My company observes International Women's Day as a holiday, so I decided to make the most of the long weekend with a trip to Joshua Tree. I headed out in the morning knowing a storm had dusted our local mountains with snow, and I took the scenic route through Julian and a stop at Dudley's Bakery. The mountain peaks around me were frosted white, but it wasn't until I was nearly in Julian that I found actual snow on the ground — a couple of inches, though already well plowed.

I arrived at Joshua Tree around 11am just as the storm was clearing out. The lingering clouds were dramatic and beautiful, so I headed straight for the Hidden Tank area, where the boulder formations made for a perfect backdrop.

I had planned ahead and booked a ranger-led tour of Keys Ranch for Saturday morning. The tour starts at the gate on Keys Ranch Road, and we caravaned in a couple of miles before parking and walking the ranch. The ranger mentioned that the day before had brought a fair amount of snow — you could still feel the crispness in the air. During the tour, she shared fascinating stories about life in Joshua Tree before it became a park and how the early ranchers managed to survive out here.