Category Archives: desert

Wall Street Mill – Joshua Tree NP

2010/12/15 – 06:11

The Wall Street Mill hike in Joshua Tree National Park is a welcome distraction from the beautiful desert landscape. Old ruins, several weathered cars, and a macabre gravesite and other superb subjects await hikers on the short trail that ends at Wall Street Mill, an old gold stamp mill.

A hearty prospector, William (Bill) F. Keys, owned the mill and built a ranch around it. He was able to carve a life from this unforgiving landscape, leaving an abundance of highly photogenic evidence, including a headstone that he erected for a person he shot in a dispute.

Today, only photographers shoot here. If you love ghost towns or the Old West, you should take the short trail and discover an unchanged piece of the Wild West.
head on

By myphotoscout | Also posted in hike, Joshua Tree, national park, park, San Bernadino, Southern California | Tagged , , | Leave a Comment

Cholla Cactus Garden – Joshua Tree NP

2010/12/08 – 05:17

Man-sized cacti in a beautiful mountainous landscape characterize the Cholla Cactus Garden in Joshua Tree National Park, a desert park full of life and wondrous shapes. The fascinating shape of these cacti and the large variety can yield stunningly beautiful photographs, yet not too many photographers find their way to this remote location just a couple of hours from Los Angeles.

Joshua Tree National Park is known for its namesake, the Joshua Tree, and for the fantastic rock climbing unique to the park. However, the cactus garden will present you with a good solid shooting opportunity that you should not miss.
Cholla Cactus Garden

By myphotoscout | Also posted in Joshua Tree, national park, night, park, San Bernadino, Southern California | Tagged , , | Comments (3)

How to photograph Randsburg

2010/07/07 – 06:30

Randsburg preserves the flair of an old western town while catering to a growing crowd of tourists. The self proclaimed “Living Ghost Town” is not very ghostly but a superb spot for photographers wanting to discover the west.

Randsburg is an unexpected surprise that will spice up a long day of travel in the desert region. You can find food, ice cream, and shade and most importantly, you can take good photographs while giving your fellow troopers the rest they crave.

By myphotoscout | Also posted in Ghost Town, Kern County, Sierra Nevada, Southern California | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (2)

How to photograph the Alabama Hills

2010/06/23 – 05:15

Once Hollywood’s favorite western location, the Alabama Hills Recreation Area provides a playground for photographers and outdoor enthusiasts. Twisted knobby rocks, arches, and the spectacular backdrop of the Sierra Nevada and the Inyo Mountains create a spectacular wonderland of strange alien shapes.

Located at the foothills of California’s tallest mountain, Mt. Whitney, the round granite rocks of the Alabama Hills contradict the jagged mountainous backdrop.
Mobius Arch from Dusk till Dawn

By myphotoscout | Also posted in BLM, hike, Inyo Mountains, Owens Valley, Sierra Nevada, Southern California | Tagged , , , | Comments (7)

How to photograph Darwin

2010/06/10 – 05:56

When you drive on CA-190 toward Death Valley, you will see a road sign to Darwin. Paying no attention, nearly everyone flies by. Nobody seems to care about this lonely small town decaying in the hot summer sun of the Inyo Mountains.

Darwin is a desolate place, a sorry excuse for a city whose best days are over 100 years away. A few individuals still cling on to life in this peculiar and eerie town at the edge of Death Valley. Of the “50 or so” inhabitants that the city limits sign announces, you will see mostly distrusting eyes lurking behind closed windows. Who can blame them? What cruel deity has banned them to this pitiful stretch of America? A few people actually drive around in cars whose value doubles each they fill it up.

Darwin is an interesting place for photography. It is worth the quick detour for the bizarre, twisted pictures you can take here. You cannot help feeling funny when you arrive and feeling better when you leave.

Car Monster

By myphotoscout | Also posted in Death Valley, Ghost Town, Inyo Mountains, mine, Owens Valley, Panamint Mountains, Southern California | Tagged , , | Comments (5)

How to photograph the Trona Pinnacles

2010/06/08 – 05:02

The Trona Pinnacles are a strange and alien landscape of giant tufa formations stretching skyward. Strange enough, to serve as the “Planet of the Apes” in the 2001 remake of the movie.

The calcium carbonate tufa rocks are similar to those you can find in Mono Lake, only much larger. When you are standing in the punishing heat of this desert, it is hard to imagine that this area was under water many centuries ago.

Owing to their bizarre nature, the Pinnacles provide a wonderful opportunity for photography. The remote location makes it a good place for those who seek solitude.

Trona Pinnacles

By myphotoscout | Also posted in BLM, Inyo Mountains, Southern California | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments (3)

How to photograph the Lost Burro Mine in Death Valley

2010/04/27 – 15:23

Lost Burro Gold Mine is a remote mining camp in Death Valley’s backcountry. Extremely well preserved due to the dry winds and a curse that keeps people from stealing items, the mine is an exceptional destination for photographers. The mining camp is located in a narrow side canyon that provides good shooting opportunities.

The roughnecks who braved the hard conditions of Death Valley didn’t get rich, but left an account of their lives behind that still fascinates visitors 100 years later.

Due to the remote location, you will most likely have the mine to yourself. Nobody will get in your way but nobody will help you if you get into trouble either. Take your time and discover the fascination of the old mining camps spread throughout the mountains of Death Valley.
Thieves will be prosecuted: Lost Burro Mine

By myphotoscout | Also posted in Death Valley, Ghost Town, hike, national park, Panamint Mountains, scenic drive, Southern California | Tagged , , | Comments (5)

How to photograph the Death Valley Racetrack

2010/04/22 – 04:57

The Racetrack Playa is a uniquely fascinating feature of Death Valley. A mysterious force moves the rocks across the lakebed, leaving intriguing tracks in the dry lakebed. Nobody can back up any theory with conclusive evidence, since no one has been able to observe the rocks actually moving, yet.

The tracks are a favorite subject for photographers and for visitors who muse over the mystery. Those who take the long and harsh drive to this remote valley reap plentiful rewards. No picture can prepare you for the fascination that will grip you once you walk on the playa and see the tracks. No other photo subject is like this.

The Racetrack is also one of the best places in California for celestial photography. Mountains surround the Racetrack Playa on all sides, eliminating light pollution. I witnessed the clearest night of my life, with the stars appearing closer than ever before.

Visit the Racetrack for a once in a lifetime experience!
Death Valley Racetrack

By myphotoscout | Also posted in Death Valley, national park, Panamint Mountains, scenic drive, Southern California, spring | Tagged , , , | Comments (4)

How to photograph Rhyolite

2010/04/20 – 17:27

Rhyolite is a shining example of high hopes and hard reality. The ghost town that boasted nearly 10,000 inhabitants in its heyday declined as quickly as it grew. Residents simply abandoned the city, starting after the financial unrest of 1907. Today the city is one of the most famous ghost towns near Death Valley and a superb destination for photographers seeking to explore the west.
Old Car in Rhyolite

By myphotoscout | Also posted in Death Valley, Ghost Town, national park, Southern California | Tagged , , , , | Comments (5)

Death Valley Wildflower Update

2010/04/08 – 23:04

Even the hottest and driest place in California harbors life. Wildflower seeds hibernate years below the surface waiting for a tiny drop of water. After the El-Nino rains shower the desert, life shifts into overdrive. Colorful flowers pop up and cacti put on a show, competing for pollinators, spectators, and photo-creators.
Death Valley Flowers

By myphotoscout | Also posted in Death Valley, national park, Southern California, spring, wildflowers, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , | Comments (6)
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