In early May, I went on an overnight backpacking/camping trip in Joshua Tree National Park with Travis Puglisi of Wandering Mojave Hiking Service. We started the hike in the upper Covington Flats, made camp in the lower Covington Flats, and continued the next morning on the California Riding and Hiking Trail to Juniper Flats where we concluded the hike.
I don’t usually write reviews about my tour experiences but I am making an exception this time because my experience was truly exceptional. To say that I am a beginner backpacker/hiker is an understatement: I only just started hiking in April. But I wanted to learn more about backpacking and camping, so a hiking guide in Palm Springs referred me to Travis because he said that Travis is an experienced guide who could teach me the basics.
Travis is very professional and thorough. He asked me to fill out a questionnaire so that he could determine my hiking experience and fitness level as well as my expectations for the tour. He then prepared a hiking course that was tailored for me, and provided all of the food (which was good), equipment and water for the trip. He also explained how to use the equipment, such as how to pack a backpack, how much water to take on a trip, how to use trekking poles, and how to put up a tent.
The trip itself was amazing. I live in New York City so it was an incredible experience to see the stars at night from my tent at a campsite in the middle of Joshua Tree. And the pictures I posted with this review only begin to describe the beauty of the landscape that I saw.
Travis is a knowledgeable and enthusiastic teacher, so I learned a lot about the ecosystem of the Mojave Desert, particularly how the plants, animals and other organisms, as well as the weather and landscape interact with each other. Not surprisingly, he’s also a passionate steward of the land who believes that it should be preserved to benefit future generations. (On several occasions, I saw him pick up litter left by others.)
In sum, Travis provided a exciting, safe, and transformative trip. I am now definitely hooked on hiking/backpacking, and look forward to scheduling another trip with Travis at Wandering Mojave. I highly recommend him.