Everything lined up for me to be able to get out to Joshua Tree for perhaps my last shot at Comet Leonard. The forecast had been for clear skies, then today it showed afternoon clouds clearing in the evening. So while my focus was on the comet, I also knew it wasn't a sure bet, so as I saw the clouds in the sky as I was driving, I began to change my focus from finding a nice spot in the park with a clear view to the SW so no hills or trees were blocking the comet, to can I get into the park before the sky blows up as I could see with the positioning of the clouds it was going to be a grand sunset!
The problem on weekends, and especially holiday weekends on getting into Joshua Tree, is the most inefficient method of letting visitors into the park of ALL of the National Parks, and it mean it. It's like the Rangers in Joshua Tree all sat around a few years ago and brain stormed on how can we make it as miserable and slow as possible for visitors to get into the park. The main entrance is outside of the town of Joshua Tree, and it's totally common to see anywhere from 30 to 50 cars lined up to get through the single lane into the park. Other National Parks when the line starts to get long will have a 2nd Ranger walk down the line, find out who as Annual Passes, and let them drive on the side and pass by the Pay Booth. How simple is that solution? Simple... Have they ever done it? No... So looking on the map to where I had stuck a pin as to where I thought I would shoot the Comet at on the Loop Road, it was of course showing a long Red Line of traffic on Apple Maps. But what was even more odd, was there was a red line on the map on the Exit lane that was perhaps 5 or 6 times longer, indicating hundreds of cars stuck trying to get out of the park.
My solution to this for years now, has been to drive another 30 minutes down to the town of Twentynine Palms, and enter into the park from that side. For some reason no one ever goes down there, so there is never more then 2 or 3 cars in line waiting to pay and get in. Well, as I was approaching the town of Joshua Tree today, there was one of those temporary road signs used for construction set on the side of the road, flashing that the Joshua Tree entrance was jammed, drive down to the Twentynine Palms entrance. Ugh... someone had figured out my secret! But guessing, I figured it was still my best bet, even though it was a bit longer to get there, I would still bet it had less traffic. And sunset was fast approaching. I had decided that the sunset now was my priority. It would mean getting set up for the Leonard Comet a bit later, but it was a risk I was going to take, I just had to be able to get into the park so I could get some nice foregrounds to go along with the awesome sunset I was expecting.
As I was approaching the Twentynine Palms entrance station, I could see 2 cars a head of me! That was perfect! It should only take 2 or 3 minutes to get through and looking out my window the clouds were taking on some super cool shapes and starting to turn golden as the sun was very very low now. After I showed the Ranger my pass and got to driving, to a spot I knew of just 5 minutes ahead that would give me great foregrounds and some nice views to both the East and the West I saw that there was a huge line waiting to exit the park. At least 100 cars in line, waiting to pay as they exited, or show their pass as they exit... wow... what a horrible way to finish up a trip. I mean if you are checking people as they enter the park, how about letting that be enough? Sure some people could enter from down by Indio and take the southern route in and maybe not have paid, or maybe a few people slipped in somehow, but come on. Missing a couple of cars isn't going to kill the Park. Visiting a National Park should be a fun, exciting time. Having to spend 1 to 2 hours in lines to enter and to exit??? That's just rude and inconsiderate.
Now, one day supposedly this will be corrected as they have been building a 2 lane entrance station at the Joshua Tree entrance for a few years now. Some day it has to be finished I suppose?
That's my rant for the day. It just it sickens me, as Joshua Tree and Yosemite are my home National Parks, and to see in this case the Joshua Tree NP so mismanaged, really makes me sad.
Anyway... on to one of the photos, I got on New Years Day! What a grand way to ring in the New Year!
All comments are welcome,
Jim
PS. This is sunset. I lost that fact in all of my words.
The problem on weekends, and especially holiday weekends on getting into Joshua Tree, is the most inefficient method of letting visitors into the park of ALL of the National Parks, and it mean it. It's like the Rangers in Joshua Tree all sat around a few years ago and brain stormed on how can we make it as miserable and slow as possible for visitors to get into the park. The main entrance is outside of the town of Joshua Tree, and it's totally common to see anywhere from 30 to 50 cars lined up to get through the single lane into the park. Other National Parks when the line starts to get long will have a 2nd Ranger walk down the line, find out who as Annual Passes, and let them drive on the side and pass by the Pay Booth. How simple is that solution? Simple... Have they ever done it? No... So looking on the map to where I had stuck a pin as to where I thought I would shoot the Comet at on the Loop Road, it was of course showing a long Red Line of traffic on Apple Maps. But what was even more odd, was there was a red line on the map on the Exit lane that was perhaps 5 or 6 times longer, indicating hundreds of cars stuck trying to get out of the park.
My solution to this for years now, has been to drive another 30 minutes down to the town of Twentynine Palms, and enter into the park from that side. For some reason no one ever goes down there, so there is never more then 2 or 3 cars in line waiting to pay and get in. Well, as I was approaching the town of Joshua Tree today, there was one of those temporary road signs used for construction set on the side of the road, flashing that the Joshua Tree entrance was jammed, drive down to the Twentynine Palms entrance. Ugh... someone had figured out my secret! But guessing, I figured it was still my best bet, even though it was a bit longer to get there, I would still bet it had less traffic. And sunset was fast approaching. I had decided that the sunset now was my priority. It would mean getting set up for the Leonard Comet a bit later, but it was a risk I was going to take, I just had to be able to get into the park so I could get some nice foregrounds to go along with the awesome sunset I was expecting.
As I was approaching the Twentynine Palms entrance station, I could see 2 cars a head of me! That was perfect! It should only take 2 or 3 minutes to get through and looking out my window the clouds were taking on some super cool shapes and starting to turn golden as the sun was very very low now. After I showed the Ranger my pass and got to driving, to a spot I knew of just 5 minutes ahead that would give me great foregrounds and some nice views to both the East and the West I saw that there was a huge line waiting to exit the park. At least 100 cars in line, waiting to pay as they exited, or show their pass as they exit... wow... what a horrible way to finish up a trip. I mean if you are checking people as they enter the park, how about letting that be enough? Sure some people could enter from down by Indio and take the southern route in and maybe not have paid, or maybe a few people slipped in somehow, but come on. Missing a couple of cars isn't going to kill the Park. Visiting a National Park should be a fun, exciting time. Having to spend 1 to 2 hours in lines to enter and to exit??? That's just rude and inconsiderate.
Now, one day supposedly this will be corrected as they have been building a 2 lane entrance station at the Joshua Tree entrance for a few years now. Some day it has to be finished I suppose?
That's my rant for the day. It just it sickens me, as Joshua Tree and Yosemite are my home National Parks, and to see in this case the Joshua Tree NP so mismanaged, really makes me sad.
Anyway... on to one of the photos, I got on New Years Day! What a grand way to ring in the New Year!
All comments are welcome,
Jim
PS. This is sunset. I lost that fact in all of my words.
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