Betsy and I spent six days in and near Joshua Tree National Park at the end of March and beginning of April in 2024. We were joined by her friends Jacob Edwards and Alex Ligman later in the trip. Betsy and Alex did some impressive climbs, while Jacob and I tagged along as well as biked and hiked. We stayed in a really nice Airbnb called Serenity Sands less than a mile from the center of Joshua Tree town. Here is what we did each day.
Day 0 (Tuesday, March 26): Betsy drives from a previous climbing trip in Nevada, I drive from Del Mar, and we meet at Serenity Sands in late afternoon.
Day 1 (Wednesday, March 27): I bike 10 miles out and back nearly to the park entrance in the morning. Betsy and I climb 2/3 of the way up Easy Day on Turtle Rock in the afternoon. Betsy climbs a big boulder to finish the day.
Day 2 (Thursday, March 28): I bike 28 miles out and back to Intersection Rock but forget my iPhone and can’t take any photos 🙁 Betsy works remotely until we drive to Palm Desert to have dinner with her cousin Elsie and then pick up Jacob at the Palm Springs airport on the way back. Alex arrives by car at Serenity Sands a little before us.
Day 3 (Friday, March 29): Betsy and Alex climb Dappled Mare on Lost Horse Wall, Final Act on Playhouse Rock, and multiple routes on Dairy Queen Wall! Jacob scrambles to the top of the first two climbs by easier routes, and I join him on top of Playhouse Rock after getting only half-way up Final Act. Jacob bikes back to Serenity Sands.
Day 4 (Saturday, March 30): Betsy and Alex do some scrambling in the park on a rainy day, while Jacob and I hang out at Serenity Sands. I walk to the grocery store and then do a loop around town for a total distance of 3 miles.
Day 5 (Sunday, March 31): Betsy and Alex do some repeat climbs in unsettled weather and get caught in rain near the end. Jacob and I do a nice 5-mile loop hike to Garrett’s Arch via Wall Street Mill and avoid the rain. Alex departs to visit a friend in Palm Desert.
Day 6 (Monday, April 1): Betsy and I celebrate her 41st birthday with a climb to the top of The Blob! Jacob provides moral support. Afterward, Betsy and Jacob start their long drive to San Francisco, while I drive back to Del Mar.
Photos and commentary follow.
Day 1: Wednesday, March 27. I start biking up the road to the park. 
This house has an eye-catching front yard and hosts the local pickleball club. 
Desert dandelions are blooming by the side of the road. 
So are sand verbena flowers. 
There are even a few desert bluebells. 
Cholla cacti are best avoided. 
Joshua trees frame a mountain on my ride back. 
For our afternoon climb, Betsy and I tackle Easy Day, which goes directly up the middle of this face of Turtle Rock. We eventually make to the top of the light-colored patch of rock. 
Betsy poses near the start of the route, which goes to the left. 
I climb the face. 
We declare victory 2/3 of the way up the climb after Betsy decides that the rest will be too hard for me. 
I walk down the face with a belay. 
On our hike around the base of Turtle Rock, Betsy stops to conquer this big boulder without any protection. 
Betsy climbs down. I am relieved when she gets safely to the ground.
Day 3: Friday, March 29. Jacob, Betsy, and Alex start the hike to Lost Horse Wall. 
Desert bluebells provide color along the way. 
Betsy starts the climb up Dappled Mare on Lost Horse Wall. 
Betsy sets a belay at the top of the first pitch. 
Betsy belays Alex up the first pitch. After they meet, Betsy does a tricky traverse to the left on a downward sloping crack. 
Alex watches Betsy finish the traverse. 
Betsy continues up to the top of the two-pitch climb. 
On the hike out, Betsy and Alex see a chuckwalla! 
Here is a closeup of the chuckwalla. 
We hike to Playhouse Rock, where Betsy starts the climb up Final Act. 
Betsy climbs higher on Final Act. Later I follow and make it to the ledge just below her. 
Betsy finishes the climb up Final Act. 
Alex climbs up Final Act too. 
Jacob and I celebrate scrambling to the top of Playhouse Rock by an easier route. Behind us is Dairy Queen Wall, where Betsy and Alex go to climb more routes.
Day 5: Sunday, March 31. Jacob and I pass an old-timey car near the start of our hike to Wall Street Mill and Garrett’s Arch. 
There is also a windmill that is in sad shape. 
Worth Bagley and William F Keys had a shootout in 1943 that ended badly for Bagley. Keys went to San Quentin for manslaughter but was pardoned in 1948 and returned to his ranch in Joshua Tree. 
The mill is in ruins. 
This plaque describes what the mill was like in better times. It is remarkable that it operated, albeit sporadically, until 1966. 
An old-timey truck is close to the mill. 
The use trail between the mill and the arch is a jumble of boulders. 
Here I have to crawl to get through! 
Finally we get to Garrett’s Arch! 
Jacob fends off this man-eating rock on the way back!
Day 6: Monday, April 1. Betsy persuades me to climb The Blob with her to celebrate her 41st birthday! Betsy has marked in purple our zigzag route up this 200-ft climb. The crux is the lower vertical pitch up a narrow chimney. 
Here I slowly scooch up the chimney and still manage a smile. Jacob provides moral support. 
We are halfway up. I appreciate the standing belay from Betsy, who has placed an anchor under the big rock next to her. The climbing is easier above here, and I do much of it without a belay. (Thanks to Jacob for the cool photo!) 
We are all smiles as we celebrate getting to the top! 
We are high above the surrounding terrain as we conclude our climbing adventure!