The desert holds a genuine and undeniable beauty that simply cannot be expressed by mere words. I usually plan about 2 camping trips(5 to 6 days) each year. Much planning and preparation go into these 2 trips, including — but not limited to — hikes, meals and visits to certain points of interest. In between my bi-annual planned trips, I take many 2 to 4 day spur-of-the-moment trips with very little planning; sometimes as many as once a month. My trip to Ryan Campground in Joshua Tree National Park was one of the planned variety. Sunday through Thursday, directly following one of the busiest weekends of the year for JTNP. As Neil Young once said, «the devil fools with the best laid plan.» To make a long story short, once my Jetta Sport Wagon was fully loaded on Sunday morning, I noticed a flat tire… or nearly flat. Instead of taking hours trying to remedy the problem, I took the gas-guzzling Ford Taurus. But of course I had to unload the Jetta and load the Taurus; cut just over an hour out of my day. Adapt and overcome. How to get there: When using the west entrance into the park, remain on Park Blvd. for approximately 18 miles. The campground will be on your right just past Keys Road and Cap Rock. With just 31 sites to choose from, Ryan Campground is the third smallest campground in JTNP, not including Sheep Pass Campground, which is a group only campground. Fees are minimal, just $ 10.00 per night. Like most campgrounds in JTNP, Ryan is based on first-come, first-served… no reservations. There is no running water here at Ryan, though if your timing is right you may see some patches of snow, so be sure to bring your own(water). Showers can be had for $ 4.00 approximately 18 miles away in the town of Joshua Tree at a quaint little souvenir/gift store called«Coyote Corner». It’s just across the street from the Visitor Center. The only restrooms at Ryan are of the vault variety, but they’re kept clean(and I came after one of the busiest weekends of the year!). There are the usual campsite amenities: fire pit, barbecue grill and picnic table. No cell service. I always turn off all of my electronics upon entering a campground; helps to reset my biological clock( ). Ryan Campground consists of a single loop with most of the sites on the inside of the loop; only about four on the outside, they were all taken. I always prefer camping on the outside of a loop… for reasons I won’t get into now, but no biggie, I can deal with that. Of the sites located on the inside of the loop, only a handful were available, and each one of them abutted a neighboring site… which is okay… I’ve never met anyone I didn’t like when camping. Still, a little privacy never hurts. There are a few hikes I would recommend from Ryan Campground: Ryan Ranch(about 1.4 miles out and back); Ryan Mountain(2.8 miles out and back); and the California Riding and Hiking Trail(35 miles). If you choose the CA Riding and Hiking Trail, you have a choice of two directions: southwest or southeast. Neil Young’s devil would visit me again on the morning of my final day, but there’s no need to elaborate on that. Overall, Ryan is an okay campground, but not the best at JTNP; not even the second best, but it’s still JTNP, and there’s so much to do and see there. Its location alone warrants it a 4-star review. I was lucky enough to visit when there was still a remnant of the recent snowfall… «Earth is a flower and it’s pollinating» — Neil Young
