And Balanced Rock
Return to Jumbo Rocks Main Index
See Also
Elliot Koeppel’s Spooky Hollow page
(2D images first. 3D Galleries and Slideshow further down the page will require red–cyan glasses to see the full 3D effect. Click Images to Enlarge.)
The Long View
Trek dates: 2012 Nov 5, 2013 Jan 31 and Apr 1
THIS LARGE TRIANGULAR ROCK ( 34° 0’6.31″N 116° 3’31.46″W ) is 0.8 mi past Jumbo Rocks Campground entrance and a diagonal shot across Park Boulevard from the iconic Pope’s Hat and Live Oak Picnic area 0.4 mi away. An Exhibit parking area on the north side of the road is the best approach. Rock climbers have staked out routes on The Wedge as well as at Exhibit Rock to its right and Cunning Rock (a.k.a. False Moosedog Tower) a large wall extending behind The Wedge on either side, the southern extention of which is approachable from the see-through boulder area (see below).
Exhibit Rock has a very wide intrusive dike at its base, for added interest.
As for Cunning Rock—to confuse matters further because it has two names—one might almost call it cunning and two-faced because rock climbers have staked out routes on both the sunny-side southeast face (visible from the road) and an almost-always-shady northwest face.
The wedge itself is a V-shaped block sitting atop a large rock near the left end of the formation on the north side of the road. It is pretty obvious from the vicinity of the Exhibit pullout. Three relatively easy climbs are recorded, “Wedge,” “Hex,” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again.”
From the open space or passage at The Wedge’s base, a short 450 yard hike east takes you to another slot canyon where high on a granite platform rests a most exquisite large Balanced Rock ( 34° 0’8.95″N 116° 3’21.62″W ). Do not pass by the bulbous see-through rock at the base of Cunning Rock, southeast. You will spot a pair of oval openings in it. It behooves you to take its picture.
2D Gallery
Click images to enlarge. 1080p resolution or higher. Or Windows users, right-click and choose SAVE LINK AS. 3D Anaglyph Slideshow follows.
Spooky Hollow
Friend Elliot Koeppel photographed the above see-through boulder at exactly the right time of day when the westerly sun cast its shadow over the rock. Visit his web page Spooky Hollow to see this and other Nikon camera-crisp views of The Wedge and Balanced Rock HERE.
- Use glasses to view 3D Anaglyphs
- Click to Enlarge Photos
3D Anaglyph Gallery
Visitors to Joshua Tree 3D are invited to download as many of the 3D Anaglyph or 3D Half Side-by-Side photographs as you wish. Note: 3D H-SBS images should only be saved if you have access to a 3D TV.
3D Anaglyph Slideshow
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3D Half Side-by-Side Gallery
Suitable for 3D TV viewing. Half Side-by-Sides avoid the minor Anaglyph anomalies that can occur. Click images to enlarge. 1080p resolution. Or Windows users, right-click and choose SAVE LINK AS.
Thank you for visiting The Wedge at Joshua Tree National Park. Be sure to visit this interesting area on your next visit to the park.
Murbachi
Temple City, California
Posted 2017 Mar 4
Updated 2017 Nov 4