The above map was taken from a 1976 edition of The Desert Queen Ranch brochure/booklet that was once produced by the NPS. At one time, you could get these little pamphlets for several places throughout the Monument; they were in metal boxes on posts at trailheads. You would drop your 15 cents (in later years, a quarter) into the slot and take a brochure and then have something to help guide you along such places as Geology Tour Road, Cottonwood Springs and of course, The Desert Queen Ranch. It's a bit sad that these aren't available any longer, but I still have some of mine from many years ago.

If you click on the map, you'll be better able to see small numbers (1 through 29) scattered along the trail. Those are points of interest along the original tour trail, the tour today skips a few of those locations.

Keep reading and I'll show you what I saw on my recent trip. I didn't get a picture of everything listed in the guide, but most of them were captured. And be sure to wander on over the Murbachi's Joshua Tree in 3D website for some great 3D pics of the Keys Ranch. Click HERE!

#1 is shown to be an old Bedrock Mortar and Cave site on the 1976 edition of the brochure. Our group's Ranger and escorts didn't make any mention of it that I can remember, so I guess it's no longer a portion of the tour, unless you know about it and ask the Ranger as you're walking by. There's only so much they can tell a large group of people during the time they have.

#2 marks one end of an old fence constructed of Joshua Tree trunks. I missed getting a photo of that one. However, the stick corral nearby has a few Joshua Tree logs in it.