Joshua Tree National Park

If you happen to be planning a summer road trip to national parks, try to avoid planning to camp in the desert in July or August. It won't work out for you. I learned this lesson the hard way as I left Arizona and headed into California over the Parker Dam; this is a beautiful route, but also very off the beaten path. Approaching Joshua Tree from here, as the afternoon sun wanted in the sky, was a little creepy. My entire time in the park, I saw one other car, and promptly abandoned my plans to camp in the desert (because I sure wasn't doing that alone). After a somewhat fraught-with-worry drive through the park, I hightailed it to Orange County and the ocean. I did get some great evening golden hour shots, and I hope to go back one day to camp and hike. In November or December, like normal people do.

Yes, I did stay mostly in my car. I was creeped out by the solitude. And the possibility of snakes.