Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [255]
CAFES
Whether you crave the jolt of a cup of java or a fix of bohemian coffeehouse culture, you won't find the Morongo Basin lacking. Crossroads Cafe and Tavern, 61715 Twentynine Palms Hwy. (☎ 760/366-5414), offers fresh coffee flown in from Washington state, fresh fruit smoothies, and fresh fish, plus some really tasty hot and cold gourmet sandwiches—try the Grilled Coyote (chicken and portobello mushrooms with balsamic mayo). Down the street is the Joshua Tree Beatnik Café, 61597 Twentynine Palms Hwy. (☎ 760/366-1295), bustling and funky, with a full slate of sandwiches, beers, coffee, and ice cream, plus high-speed Internet access. It features karakoke, indie movies, live music, and other entertainment nightly.
Picnic & Camping Supplies
General Stores. If you need camping (or climbing or hiking) gear, visit Rio Desert Ranch Market, 73544 Twentynine Palms Hwy., Twentynine Palms (☎ 760/367-7814), a general store carrying a limited selection of gear, including boots, cookstoves and fuel, ice chests, and hats. Or check out the Park Center, 6554 Park Blvd., Joshua Tree (☎ 760/366-3448), near the west entrance to the park; in addition to gift items and work by local artisans, it carries a limited selection of common items such as water bottles and clothing.
Serious Gear. Experienced climbers in need of backpacking or climbing equipment should definitely step into Nomad Ventures, 61795 Twentynine Palms Hwy. (☎ 760/366-4684), an outfitter conveniently located on the way to the park's west entrance. Open daily, it rents and sells climbing shoes and sells packs, harnesses, and other necessities. Joshua Tree Outfitters, 61707 Twentynine Palms Hwy. (☎ 888/366-1848 or 760/ 366-1848; www.joshuatreeoutfitters.com), rents camping gear and bouldering pads.
Picnic Supplies. You can stock up for picnicking or camping on the way into Yucca Valley, where Wal-Mart, Von's, and Stater Brothers loom large on Highway 62, along with every fast-food joint you can imagine. Once you're in Twentynine Palms, try the Plaza Market (☎ 760/367-3464), across from the chamber of commerce in the Historic Plaza at the northwest corner of Adobe and Two Mile roads. This friendly local market is convenient to the park's north entrance. A good place to pick up sandwiches, salads, and other prepared lunch foods is the Wonder Garden Café, 73511 Twentynine Palms Hwy. (☎ 760/ 367-2429), a downtown coffeehouse, deli, and gourmet food emporium popular among locals. You might also try the Park Center in the town of Joshua Tree. In addition to being the visitor center for the West Entrance Station, Park Center has a deli/bakery/coffee bar that makes lunches to go.
22
LASSEN VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARK
by Eric Peterson
STASHED IN THE NORTHEASTERN CORNER OF CALIFORNIA, LASSEN Volcanic National Park is a remarkable reminder that North America is still evolving and that the ground below is alive with the forces of creation and, sometimes, destruction. Lassen Peak is the southernmost volcano in the Cascade Mountain Range, a chain that also includes Mount St. Helens and stretches all the way north to British Columbia.
Though the 10,457-foot Lassen Peak is dormant, the surrounding landscape is very much alive. The peak last awakened in May 1914, beginning a cycle of eruptions that spit lava, steam, and ash until 1921. The eruption climaxed in 1915 when Lassen blasted forth a 6-mile-high mushroom cloud of ash that was seen from hundreds of miles away. The peak has been dormant for more than three-quarters of a century, but the park's geothermal features still boil with ferocious intensity; boiling springs, fumaroles (vents for volcanic steam and gases), and mud pots are all very active. Volcanologists cannot predict when any of the volcanoes in the area will erupt again, but they are fairly sure such an event will eventually take place.
Until then, the park gives you an interesting chance