Joshua Tree / Mojave Desert Photo Tour - April 20th “Kelso Sand Dunes”
April 21, 2013 at 9:35 AM
We departed this morning at 6:30 a.m. for Kelso Sand Dunes. The expected high today was 29C or 84F, so we wanted to make sure to have enough time photographing and hiking the sand dunes before it got to hot to enjoy the experience. With the comfortable weather we hiked 4 miles into the dunes all the time reaching higher points. The sand patterns and wild grass made for many photo opportunities.
By mid day we were back on the road and visited Kelso Depot, which is a pre war boom town and train station. The National Park Service has turned the station into an exhibit, show casing the history of the region. We had lunch at the Beanery which is a turn of the century lunch counter that has been reopened within the train station.
Later in the afternoon when returning to Primm Valley we stopped at several abandoned building locations to take photographs. Since the Mojave train line goes right through the center of the reserve, we were constantly in the company of long freight trains.
Tonight after dinner we went out for some night photography, the evening temperature was nice for being outside taking photographs. Well that’s it for tonight’s edition of our Mojave Desert blog. We are out early in the morning to visit Black Canyon and Hole in the Wall. Good night from the Trekkers in Primm Valley.
First view of Kelso Sand Dunes this morning.
An interesting sand beetle, boy did he move quickly.
Joyce taking a shot of the sand beetle.
Desert Primrose were flowering all over the desert floor.
Lone brush, the sand dunes are full of many interesting subjects.
The long grass, with the help of the wind, draw interesting patterns in the sand.
Another view of the dunes, this grass dappled the sides of the dunes.
The dunes had many open areas, with interesting wind carved patterns in the sand.
Dan testing the wind direction deep in one of the dunes.
Everyone started to through their hat into the ring.
If you look very closely, you can see 4 hikers going across the peak. It puts the size of the duns into perspective.
A sand Gecko stops to check us out. They also move like lighting.
A side view gives you an idea of the size of the dunes. These are some of the highest in North America.
Another view of the peaks.
An old train schedule.
An old tall palm tree in front of Kelso Depot.
The telegraph and ticketing office inside the train station as it would have looked in 1945.
As if it was yesterday, an excellent display by the National Park Service.
The Beanery lunch counter inside the train station. It was a great lunch.
Kelso Depot Old Post Office, at the height of WWII they had a population of 2,000 people.
Desert cactus in bloom.
Old buildings we stopped to shoot as we traveled through the desert.
Another freight train.
For such a barren place, there were many interesting things to photograph. B&W with a little colour.
Another view of this old building, it seemed to be falling down around us.
More trains ... a rail worker told us about 20 pass through the valley each day.
The Joshua Trees are very tall in this region. Another beautiful day.
Good night from the desert, check back tomorrow for more updates and images.