RonnieAdventure #0238 - Mojave Desert, 2017 Part II

Chiriaco Summit on Interstate 10 is famous for three things - the Chiriaco Family Commercial Center, the General Patton Memorial Museum, and the south entrance to Joshua Tree National Park.

In 1927 Joe Chiriaco went west to see Alabama play Stanford in the Rose Bowl in California, and he never returned to Alabama. Instead, he went to work for the Los Angeles Bureau of Water and Power.

At that time there was a small dirt road that went over the Orocopia Mountains west of Indio and when Joe learned that they were going to pave the road all the way to Phoenix, he purchase land at the summit for a commercial establishment.

On August 15, 1933 the road was paved and on that same day Joe opened his gas station, garage, restaurant, and general store. The business thrived at this location and Joe found himself working 18 hours a day.

Then, in the spring of 1942, General George S. Patton established the Desert Training Center Headquarters at Camp Young, adjacent to Joe's commercial establishment. One soldier stationed in the area said that the establishment "...drew us like bees to blossoms."

The family still runs the business today and I would recommend the restaurant for good food at reasonable prices.

Photographer Unknown

After the war ended, Joe established a memorial to General Patton at the summit and over the years the memorial has become the General Patton Memorial Museum and honors all veterans from all wars. This is a must stop for all Patton and tank enthusiasts!

Also on display are a number of full-size wooden models of war machines that were designed by Leonardo da Vinci.

Joshua Tree National Park is one of the largest National Parks (792,510 acres) and more than 80 percent of the area is managed as wilderness. There is only one paved road that crosses the park and elevation tends to increase from south-to-north. Consequently, there is a noticeable change in the desert vegetation between the two sides of the Park.

During the winter months it is very difficult to find a camping space in the Park because rock climbers flock to the northern part of the park to do "bouldering" (climbing boulders).

Skull Rock

The Park is named for the Joshua Trees that are found in the northern part of the Park where the elevation is higher.

The highest point in the park is Keys View (5,185 feet), which provides views of the San Andreas Fault that marks the boundary where two tectonic plates meet.