Desert Scenery Comes to Life in the Winter

During the summer, there are many times when ground temperature in Death Valley approaches--and sometimes even exceeds--200 degrees.

It is during this wretched, life-sapping heat that Europeans, by the thousands, flock to Death Valley. Why? They want to go home to places like the Black Forest or the Riviera and tell their friends they voluntarily walked into the gaping valley of death--and survived. They even have a T-shirt to prove it.

Not surprisingly, most Southern Californians wait until winter to descend upon the deserts. The scenery is the same, the temperatures are often mild and, besides, one should not have to sacrifice the car’s radiator just to go on vacation.

Where to go? Here are four suggestions:

DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK

At 3.3 million acres, Death Valley is the largest national park in the contiguous 48 states. For those who think of the desert as a bleak place, think again. Death Valley’s geography is wonderfully diverse and the expanses of empty, totally undeveloped land is a wonder in itself.

Furnace Creek is a small village and tourist hub located in the middle of the park. It has a motel, the park’s main visitor center, a nine-hole golf course (water comes from a nearby spring), tennis courts, swimming pool, bar and restaurant, and a post office. Stovepipe Wells is a smaller version of Furnace Creek, located 23 miles to the north on Highway 190. It also has a motel, restaurant and pool, but--sorry--no golf course.

Camping is an option, although not necessarily a good one. Most of the campgrounds in the valley are basically motor-home parking lots. The best are the Furnace Creek (the only campground with trees in the park) or Texas Springs campgrounds, both available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Temperatures can dip into the 20s at night, so long underwear and 20-degree bags are recommended.

The park’s signature attractions are far apart and, as a result, many visitors spend more time in their cars than outdoors. Try these places to get some very, very fresh air:

* The sand dunes just south of Stovepipe Wells on Highway 190. Not the tallest or largest in California, but a great place to take a quiet hike and watch the sunset.

* Mosaic Canyon is polished and narrow, the type of place that looks like it belongs in an Indiana Jones movie. The canyon is just up a gravel road from Stovepipe Wells. Get here early in the morning and keep an eye peeled for desert bighorn sheep.

* The Keane Wonder Mill is a large wooden structure left from the park’s mining days. It’s a two-mile round-trip hike from the trailhead, located along the Beatty Cutoff road, between Highway 190 and Highway 374.

Phone: Death Valley National Park, (760) 786-2331.

JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK

The park is both a photographer’s and rock climber’s dream.

Photographers can point their lens at any of the thousands of gnarled Joshua trees, which are especially photogenic in the late afternoon light of winter.

Rock climbers can take a shot the more than 3,000 climbing routes available.

Most of the trees and the rock climbing are found in the park’s upper elevations, located along Quail Springs Road--which can be accessed from either the towns of Joshua Tree or 29 Palms. Lodging is available at motels in both towns.

There are eight campgrounds in the park, most of which are a testimony to function over form. All tend to fill up quickly on the weekends in the spring and fall. Only three have piped water--Black Rock Canyon, Indian Cove and Cottonwood. All are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

There are huge boulder piles along Quail Springs Road, many of which are jungle gyms for adults. Don’t climb anywhere from which you can’t get down (a common problem in the park) and watch where you put your hands--it might be a rattlesnake’s napping area.

One fun trail begins at the Hidden Valley campground and skirts the Wonderland of Rocks to the Barker Dam, left from the days when the park was a ranch.

Phone: Joshua Tree National Park, (760) 367-7511.

ANZA-BORREGO STATE DESERT PARK

The largest state park in California is further proof that the desert is a tricky place, where there is always more than meets the eye.

On the surface, much of Anza-Borrego looks like a vast wasteland of dirt and gravel and crumbly mountains. Away from the roads, however, are a vast array of wonderful canyons to hike, as well as a spring wildflower show that can be stunning.

The Carrizo Badlands, located in the southern section of the park, are home to two popular canyons to hike, Rockhouse Canyon and Carrizo Canyon.

Cougar Canyon, near the park’s visitor center, has a year-round stream. There are numerous unnamed canyons worthy of exploration on the hike to the Calcite Mine, located on the park’s eastern border.

Get a map, bring a compass (and a healthy dose of sensibility) and go.

In good years, the spring wildflower bloom can be a rainbow of yellow dandelions, white primrose and lily, red monkey flower and ocotillo, to name just a few.

The problem is that the bloom is unpredictable. Phone the wildflower hotline at (760) 767-4684 before buying a truck-full of film.

The park has two developed campgrounds. Borrego Palm Canyon is near the visitor center and Tamarisk Grove is 13 miles away.

The campgrounds are often filled on weekdays from October to May and, like most campgrounds, can resemble a motor-home dealership. For reservations, phone DESTINET at (800) 444-7275.

The village of Borrego Springs is the lodging hub of the park and has several motels.

Another option is to stay in the town of Julian, about 30 miles from Borrego Springs. Julian is in San Diego County’s apple growing region and an order of apple pie with coffee is a splendid way to start the day.

Anza Borrego Desert State Park, (760) 767-5311.

MOJAVE NATIONAL PRESERVE

The preserve isn’t very well known, although it’s large, encompassing most of the land between I-15 and I-40 in San Bernardino County.

The preserve has a smorgasbord of scenery, including the world’s largest forest of Joshua trees, Mitchell Caverns, four mountain ranges and 700-foot tall sand dunes.

The Kelso Dunes, also known as the Devil’s Playground, are in the middle of the preserve, near the old railroad town of Kelso. Climbing the dunes isn’t easy, but the view is worth it. The dunes are also known for the thunder-like sound made by the sand shifting in the wind.

The Providence Mountains State Recreation Area is in the southern part of the preserve. The main attraction is Mitchell Caverns, which has guided tours on a 1 1/2-mile trail. Guided tours are offered daily (except holidays) between Labor Day and Memorial Day. Phone Mitchell Caverns at (760) 928-2586 for more information.

Two popular campgrounds within the preserve are Hole-in-the-Wall and Mid-Hills, both of which are small and scenic. A popular seven-mile trail links the two campgrounds, but keep your eye peeled for a popular trail descending into a narrow canyon from the Hole-in-the-Wall picnic area.

This is a huge area and not all of the attractions are linked by passable roads--a couple of years ago it cost $1,000 for one visitor to have her car towed from the park.

A good place to get information is the Mojave National Preserve Desert Information Center (760) 733-4040, located in the town of Baker at the base of the giant thermometer along Interstate 40.

Phone: Mojave National Preserve, (760) 255-8801.