Maverick Joshua Tree Desert Run - Trip Report & Pics

[mw_maeve]

Check out more photos here Maverick Maeve. Took my Mav finally for a little off road drive at Joshua Tree since I installed the 245 70 KO2s and the lift kit. I had considered getting 245 75s but these will definitely need trimming and I didn’t want to make those alterations plus those wheels would be much heavier and eat up more gas.

She did surprising well on dirt, sand and occasional rocks. I’m glad that we didn’t get into any sticky situations though I came prepared with recovering hardware.

Clocked in at a whopping 33MPG at the start on the highway for about the first 50 miles but at the end of the 400mile trip I had 27. Not bad for a 2.0 with all the LA traffic and mountain roads. The KO2s are though pretty noisy on the road.

If anyone in South California looking to do some light off roading, hit me up

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[Adospeed]

@mw_maeve Very cool man. Your truck looks great!!!
Few questions:
1. Would your route be doable for a 2WD Maverick, stock height with All-Terrain Tires?
2. Mind sharing the off-road route you took? Loving the scenery.
3. Is it BLM land where one can camp out there?

 

[Shecster]

Very cool and thanks for sharing the pix. We had a similar dry run when we went to Anza- Borrego park. Awesomely quiet and spectacular stars at night.

The CG looks right at home

 

[TCK]

Ahhh. Joshua Tree.

Won't you scratch my itch, sweet Annie Rich
And welcome me back to town?
Come out on your porch or step into your parlor
And I'll tell you how it all went down
Out with the truckers and the kickers and the cowboy angels
And a good saloon in every single town
Oh, and I remembered something you once told me
And I'll be damned if it did not come true
Twenty thousand roads I went down, down, down
And they all lead me straight back home to you.
Truck looks perfect there.

 

[spexmaverick]

Ahhh. Joshua Tree.

Won't you scratch my itch, sweet Annie Rich
And welcome me back to town?
Come out on your porch or step into your parlor
And I'll tell you how it all went down
Out with the truckers and the kickers and the cowboy angels
And a good saloon in every single town
Oh, and I remembered something you once told me
And I'

Took my Mav finally for a little off road drive at Joshua Tree since I installed the 245 70 KO2s and the lift kit. I had considered getting 245 75s but these will definitely need trimming and I didn’t want to make those alterations plus those wheels would be much heavier and eat up more gas.

She did surprising well on dirt, sand and occasional rocks. I’m glad that we didn’t get into any sticky situations though I came prepared with recovering hardware.

Clocked in at a whopping 33MPG at the start on the highway for about the first 50 miles but at the end of the 400mile trip I had 27. Not bad for a 2.0 with all the LA traffic and mountain roads. The KO2s are though pretty noisy on the road.

If anyone in South California looking to do some light off roading, hit me up

Which route or trails have you taken? So far I have taken 3 routes.

#1) Geology Trail: Easy trail, did this with my stock truck. Entered from I-10, did the loop, exited at the west park entrance, west on Hwy 62 to I-10 and home.

#2) Pinkham Canyon: High Clearance Vehicle needed, did this after my lift. 4W sites call this Easy to Moderate with a couple technical areas. There's a moderate rock wash there. Lots of sandy areas. Enter from I-10 to Cottonwood Station. That's where you get the trail. Exits near the Cactus City Rest Stop. Requires a high clearance vehicle; stock height will not do.
#3) Berdoo Canyon: More difficult; a couple of rock wash areas. More technical for sure. Came in from Dillon Road at Indio Hills, drive through the shooting area, up into Berdoo Canyon. Meets up with the Geology Trail and its easy to get out from there. Either continue through the park to either entrance and onto Hwy-62 (Yucca Valley & Joshua Tree) or go south and exit from Cottonwood onto I-10.

I would like to try the Pinto Basin trail to see what's out there too. Have you been out to Johnson Valley, where the King of the Hammers event is held every year?

If you are putting a group together for a drive, please post or send an invitation. I'm near Palm Springs and JTNP is in my back yard.

Here is a map of where I have been so far. The photo on my profile is in Pinkham Canyon going over the rock wash.

 

[spexmaverick]

@mw_maeve Very cool man. Your truck looks great!!!
Few questions:
1. Would your route be doable for a 2WD Maverick, stock height with All-Terrain Tires?
2. Mind sharing the off-road route you took? Loving the scenery.
3. Is it BLM land where one can camp out there?

There is BLM land south of the park. When you come in from I-10, its the area between the freeway up to the first set of hills. Here is a link to the JTNP maps

https://www.nps.gov/jotr/planyourvisit/maps.htm

 

[James St. Patrick]

Looking good and wonderful pics. Anytime I hear “Joshua Tree” I think of that U2 album. I had no ideal it was a real place.

 

[The Weatherman]

Outstanding pics and so glad the truck performed well for you. Also like your choice in ride partners.

 

[mw_maeve]

@mw_maeve Very cool man. Your truck looks great!!!
Few questions:
1. Would your route be doable for a 2WD Maverick, stock height with All-Terrain Tires?
2. Mind sharing the off-road route you took? Loving the scenery.
3. Is it BLM land where one can camp out there?

The exact roads I took? Possibly. I've been doing a bit off off roading for a few years so you'll need to know where to go and when to stop by knowing your rig. And have the equipment and knowledge to get yourself out of deep sand or stuck over some rocks, etc. I did the Geology Tour and a place called Painted Canyon. The latter had some spot where there's deep sand but that was about it. There was just a bout one spot in Geology Tour where a small bit of rock rubbed underneath the truck but it didn't cause any problems.

 

[mw_maeve]

I didn't take the route in red though I did the loop at the end of the green. I read that there wasn't anything exciting in terms of scenery or the road so I left. Have you taken it?

 

[spexmaverick]

The red route is Berdoo Canyon. Not sure what you’re looking for in scenery, but as far as 4WD/AWD it’s the most challenging of the three. As you can see on the map, it ends up connecting with the Geology Trail, from there out of the park. Drove up canyon, I think coming down may be easier.

The Geology Trail is a good starter trail, I did that one without the lift. Easy to get to once you’re in the park. It’s pretty much a flat mesa ride with a couple bumps and areas of sand.

Pinkham canyon, is a good choice. Easy to get to and the trail circles around back to the rest area which is perfect for the end of a ride. Lots of brush right up against the road. Wider vehicles will get pinstriping for sure. Start at Cottonwood which is my entrance, just east of Coachella. 19 miles and a couple hours.

 

[spexmaverick]

Forgot to mention Painted Canyon. I see it’s a few miles south of I-10, so it’s not in JTNP. Easy to get to for me, looks like 2 or 3 miles east of Coachella. I’m going to check it out

 

[spexmaverick]

Keep forgetting to mention, There’s a park fee for JTNP.


Entrance Fee - $30.00
7-day vehicle permit, admitting the passengers of a single, non-commercial vehicle on the day of purchase and for the next six days.

Motorcycle Entrance Fee - $25.00
7-day entrance permit, per motorcycle.
Individual

Entrance Fee - $15.00
7-day entrance fee, per person on foot or bike.

Joshua Tree National Park Annual Pass - $55.00


Interagency passes include:

• Annual Pass: $80
• Annual Military Pass: Free*
• Annual Fourth Grade Pass for US students in fourth grade: Free
• Annual Senior Pass: $20
• Lifetime Senior Pass: $80
• Lifetime Access Pass: Free
• Annual Volunteer Pass: Free (250 hours of volunteer service at any of the six participating federal agencies is required).

 

[MortyHooper]

Awesome pics.

I’m from Vancouver BC, but if I ever get my maverick I’d love to come down and maybe get a group of us out there if you’ll have a Canuck. I want to do some of this type of thing, but going alone doesn’t seem as fun.

 

[spexmaverick]

Awesome pics.

I’m from Vancouver BC, but if I ever get my maverick I’d love to come down and maybe get a group of us out there if you’ll have a Canuck. I want to do some of this type of thing, but going alone doesn’t seem as fun.

And much safer, you dont want to get stuck out on these roads alone.

I'll hang with you Canadians any day, I even speak Canuckese..."eh?"........See???

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