Journeys›Photograph

A Quiet Weekend Camping in the Backcountry

·San Diego County, California·#spring#desert#camping#southern-california#backcountry
A small wooden cabin with a deck stands among tall green trees and dry ground, with mountains under a blue sky.

We spent a couple of days out in the backcountry in mid-May, just a short trip away from home. We set up our pop-up camper at a dry, dusty campsite that had a small cabin on the property. The weather was clear and warm, with that intense sun you get in the desert.

The main activity was just walking around in the evenings. As the sun started to set, the light on the mountains was perfect. I took a few photos of the dirt paths and the power lines cutting across the landscape. It’s a simple scene, but I like how the man-made structures look against the natural terrain.

Once it was dark, the moon was incredibly bright. The next day was all about the harsh daylight and the plant life. I spent some time getting close-ups of the cholla cacti, which look almost soft and glowing when the sun hits them just right. It was an uneventful few days, which was exactly the point.

A white Coleman Santa Fe pop-up camper is set up outdoors with a cooler and chair, under a sunny sky and trees.A desert landscape at sunset, with distant mountains, a dirt path, and a power line structure silhouetted against the bright sky.A bright moon shines in a dark sky above a silhouetted hill and two power poles.A large teddy bear cholla cactus dominates the foreground, with other cacti and a desert mountain landscape behind it.A close-up of a spiny cholla cactus in a desert landscape with many other cacti in the background.A desert landscape with mountains, dry plants, a dirt path, and a power pole with bright sun glare.A desert landscape with mountains under a cloudy sky, a dirt path, and a utility pole at sunset.Dark landscape at twilight with a bright moon above hills, a utility pole, and a dirt road.

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