This was an exciting last min addition to my ~Southwest Summer~! Before I left, I checked the route to Tucson (my halfway point to the final destination of the Guadalupe Mountains National Park) and it literally went RIGHT through Joshua Tree NP- I couldn't pass it up! The 8 hour drive from Santa Barbara to Tucson ended up being a lot longer than I had intended so I unfortunately could only breeze through JT- but it was enjoyable nonetheless! There is a road that cuts through the park from the West Entrance to the Cottonwood Visitor center that lead me in the right general direction. The first part of the park I had done before in November with my aunt but the other three fourths was uncharted territory for me! When entering the park I had a flash of inspiration that I should attempt to find the bottles that had been wedged into the cracks of a rock formation that I was unable to reach before. NOW that I'm a seasoned trash collector I came prepared with an extendable claw (pictured below) that can grab things in tight corners!
It was exciting searching for the same rocks I had found before! They ended up being at the Hidden Valley picnic area and I FOUND 3 BEER CANS AND 2 WATER BOTTLES!! I truly felt like a crazy trash pirate on a trash treasure hunt.
Happily hanging out with the freshly clawed trash from the Hidden Valley (Ranch?) picnic area that I was unable to retrieve in November.
After that I continued on the Pinto Basin Road and pulled off on the occasional "Exhibit" to collect a few more water bottles, a straw, and a napkin!
So many water bottles! Nice to see people are keeping themselves hydrated but plz recycle hello!