Julian Museum

Julian, California is tucked away in the Cuyamacas Mountains about an hour east of San Diego and about 45 minutes west of Borrego Springs.  We have traveled though Julian to get from San Diego to Borrego Springs but the road is narrow and windy and there are many spots that look straight down the edge of the mountain where there are no guardrails. It's not a great road if you are towing a camper.  When we travel between San Diego and Borrego Springs, we take the longer route on I-8 because it isn't so scary.  When we stay in Borrego Springs, we like to drive up for a day in Julian.  We enjoy a good and hearty lunch and then pick up an apple pie to enjoy when we return to our campsite.  

Julian is small but it is a very old community.  It is listed in the National Record of Historic Places.  The former mining town is now a tourist destination and it is also known for it's apples.  This year we visited the Julian Pioneer Museum.  I highly recommend a museum visit if you make your way to Julian.  

The museum building has had an interesting and varied history.  If the walls could talk, the stories they would tell.

A cowboy's identity was defined by his saddle.  His goal was to get a good one and hold onto it until his death.  When he died, his saddle was also retired for good.  

I had to laugh at this very important invention for women.  What could be more valuable to the drudgery of their everyday life than an electric hair curler.

Anyone for a swim?

Quilt making was very important work for pioneer women in the 19th and 20th century.  Women needed to have 13 quilts made by the time they were married.  The 13th quilt, the bridal quilt was generally a community effort finished at the quilting bee, with women sitting around the quilting frame visiting and gossiping and generally encouraging the new bride-to-be.  

This is a small sample of the many incredible things in this museum.  Julian has a very long history and all kinds of things have been pulled out of attics and placed in this museum.  It is a large space and it is packed with historical items and rocks and minerals from the environment.  There is also a video that shows you how to pan for gold.  

One bit of advice, don't let the weather at sea level fool you into dressing for warm weather when you go into the mountains.  Julian's elevation is around 4000 feet.  The temperature decreases at about 3.5 degrees per 1000 feet.  If it is 65 degrees in Sand Diego, it will be about 51 degrees in Julian.  Bring socks and a warm coat.

Borrego Springs Palm Canyon Trail

Borrego Springs has become an annual stopping point.  We've been here about 7 times in the past 11 years.  In 2014 I did a post about Anza Borrego State Park and this year, I am doing a post specifically about the Palm Canyon Trail.  The main trail is about 3 miles round trip and there is also an alternate trail that is a little more difficult but still pretty easy.  We like to use the main trail one way and the alternate trail to go the other direction. They connect near the palm oasis.  

You will see these signs at the beginning of the trail.  We have only walked it in January and February and we have never seen these scary animals, but I bet you will find them along the trail in the summer months.  The trail can be hot so bring water but in the winter months a gallon isn't necessary.  We bring about 16 ounces per person.  We always have water leftover when we are finished with our walk.

The main trail is well marked and easy to walk.

Even the few hills have rocks as steps rather than barriers.

There is an abundance of flora and fauna on this trail.  It's been pretty wet so the hills are green and the octillo are leafy and flowering.

The red flowering bush is full of bees.  Behind the bush you can see revenants of the 2004 flood.  These are palm logs that were washed down the canyon during the flood.

These little guys are scurrying everywhere.  They are pretty cute.

I caught movement out of the corner of my eye.  This hummingbird has a beak full of cotton from the cat tail and he's pecking more.  He flew away to line his nest with it.  

It's always a treat to see the Peninsular Desert Bighorn Sheep and this is the closest we've ever been to them.  They are grazing right by the alternative trail on all of the green grass and shrubs that appeared with the rains.  

There is a little creek that runs through the Palm Canyon at the 1.5 mile mark and it has fed these fan palm trees for millennia.  You can see where the water flows by just looking at the lush greenery in the middle of the rocky dessert mountains.