Geology Tour Road Guide
An 18-Mile Motor Tour at Joshua Tree National Park
Click here to see DesertUSA.com’s video tour from this trip.
Geology Tour Road as you descend into Pleasant Valley.
If you are looking for an easy 4WD adventure check out the Geology Tour Road at Joshua Tree National Park.It is a great way see different types of rock formations and geological wonders that are common to the desert regions and to Joshua Tree National Park.
The Geology Tour will take you through a portion of the Queen Valley in route to Pleasant Valley where the road loops through the valley revealing scenic views and numerous points of interest around the loop.As you travel into Pleasant Valley you will see interesting rock formations and sculptures.Along the route you can stop at markers that correspond with an informational brochure available at the entrance to Geology Tour Rd.
There are 16 stops that make up the Geology Tour.I’ve noted a few of my favorites below.During my trip I did not stop at all the markers, but I did get some photos of those points of interest where I did stop the Jeep and explore the area on foot.
Rock piles around Squaw Tank.
Squaw Tank is the 9th stop along the tour.Surrounded by huge boulders and rock piles, you can look for Squaw Tank, a man-made dam.Cattlemen used this dam to catch run off water from the rocks to water their cattle in the early 1900’s.You can find other similar dams in the park where the natural “tanks” or pools formed after the rains.
The 12th stop has the remains of an old mining area.The hillside is riddled with old mines and shafts.From the floor of the valley it is hard to see, but once you walk up to the old rusted tanks on the hillside, you can see an old buried shaft behind the tanks.If you take a short hike up the trail beyond the road you may discover other mines and shafts that have been since filled in.A few old tailing piles may still be visible if you look for them.
My favorite stop was #16, the Panoramic View.Take a few photos of the view as it is one of the highlights on this tour.In the distance you can see huge rock piles in the Northern part of the Valley.You will see Malapai Hill (also noted at stop #7), a hill composted of black basalt which rises 400 feet up from the valley floor.
Rusted cyanide vats at old mining site.
The road is for 4WD only past #9 stop at Squaw Tank.After that point 4WD is recommended.The tour takes about 2 hours to complete, so make sure you take plenty of water and that you have enough gas before you start your trip.
Note:Pick up a Geology Tour brochure in the box at the entrance to the Rd.This brochure has information that corresponds to each of the 16 marked stops along the route.
Click here to see the video tour from this trip.
Click here for a map of the Geology Tour Road.
For more Day Trips, visit Desert Road Trippin’s Web site or DesertUSA.com.
About Lynn Bremner
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