TALES OF OUR TRAVELS AND OUR LOVE OF ADVENTURE

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Exploring Joshua Tree National Park - Desert Queen Mine

The park has a great mining history, and numerous mines can be found-both accessible to the public and in areas that are closed to the public. One that is easily accessible is the Desert Queen Mine. A good dirt road goes about 2 miles to the trailhead, and then a very easy, short hike takes you to an overlook above a pretty deep canyon. Across the canyon is the mine - and you can see at least 3 of the mine shafts. This mine was worked as recently as the late 1960s.





Don is at the overlook, standing next to one of the old cyanide tanks.













A trail leads down to the canyon bottom and then up to the mine.












Don almost stepped on this tarantula, right in the middle of the trail! He (she?) was about 5 inches wide.












Just above the overlook are the ruins of what looked like a big winch for hauling ore and/or supplies up from the mine.












Don is walking down towards the remains of a rock cabin.

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