicles, our friend has the blue Jeep with a small lift, he takes it offroad everywhere, it's got a few dents and scratches from some tough rock crawling he loves to try, a fearless Jeep owner!
We had to winch him out a couple of times already, once when his back tires started sliding sideways off the road down an embankment, he was trying to back down from a way too steep road and didn't get it going straight and I started yelling at him over the radio to cut it to the right, no more, more and then I yelled "Stop, your going over the edge", scared me! He couldn't get traction on the loose shale, the more he tried, the further he slid and then the front end started sliding too so it was a team effort to stabilize him until we could hook up the winch and get him back onto the road, good times LOL!

Oh but the scenery we saw on that trip to the Eastern Sierras, priceless! It was my absolute favorite trip of our weekend back country excursions. This was looking back at one road we came up.

Route has been juggled now to include Petrified Forest & Painted Desert (east of Flagstaff)... but I may still just make a long day of it and drive through the Mojave Preserve on the way from Las Vegas to Flagstaff. Planning to get off 40 for a bit and take 66 instead, so that could end up being an 8 hour day for driving... not bad if I work in a bunch of stops, though. :-)

No true off-roading, though, since the cost of renting even any 4WD vehicle is a lot more than a midsized car.

Well your planned trip sounds great, those are two places we haven't visited yet. Be sure to takes lots of pictures!

You can count on my taking lots of pictures, LOL.

If you're going to Flagstaff from Vegas, consider going back through Oak Creek Canyon to Sedona and around through Prescott back to Ash Fork. It's a beautiful drive particularly this time of year. It's the Highway 89-A route. It takes about 2 1/2 to 3 hours to get from Flag to Ash Fork instead of the hour it would be on I-40. But it's SO worth it. You'll wind up going through Cottonwood that way. I lived there for about 25 years.(was actually the Vice Mayor there for 8 years) It has a really cool 'Old Town' section. You'll see a turn-off from 89-A that takes you through it. There's a little place there called 'The Tavern'. Really cool refurbished former movie theater, great food and locally brewed beer. If you go, say hello to Eric. He's the owner and a very good friend of mine.

Agree about Oak Creek Canyon. We did that one year and it is truly special.

Was planning to take a day to drive down Oak Creek Canyon (Flagstaff to Sedona) and back up... I'll check out the route you described! Thanks!

OK.. did googlemaps... I'd heard it was worthwhile to drive Oak Creek Canyon (Flagstaff to Sedona) in both directions, but maybe instead I'll just head for Ash Fork from Las Vegas, stay the night, then take the route you described and end up in Flagstaff that evening.

?

You'll be quite impressed. That route will take you through most of what AZ has to offer from desert to pine mountains, the river valley, the red rocks of Sedona, the canyon with the highway paralleling the creek and back up to the pine forest. I'll be in Cottonwood next weekend myself.

NO, no, not next weekend, DP! Can't you delay that trip for a week? LOL I know it's improbable, but it's such fun to think we could meet up for lunch at The Tavern... ;-)

Gosh Jill, I'd love to, but that's when I need to be there. I'll be there until May 3rd.

Actually *in* Cottonwood on May 1, then? Woohooo! We'll have to exchange cell phone numbers... :-)

What DP said. Route I'd take too. Hope that you have a chance to get together with DP. He's a great guy! We met at the mini RU in March, he's a newbie, but he has hit the ground running. A very welcome addition to our California Discussion Forum, too!
Just have a lot of fun, Critter, take lots of photos, you'll never regret it. Some of the most beautiful country in the world, and you'll just be amazed. Take extra batteries for the camera/and a charger too. You'll need them. LOL!
Before I forget since we were talking about off roading. Carry a shovel. Hot exhaust pipes and tall dry grass can equal fires. Shovel will help put it out. Can also help if you get stuck someplace. When driving in any desert, carry twice as much water than you think you'll need. The best place to conserve your water is in your body, take a flash light, and a leatherman type knife. Think before doing.
Okay, I'll shut up. It just occurred to me that you might not think of these things if you aren't a desert rat. Used to run the ridges myself. Have a safe and fun trip. Keep us posted!
WIB,
SW

Oh man, my tires are itching to take off!

Speaks another desert rat. If you all are going to AZ, you might want to get in touch with roadrunner.
WIB!
SW

Thanks, SW! Not a desert rat, but have a little experience... good point about having a knife (in my checked luggage, LOL), and I'm thinking I might see if I can find my little rock chisel (picked one up some time ago at a yard sale), because I think it's OK to use that when not in protected areas... or is that bad karma?

Thanks!!

It's fine as long as you aren't in protected areas, like nat'l, state, or county land. BLM land, I don't think that they care. Read anything that might be posted. Private land is okay, but it is polite to ask first. Road cuts are fair game. By all means pack in your carry on or buy a new one. I recommend leatherman or a swiss army knife because they are a whole tool kit in one small place. Yes, I carry one every where it's legal. I live on a farm. Ya never know. I'd also take some clothes pins or safety pins and a solar blanket too, but that's just me.
Watch out for cactus rustlers, and I'm not joking.
WIB!
SW

Yeah, I was thinking road cuts... it's amazing what you can find by doing a little bouldering right off the shoulder!

I don't think we'll be that far off the beaten path, but you're right -- prepared is always better.

Umm... Cactus rustlers? Stealing cactus from, where, protected lands?

SW;
When you exclude State, Fed, BLM, and RESERVATION from AZ lands, there's only 16% left. NO KIDDING. Only 16% is private.
Critter, I'll send you a d-mail with my cell #.

Desert Pirate, I wasn't excluding BLM land, just said I didn't think they cared.
Some areas allow collecting, but the Petrified Forest doesn't. Know before you collect anything, that way you'll at least you'll know what laws you are breaking.
There are lots of rock shops where you can buy rocks.
My son found a lovely geode in a parking lot at the South Rim of the (little) Grand Canyon. Got some great deals on Turqoise and Silver Jewelry there too. Even found the white buffalo on our way back to Flagstaff. Took the back roads, and I just can't remember the name of the place. Go walk about and keep you eyes open.
Cactus rustlers have been stealing cactus from protected lands and people's own yards. Be very careful. Some people can be such jerks.
Have a great time, Critter.
WIB,
SW

SW;
I got what you were talking about. I was just making the point that there is so very little private land in AZ. It being the last state to attain statehood, and the way the state constitution was written. (very libertarian) It seemed the Fed wanted as much control as possible. With some of the recent land trades, the federal land has increased. When it's traded value for value, the fed usually gets more volume.

Don't worry, I won't plunder the hillsides... and if in doubt, I'll check, especially before breakign off rather than just picking up a roadside bit. And I do know better than to hack my way through the petrified forest! :-)

Interesting about the relatively small amount of private land in AZ... I'd wondered, looking at the map...

Don't forget the feds control reservation lands too. No offense taken by me. The history of AZ is fascinating. I knew that the feds controlled a great deal of it, but not that much! I knew what you meant DP, and I know you won't go hacking away at the petrified forest Critter. Sadly there are some that would.
The geology is fascinating, slices of time laid open for us to see.
I love visiting AZ, Utah, and NV. I'm a desert rat at heart I guess.
I think that the cactus rustlers were taking the Saguaros. Some of which were homes to furred, feathered or scalie things.
You should find lots to see and do.
WIB!
SW

"Slices of time"

Yes! That's what I love about road cuts... I'm always asking Jim to slow down when we drive through them (usually he just gives me a look, but occasionally he'll pull over if there's a spot on the shoulder), even around here.

My DH doesn't like to pull over either. He's getting better about it.
Should be safe when pulling off the road. Can't fault him for that.
WIB!
SW

Yep critter, this is the time of year to be particularly careful in AZ with stopping and exploring. The 'coon tails are waking up. (diamondbacks) and I don't mean the baseball team.

You know, in all our side trips, we have never come across one, thank goodness!
We did see a large bear one afternoon last summer, just about 100 yards away from where we were standing, I freaked, I'm scared of bears. He just sat and watched us as I quickly scrambled back to the car. He was near the town of Mammoth in the Eastern Sierras so used to seeing lots of people.
Oh, while hiking 2 years ago, a mountain lion crossed the trail in front of us about 50 yards away. Yep, I really freaked, whimpered and started shaking actually. Made DH carry a large dead tree branch and make lots of noise. Never hiked so fast to get back to the car in my life! A week later, we had pulled over while driving through the hills behind our house, went and sat on some large boulders to look at a ravine below us with several cows. As we got up to leave, DH spots another mountain on the next hill over, what are the odds?!
We did see these bighorn sheep last year near the town of Bishop.

On our family trip out west years ago, probably when we were in Yellowstone, I was trying to get a photo of a bighorn sheep out the car window -- critter came over and shoved his head nearly in my lap, looking for handouts I guess. LOL

We have rattlesnakes around here, too, so we know to not reach/step blindly.

Yep..."It's a Jeep thing"....Jeep one:

Jeep two...LOL...wouldn't have it any other way. I would really really really like to be heading down Oak Creek Canyon right now, been wanting to go all year........

DS and I make a pilgrimage to our own little swimming hole on Oak Creek annually on Father's Day weekend. It's also very near or on his birthday each year so we have a dual celebration complete with cliff jumping. Here's him doing a backflip off our favorite ledge.

And me doing a little more sane approach to entering the water.

The pictures above were taken on the same day the fire that burned some 50,000 acres surrounding Sedona started. Here's a shot of the smoke from it within a couple of hours of starting.

You're going to tell me where that is, right? LOL Looks like the forecast is for maybe mid-70's by then, so I'm not sure we'll be doing much more than wading... but what a beautiful spot!

I'm thinking I'd better pack summer clothes for Vegas (cool tops & capris) and more like spring clothes for the Grand Canyon & Bryce... forecasts up thattaway seem to still have highs of just 55 to 65. Have to leave some space in the suitcase for rocks & stuff, though! LOL Might just be mailing a box back to myself. :-)

Mail the dirty laundry! LOL